Entertainment

Berlin Film Fest Grapples With Nazi Past, Far-Right Threat

Published

3 years ago

February 19, 2024

Staff Reporter

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BERLIN – This week’s Berlin international film festival is wrestling on- and off-screen with the weight of the Nazi past and the menace of a resurgent far right.

The 74th Berlinale, as the event is known, has a reputation for confronting political realities head-on with high-profile movies and hot-tempered debates.

German director Julia von Heinz brought together an unlikely pair, U.S. actor Lena Dunham and Britain’s Stephen Fry, for her drama ‘Treasure,’ about a Holocaust survivor who returns to Poland with his journalist daughter.

Inspired by a true story, the film shows their journey following the fall of the Iron Curtain, after decades of family silence about the Nazi period.

Fry plays the seemingly jovial Edek searching for a connection with his uptight daughter Ruth (Dunham).

Their travels take them to Edek’s childhood home in Lodz, where they make the chilling discovery that a family living in his old flat is still using his parents’ porcelain tea service, silverware and a green velvet sofa they abandoned when they were deported.

Fearful it is the last chance to record his memories, Ruth convinces Edek to return to Auschwitz.

‘A new perspective’

Von Heinz, speaking after a warmly received screening, said that a rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the wake of the Gaza war had spurred her to finish the film for the Berlinale.

She rejected suggestions there had been ‘enough’ movies dealing with the Nazi period.

‘There can never be enough stories to be told about this and I think we are giving it a new perspective,” she said.

Fry added: ‘While history may not repeat itself, as somebody once put it, (it) rhymes and there are similar feelings now as we know rising up.’

The actor, who had several relatives who were killed at Auschwitz, said it was ‘an extraordinary feeling’ to shoot scenes outside the former death camp.

Dunham, who also lost ancestors in the Holocaust, insisted its lessons are both rooted in the Jewish experience and transcend it.

‘It’s important to acknowledge that the far right, be it here or in the U.S. — there’s an incredible and shocking amount of anti-Semitic rhetoric and there’s also a shocking amount of Islamophobic rhetoric, anti-Black rhetoric, transphobic rhetoric,’ she said. ‘The goal is to isolate people based on their identities and make them feel inhuman and that’s a universal story unfortunately.’

Resistance ‘superheroes’

‘From Hilde, With Love,’ starring Liv Lisa Fries of international hit series ‘Babylon Berlin,’ also debuted at the festival over the weekend.

It tells the true story of Hilde Coppi, a member of the ‘Red Orchestra’ anti-Nazi resistance group, who gave birth to a son in prison while awaiting her execution for ‘high treason’ in 1942.

Director Andreas Dresen grew up in communist East Germany, a region where the far-right AfD is poised to make strong gains in key state elections later this year.

He said that in school, resistance members were often portrayed as larger-than-life ‘superheroes,’ meaning many felt incapable of having similar courage to stand up to authority.

Fries, whose vivid portrayal impressed critics, said Coppi joined the Red Orchestra in trying to sabotage the Nazi war effort out of a basic sense of right and wrong.

‘It was not only decency but also a sense of solidarity — solidarity is always worth standing up for,’ she said.

Dresen stripped the movie of historical images familiar from Nazi movies such as ‘waving swastika flags and thumping jackboots.”

‘Political terror is part of our present and unfortunately not as far away as we would like,’ he said. ‘I really wish this film weren’t so topical.’

‘From Hilde, With Love’ is one of 20 films in competition for the festival’s Golden Bear top prize Saturday.

Commitment to ’empathy’

The two films premiered amid a fierce debate over whether the Berlinale should continue to invite AfD politicians to its galas.

A bombshell revelation last month – that party members attended a meeting outside Berlin at which mass deportations of foreigners and ‘poorly assimilated’ German citizens were discussed – raised the stakes.

After initially insisting that the elected representatives should attend, the Berlinale backtracked and disinvited five AfD officials, citing its commitment to ’empathy, awareness and understanding.”

The move was widely praised by the artistic community, but dissenters argued that democratic culture meant tolerating even offensive views.

Kenyan Mexican actor Lupita Nyong’o, the festival’s first black jury president, was asked whether she would have attended the opening ceremony Thursday in the presence of far-right officials.

‘I’m glad I don’t have to answer that question,’ she replied. ‘I’m glad I don’t have to be in that position.’

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Staff Reporter

Entertainment

Dubai Miracle Garden returns as UAE’s cooler season begins

Published

19 hours ago

October 9, 2026

Staff Reporter

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Dubai’s Miracle Garden has reopened for its 15th season as temperatures begin to fall across the UAE. The popular attraction in Al Barsha South welcomed visitors on Thursday, 8 October, with the new season being launched under the theme “Fifteen Years, Blooming Together”.

Sheikh Theyab bin Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, chairman of Miracle Group, inaugurated the new season. The garden will remain open until 31 May 2027, with a programme of weekly themes and events planned around the UAE’s cultural and national calendar.

