Powerful photojournalism in Paris, rare Italian Renaissance drawings in London, Andrea Arnold’s uplifting ‘Bird’, and a new Primal Scream album – here’s what to consume in Europe this week.
While the horrors persist, so do we – with a new batch of cultural distractions from across the continent.
We’ve already covered some great new exhibitions this week, including an astonishing exhibition at the Estonian National Museum (ENM) that features a visualisation of the DNA of 100,000 Estonians on LED screens; a London show celebrating the diverse beauty of Black life across the globe; over 80 never-seen-before prints by Pablo Picasso at the British Museum, and an exploration of 5,000 years of Kazakhstan’s history in five key artefacts at the Musée Guimet in. Paris.
In the UK, cinemagoers will likely be flocking to see their favourite marmalade-scoffing bear, but other must-see European releases include Trois Amies (Three Friends), a Gallic dramedy that follows three best friends from Lyon, and Miguel Gomes’ Grand Tour, which won the Best Director award at Cannes and is rolling out across France and other countries this month.
There’s also Pharrell William’s Lego-animated biopic, Piece By Piece, which is bizarre-sounding enough to peak curiosity and will likely, um, connect with William’s fanbase.
Lastly, photography enthusiasts should get themselves to Paris for a whole host of exciting events examining humanity and the world through a lens, including Paris Photo and the PhotoSaintGermain festival (more on that below).
Until next week, enjoy some art, stay warm and take care of yourselves.
Exhibitions
‘Prix Carmignac du Photojournalisme’ (Carmignac Photojournalism Award) exhibition at the Réfectoire des Cordeliers and Musée d’Orsay (Paris, France)
This year’s Carmignac Photojournalism Award, its 14th edition, is dedicated to the plight of women, girls and minorities living in Afghanistan since the return of the Taliban to power in August 2021. This year, the prize was awarded to a 6 month-long project by Canadian-Iranian photojournalist Kiana Hayeri and French researcher Mélissa Cornet, who met more than 100 Afghan women, documenting the ways in which their rights have been eroded by the state. A double exhibition showcases Hayeri and Cornet’s astonishing work at a double exhibition, the first hosted at the Réfectoire des Cordeliers until 18 November, the second at the Port of Solférino, and in partnership with the City of Paris, until 18 December.
‘Drawing the Italian Renaissance’ at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace (London, UK)
The Italian Renaissance was a bridge to a new world – one that would continue to re-shape art and artistic values for the next 500 years. Paving the way were artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian, but also many more lesser-known names. This new exhibition, one of the widest-ranging on the subject yet, charts how drawing in particular evolved so excitingly between 1450-1600, with over 30 works being displayed for the very first time and 12 that have never before been shown in the UK. The press release states that it’s a “once-in-a-generation chance to see such a breadth of Italian Renaissance masterpieces together,” with the drawings needing to be returned for conservation after 9 March 2025.
Events
‘Night of Photojournalism’ (Paris, France)
Great photojournalism has the power to change how we view the world – and even the world itself, encouraging societal and legislative change. Able to capture not only an image but an entire story and emotional inner expression, the Night of Photojournalism is a celebration of such impactful and sometimes life-endangering work. Now in its second edition and part of the PhotoSaintGermain festival, this event brings together those involved in the industry from all over the world to discuss important topics such as human rights violations and global issues. An exhibition of celebrated photojournalism works will also be projected across the night sky. Intensive but perspective-altering, with meaningful conversation at its core – on 9 November.
‘The Festival of Torrone’ (Cremona, Italy)
Nine days of nougat. Yes, that’s right – from the 9-17 November, Cremona comes alive with the sweet nutty treat and a whole host of cultural and culinary events to celebrate it. These include cooking demonstrations, live music, parades, performances and the chance to try and buy nougat from over 150 manufacturers of it – from Italy and around the world. Torrone in particular is a Mediterranean type of nougat, classically made with honey, sugar, and egg white then filled with toasted almonds or other nuts. If you’re salivating just thinking about it, this is your sign to go.
