Tag: #crown

  • Riyadh set for fourth Gulf Cinema festival

    Riyadh set for fourth Gulf Cinema festival

    Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is getting ready to host the fourth Gulf Cinema Festival (GCF) from April 14 to 18. The festival is organized by the Film Commission with support from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and is backed by Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud. The goal of the festival is to strengthen relationships among GCC countries and promote the growing Gulf cinema industry.

    It will showcase 29 films from all GCC countries and honor experienced actors for their contributions to Gulf cinema, as state by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Alongside film screenings, three training workshops and six educational seminars to encourage discussions about art and the social impact of movies will also take place. Saudi Arabia’s entertainment sector is growing rapidly, reflecting the country’s efforts to diversify its economy and attract visitors from around the world.

    The decision to lift the cinema ban in 2017, part of the Vision 2030 reform agenda led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has played a significant role in this growth. Since then, the Saudi cinema industry has expanded, with 627 screens in 69 theaters catering to a population of 32.2 million people.

  • Five times Pakistani art went international this year

    Five times Pakistani art went international this year

    From the Pakistani representation in Ms Marvel to Pasoori becoming a global anthem, 2022 was quite the year for Pakistani artists. Have a look at some of the biggest moments for the industry in 2022.

    Pasoori:

    Coke Studio Pakistan’s Pasoori became a global hit in 2022, landing the crown of the song with the most global searches in 2022 as per Google Trends. It’s music video, with Ali Sethi and Shae Gill belting it out on a colourful set, received more than 400 million views on YouTube.

    Pakistani representation in Ms Marvel:

    Ms Marvel featured Pakistani American teen Kamala Khan — the first Muslim superhero to headline her own comic — debuted in cinemas in Pakistan on June 16 and aired on Disney+ on June 9. Apart from it the show also introduced Pakistani super stars Mehwish Haytt and Fawad Khan to international audiences.

    Many other Pakistani artists were also featured in the show.

    Humayun Saeed in The Crown

    Pakistani actor Humayun Saaed played the coveted role of Dr. Hasnat Khan, Princess Diana’s lover, on the fifth season of Netflix juggernaut The Crown.

    Joyland’s shortlisting for Oscars

    Capping a fabulous year for the trailblazing Pakistani film Joyland, the Oscars shortlisted the movie in the category of Best International Feature Film. This is the first time a Pakistani film has made it to the coveted awards.

    Arooj Aftab’s Grammy award:

    The New York-based singer became the first female Pakistani artist to win a Grammy award for Best Global Music Performance, along with securing a Best New Artist nomination.

  • ‘Mrs Sri Lanka’ injured after ‘Mrs World’ snatches crown

    ‘Mrs Sri Lanka’ injured after ‘Mrs World’ snatches crown

    The winner of a major Sri Lankan beauty prize has suffered head injuries after a tussle on stage.

    Beauty queen Pushpika De Silva won the ‘Mrs Sri Lanka’ title at a ceremony on Sunday. Moments after the crown was placed on her head, the 2019 winner seized Mrs De Silva’s crown, claiming she could not be awarded the title because she was divorced.

    Though the judges had announced Ms De Silva the 2021 winner at the final in a theatre in Colombo, the 2019 winner, Caroline Jurie, stripped Mrs De Silva of her crown, citing a pageant rule that competitors must be married and not divorced.

    “There is a rule that you have to be married and not divorced, so I am taking my first steps in saying that the crown goes to the first runner-up,” Mrs Jurie told the audience while taking off Mrs De Silva’s crown.

    She then placed the crown on the runner-up, prompting a tearful Mrs De Silva to walk off stage. The video of the incident has gone viral on social media.

    The organisers later apologised to Mrs De Silva, after they confirmed that she was only separated and not divorced and returned the prize to her.

    Meanwhile, Mrs De Silva, in Facebook post, said that she had to go to a hospital to be treated for head injuries after the incident.

    The pageant winner said that she would take legal action for the “unreasonable and insulting” way she was treated.

    “There are a lot of single mums like me today who are suffering in Sri Lanka,” said Mrs De Silva, addressing a press conference. “This crown is dedicated to those women, those single mums who are suffering to raise their kids alone.”

    According to a report, the national director of Mrs Sri Lanka World, Chandimal Jayasinghe, has said that the crown would be returned to Mrs De Silva on Tuesday.

    “We are disappointed,” he said, adding: “It was a disgrace how Caroline Jurie behaved on the stage and the Mrs World organisation has already begun an investigation on the matter.”

    Police have questioned Mrs Jurie, who is the current holder of the ‘Mrs World’ title, as well as Mr Jayasinghe, about the incident.

    The Mrs Sri Lanka World beauty pageant is a major contest in the country. The prime minister’s wife was among the guests at the ceremony.