Visitors will see activities linked to occasions including Pink October, United Nations Day, UAE Flag Day and Diwali. The programme will also include live music, family entertainment and fitness activities held as part of the Dubai Fitness Challenge.

Events are also planned for Commemoration Day and Eid Al Etihad.

“For fifteen seasons, Dubai Miracle Garden has grown alongside Dubai and its people,” Sheikh Theyab said. “This season is dedicated to the community that made it possible, particularly the families and residents who return year after year.”

Mohammed Zaher Hammadih, group chief executive of Miracle Group, said the weekly programme was intended to encourage visitors to return throughout the season.

“As we mark our 15th season, Dubai Miracle Garden continues to bring people together through shared experiences,” he said. “Our weekly programme gives families a new reason to return, with cultural celebrations, live entertainment and activities to enjoy throughout the season.”

The garden features more than 150 varieties of flowers and is known for its large-scale floral displays, some of which have previously set Guinness World Records.

Since opening in 2013, it has attracted millions of visitors and become one of Dubai’s established family attractions.The garden is open daily from 9am to 9pm on weekdays and from 9am to 11pm at weekends.

Tickets start at Dh105 for adults and Dh84 for children. Children under three can enter free of charge.

Entertainment

Emirates Dubai 7s 2026: Tickets on sale as festival returns with bigger family zone

Published

1 month ago

August 31, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Emirates Dubai 7s is returning to The Sevens Stadium from November 27 to 29, with tickets now on sale for the three-day sports and entertainment festival.

The 2026 edition will bring together international rugby, amateur sports, live music and family entertainment, with organisers promising a bigger programme than previous years.

The festival attracted more than 88,000 visitors in 2025 and will again take place during the final weekend of the Dubai Fitness Challenge.

Ticket prices

Ticket prices for General Admission and Hospitality have stayed the same for a third consecutive year.

Three-day General Admission tickets cost Dh595 per person, while the three-day Family Pass is Dh1,136 for two adults and two children.

Other ticket options

Group pass: Dh446 per person for four or more adults
Saturday or Sunday: Dh455
Friday: Dh75
Under 15s: Free
People of Determination + carer: Dh375

Tickets can be purchased through the Emirates Dubai 7s website and app.

Bigger family attractions

Family entertainment will get a major boost this year as the UAE celebrates the Year of the Family.

The festival will feature its biggest-ever Kids’ Zone, including the UAE’s largest inflatable kids’ zone, along with a Ferris wheel and zipline. More attractions are expected to be announced ahead of the event.

Six sports and top rugby action

Alongside elite rugby, visitors can watch or take part in competitions across six sports — rugby, netball, cricket, WODON3 fitness, Rebound padel and Gaelic Football.

Gaelic Football will join the festival for the first time in 2026.

The Sevens Stadium will also host the opening round of the HSBC SVNS Series 2027, bringing the world’s leading rugby sevens players to Dubai.

The WODON3 Elite final will take place on Pitch 1 between HSBC SVNS matches, with competitors potentially performing in front of crowds of up to 20,000.

Music all weekend

Live entertainment will run throughout the festival, with local and international artists performing across three days.

Last year’s line-up included Tinie Tempah, Sean Paul and Fisher, while the 2026 headline acts will be announced later.

For a premium experience, The Sunroom returns with all-inclusive food and drinks, shaded seating, prime sporting views and dedicated access. Packages start from Dh1,925 per person.

With sport, music and family attractions packed into one weekend, Emirates Dubai 7s is gearing up for another big Dubai event.

Entertainment

Dubai launches ‘Dubai+’ family streaming platform to boost digital media and creative economy

Published

8 months ago

January 29, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, has approved the launch of Dubai+, a new family-oriented digital media platform, reinforcing Dubai’s ambition to become a global hub for digital media and the creative economy.

The approval came as Sheikh Ahmed chaired the Dubai Media Council’s first meeting of 2026 at Dubai Media, where members reviewed sector strategies and plans to strengthen content creation, innovation and local production capabilities.

What is Dubai+?

Dubai+ will offer a wide range of family-friendly content, bringing together:

Local and Emirati productions
Arab series and films
International entertainment

The platform reflects Dubai Media’s integrated digital ecosystem strategy, responding to shifting viewer habits and the growing demand for high-quality, on-demand digital content.

“We believe media is a strategic force that shapes awareness, supports development and builds trust,” Sheikh Ahmed said.

Boosting Local Film and Content Production

The Council also reviewed plans to:

Enhance local production capabilities
Support cinema as a cultural and creative industry
Invest in programmes that drive creative and economic growth

Samr Al Marzooqi, Director of Films and Production at the Dubai Media Council, outlined upcoming initiatives aimed at showcasing Emirati and international talent while strengthening Dubai’s film sector.

Next Phase of Growth

Mona Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, said the next phase will focus on monitoring implementation and ensuring measurable outcomes across the sector.

Secretary General Nehal Badri added that priorities include encouraging private sector participation, accelerating content development, and investing in talent, advanced production technologies and future-ready capabilities.