What’s On

Starring: Abou Sangare, Nina Meurisse and Alpha Oumar. Co-written and Directed by Boris Lojkine.

L’histoire de Souleymane (Souleymane’s Story) is a 2024 French film directed by Boris Lojkine. It premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it won two awards. The film follows Souleymane, a recent Guinean immigrant navigating the streets of Paris as he prepares for his asylum application interview while working as a bicycle delivery rider. As Souleymane tirelessly pedals through the city delivering meals, he rehearses a story that isn’t his own (he’s been advised to declare himself a political dissident to secure asylum), but he struggles to embrace this false narrative.

With a documentary-like style, Boris Lojkine illuminates the lives of individuals often overlooked despite being part of our everyday surroundings. The director meticulously captures the details of Souleymane’s daily routine and the harsh realities faced by undocumented migrants. Yet, Souleymane’s resilience stands out, brought to life through the outstanding debut performance of Abou Sangaré. His deeply moving portrayal earned him the Best Actor Award in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, while Lojkine received the Special Jury Prize. The film has garnered international acclaim, earning multiple nominations, including several Best Actor nods for Sangaré, who won the award at the Gijón International Film Festival.

Starring: Tilda Swinton, George MacKay, Moses Ingram, Bronagh Gallagher, Tim McInnerny and Michael Shannon. Co-written and Directed by Joshua Oppenheimer.

An apocalyptic musical film directed and co-written by Joshua Oppenheimer, The End is produced by Oppenheimer, Signe Byrge Sørensen, and Tilda Swinton. The film stars Swinton alongside a diverse ensemble cast. It premiered at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on 31 August 2024 and is set for release in the United States on 6 December 2024.

The story follows a wealthy family living in an underground bunker two decades after contributing to the world’s destruction.

Strarring: Lee Pace, Catinca Untaru, and Justine Waddell. Co-written and Directed by Tarsem Singh. 

The Fall is an adventure-fantasy film produced, co-written, and directed by Tarsem Singh. It is a monumental production that filmed over four years in 28 breathtaking locations across multiple continents, with dazzling costumes designed by Academy Award® winner Eiko Ishioka, THE FALL remains one of the most gorgeous films ever made, a genre-defying cult classic like no other. Completed in 2006 but not released in cinemas until 2008, it features one of Lee Pace’s earliest and most artistic roles. While the film received mixed reviews and was a box office failure upon release, it has since gained recognition for its visual artistry and limited distribution, remaining absent from streaming platforms for years.

In July 2024, the streaming service Mubi acquired select distribution rights to a 4K restoration, which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival before streaming globally on September 27, 2024. A visually stunning exploration of themes such as falling from grace, addiction, friendship, and love, The Fall earned critical acclaim over time, appearing on several top-ten lists of the best films of 2008.

Set in 1915 Los Angeles, the story follows Roy Walker, a stuntman hospitalized and possibly paralyzed after a dangerous film stunt. While recovering, he befriends Alexandria, a young Romanian girl with a broken arm. To entertain her, Roy begins narrating a fantastical story about Alexander the Great story, inspired by her name. And he promises her more epic tales if she returns. As Roy’s narrative unfolds, Alexandria’s vivid imagination transforms his words into a breathtaking fantasy world.

Enjoy an enchanting evening featuring medleys from Kuwaiti, Khaleeji, and Arabic songs, performed by the choir and guest artist Jassem Bin Thani, accompanied by the musical ensemble under the direction of Dr Mohammed Al-Buaijan.

Following the success of last season’s Medley concert, which captivated audiences with the exceptional performances of iconic songs by the choir and talented musicians, we bring back the experience in December. This year’s concert features a rich repertoire of Kuwaiti, khaleeji, and Arabic classics, seamlessly blended into a medley of melodies, harmonies, and rhythms.

Hosted at the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ali Music Hall on 25-26 December, the event will also spotlight guest artist Jassem Bin Thani, performing a tribute to the late Kuwaiti legend Abdul Karim Abdul Qader. The programme offers a vibrant showcase of Kuwaiti folk arts and hits from the golden age of kaleeji music to contemporary favourites, along with timeless songs by legendary 20^th-century artists such as Umm Kulthum, Abdel Halim Hafez, Fairuz, and many more.

The National Theatre once again hosts the Saudi artist Abadi Al-Johar, to perform his beloved songs, accompanied by his oud and the musical ensemble under the direction of conductor Amir Abdel-Megeed.