Movies
Bird
Seeing incredible cinema makes you soar, and Andrea Arnold’s new film, an ethereal fusion of social and magical realism, does exactly that.
Set in a poverty-stricken part of Kent, UK, it follows the life of 12-year-old Bailey (played brilliantly by newcomer Nykiya Adams) as she wanders the local town or lays in bed surrounded by graffiti-scrawled walls, lost in imagination and filming little things with her phone, its screen capturing the daydream version of the world she longs to live in. Her dad is the hyperactive, flawed-but-trying-his-best Bug (Barry Keoghan) who, much to Bailey’s dismay, is remarrying and also very busy playing sincere music to a toad in the hopes that it might excrete some profitable hallucinogenic slime. All of this seems to fade into the background, however, after Bailey bumps into a twirling stranger with a transcendental-sort of energy named Bird (Franz Rogowski). Together, they form a friendship and help one another to find hope and transformation in the everyday.
Euronews Culture’s resident film critic David Mouriquand called it “the film we need right now” and an “incredibly poignant film about finding the uplifting in everyday unrest.” Read his full review here.
Paddington in Peru
A wise bear always keeps a marmalade sandwich in his hat in case of emergency – and a wise human always keeps a DVD of Paddington 2 in their bag in case of emergency. The Ben Whishaw-starring franchise, based on British author Michael Bond’s duffle-coated ursine, has garnered huge success since first released in 2014. Beloved for their twee sensibilities and heartwarming humour, anticipation for this third instalment – which is released in UK cinemas first this week – has been higher than a brolly-lifted Paddington.
This time, we’re off to visit Paddington’s Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) in Peru with the Brown family – but more mishaps and marmalade await. New cast members include Olivia Colman, Julie Walters and Antonio Banderas, while Queen Elizabeth II will reportedly have a cameo too (in photograph form). There’s everything in here to suggest a beary good time – but it’s also got the tough task of following what is regularly cited as one of the greatest ever movie sequels. One thing’s for sure, it’s always nice having a bear about the cinema.
Grand Tour
Finally, while you’re skipping Trois Amies (Three Friends), make sure to catch the latest film by Portuguese director Miguel Gomes (Tabu, Arabian Nights), who left Cannes this year with the Best Director Palme under his arm for his work on this era-spanning, continent-crossing travelogue.
It was one of our critic David Mouriquand’s faves from the festival. He wrote: “The film starts in 1918 and charts how Edward, a British diplomat, loves his fiancé Molly but seems pathologically commitment phobic. Every time they seem to be reunited, he darts off to another location in East Asia, leaving his determined lover to follow him – comically armed with unshakable purpose. From the performances to Gomes’ use of comedy and contemporary documentary footage to instill a dreamlike dirge in which past and present blur, this postmodern fable requires patience but yields beguiling results.”
TV
‘The Old Man’ (Disney+)
As the title would suggest, this is a show that has a distinctly crusty and curmudgeonly energy to it – a trope that underscores many a gritty crime thriller, but especially helps to give this one an added edge. It stars Jeff Bridges as retired spy Dan Chase who is being hunted for his past – including by FBI agent Harold Harper (John Lithgow). In this second series, they’ve formed an unconventional sort of friends-but-also-not-really alliance and are working together to track down a woman known as Emily Chase (Alia Shawkat). Dark secrets and plenty of pensive looks from our leads lie ahead.
Music
Primal Scream: ‘Come Ahead’
It’s been eight years since the Scottish alt-rock band’s last album ‘Chaosmosis’, and their return is full of fevered, funk-inflected soulfulness adorned with gospel choirs and 70s swagger. For all its feel-good vibes, the messaging is overtly personal and political, rage at those being exploited and corruptions of power spilt like iridescent oil over each track. Nearly every album from the band has been a new exploration of different genres, and this is no different, lead singer Bobby Gillespie’s funky furore also arriving at a time when many desperately need outlets for their hurt and rage against institutions of power.
