83rd Venice Film Festival: “Lovers in the Blue Night” Review

Indian women filmmakers have been behind some truly remarkable independent films in recent years. The talent has always been there; the opportunities have not always followed quite so easily, especially when it comes to making that difficult second film. That is one of the reasons it is so exciting to see Anuparna Roy back at…

83rd Venice Film Festival: “One Minute to Midnight” Review

After I finished watching Nicolas Pariser’s One Minute to Midnight, one question popped into my head: what happens when a man reaches middle age and begins looking back at how he has treated women, loved them, misunderstood them, and perhaps taken certain things for granted? It is a subject worth exploring, especially at a time…

83rd Venice Film Festival: “What Belongs to Others” Review

Polish cinema has had a strong relationship with the Venice International Film Festival for decades, but its presence on the Lido has been noticeable in recent years. In 2022, Damian Kocur’s Bread and Salt (Chleb i sól) competed in Orizzonti and won the Special Jury Prize, with Kocur turning an ordinary summer in a small…

83rd Venice Film Festival: “Children of the Monkey” Review

Becoming a parent changes your life, but becoming the parent of a child with a disability can change it in ways nobody can fully prepare you for. There are appointments, routines, worries about the future and, depending on the child’s needs, a level of physical and emotional care that can continue for a long time….

Asian Cinema at the 70th BFI London Film Festival

The BFI London Film Festival has unveiled the programme for its 70th edition, and Asian cinema will once again form an essential part of the celebration. From long-awaited works by some of the continent’s most respected filmmakers to daring debuts, intimate documentaries and large-scale genre spectacles, this year’s selection reflects the extraordinary breadth of filmmaking…

XG’s THE CORE Tour Lands in London

Japan has never lacked girl groups; what it has lacked is the international machinery needed to turn its acts into global phenomena. Much of the Japanese idol industry has traditionally focused on its domestic audience, leaving many talented performers without the visibility they deserve elsewhere. Yet when a Japanese girl group does break through internationally,…

coldrain Announce Eighth Album “OPTIMIZE = OPTDEMISE”

Japanese alt-metal band coldrain are back with new music. The Nagoya five-piece has announced their eighth studio album, OPTIMIZE = OPTDEMISE, set for release on September 25, 2026, via Century Media Records. The announcement comes alongside a new single, “EX-HUMANITY”, their first new song since the OPTIMIZE EP arrived in October last year. The new track hits…

ZELO Finds a New Sound with “ELA” – Single Review

ZELO has never been afraid to try something different, and “ELA” is another step away from the sound many fans first knew him for. Instead of going for a powerful K-pop sound, ZELO takes a different approach with the song. The Latin-inspired pop track is light and very catchy. But while the melody feels carefree,…