In December, the Saudi artist Abadi Al-Johar, renowned as the Master of the Oud, returns to the National Theatre on 27 December after a long absence. With his oud in hand, he will perform a selection of his most beloved songs in the concert Abadi and His Oud, alongside the musical ensemble led by Maestro Amir Abdel-Megeed. A regular guest at the National Theatre, the Saudi singer meets his Kuwaiti audience annually during the Kuwait February Festival. His last performance at the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Cultural Centre, in February 2022, featured a repertoire of his most popular songs and exceptional oud solos.

Renowned for his melancholic voice and a playing style that bridges emotion and mastery on the oud, Abadi Al-Johar has composed numerous songs for prominent Arab artists, including Talal Maddah, Nagat Al-Saghira, Samira Said, and Assala Nasri. He has also performed lyrics by some of the region’s most celebrated poets, such as Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen, Prince Abdulrahman bin Musaid, Fayeq Abduljalil, Talal Al-Rasheed, and many others.

In January, the Studio Theatre will welcome renowned TV presenter Hamad Qalam to film new episodes of his popular talk show, Hamad Show, in celebration of its 10^th anniversary.

In January, the Studio Theatre will welcome renowned TV presenter Hamad to record new episodes of his popular talk show, Hamad Show, in celebration of its 10^th anniversary. Over two months, weekly episodes will be filmed in front of a live audience, featuring a lineup of Kuwaiti and Arab celebrity guests.

Notably, the Centre hosted the fourth season of this acclaimed programme in 2019, where eight episodes were filmed at the Studio Theatre. The set was completely transformed to reflect the show’s concept of hosting superstars and renowned guests in front of a live audience. The first episode featured celebrated Kuwaiti artist Nabil Shuail and Egyptian comedian Shaimaa Saif. The guest list that season included an impressive array of singers, actors, and prominent personalities such as Nawal El Zoghbi, Nadine Njeim, Amy Samir Ghanem, and Kuwaiti figures like Sheikha Majda Al-Sabah, Fatima Al-Safi, Amal Al-Awadhi, Bibi Al-Abdulmohsen, Tareq Al-Ali, and Saudi singer Aseel Abu Bakr, among others.

A musical evening celebrating the most renowned Yemeni and Khaleeji traditional and contemporary melodies, presented with a global flair by an orchestra seamlessly combining Western and traditional instruments, under the direction of conductor Mohamed Al-Ghoom. 

Following the immense success of last season’s event, “The Hadhrami Orchestra”, which uniquely showcased Yemeni and Khaleeji melodies in a groundbreaking experience led by Yemeni composer Mohamed Al-Ghoom, we proudly present “The Hadrami Music: Cultural Roots, Global Harmony” this January. The concert will feature a new selection of Yemeni melodies, widely regarded as the foundation of Khaleeji music, performed in an innovative global style that unites Western orchestral instruments with traditional ones as part of the Heritage Symphonies project.

Founded in 2019 by Yemeni composer Mohamed Al-Ghoom, “The Heritage Symphonies” is a cultural initiative dedicated to promoting and showcasing folk music by integrating traditional styles and instruments into orchestral performances. Al-Ghoom’s dream was to share Yemen’s rich musical heritage, particularly the Hadhrami arts, with the world. The project debuted with a landmark concert in Malaysia in 2019, titled “Hope from the Depths of Pain”, featuring six compositions inspired by Hadrami Yemeni music. This was followed by acclaimed performances at the Cairo Opera House in 2022 (A Yemeni Melody on the Nile), in Paris in 2023 (A Yemeni Melody in Paris), and further concerts in Doha, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait in February 2024. Each performance masterfully combines Yemeni melodies with traditional instruments and a full Western orchestra, creating a captivating fusion of heritage and modernity.

Between Samri melodies and her own songs, the beloved artist Fatouma returns for a captivating new musical session. 

Since her debut, Fatouma has captivated audiences with her powerful voice and unique renditions of diverse genres, ranging from traditional folk to romantic songs. On 17 January, the Amphitheatre will host a new musical session (Jalsat) featuring the beloved artist Fatouma. Fans can look forward to an enchanting evening showcasing her popular hits and iconic Samri songs, which she performs with exceptional mastery.

Her last event at the Amphitheatre, held during National Day celebrations in February 2022, was a patriotic spectacle. Fatouma captivated the audience with heartfelt tributes to Kuwait, her hit songs “Darb Al-Sana’a wal-Adala” and “Habibi Maho Al-Awal,” along with beloved Samri melodies.