In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal talk about the rise and function of opera houses in Dubai, Sharjah, Riyadh and across Middle East.What significance do these cultural centres in the region hold? And how do they change the fabric of a city's cultural identity?

Enas discusses the excitement surrounding the coming release of the sequel to the animated film Inside Out, reflecting on the magical impact of the first movie on her children.

Maan then discusses his list of 10 must-watch Arab films from the 1970s and how the political, social and cultural backdrop of that era was reflected in cinema.

He focuses on the film Khaly Balak Men Zozo (Watch Out for Zozo) released in 1972, starring the beloved Egyptian actress Soad Hosny. Then Enas delves into the world of press junkets and why some celebrities are complaining about them.

Should celebrities complain about having to promote their films? Do press junkets and press tours before a film's release create hype or an over-exposure of some celebrities?

And how does the cancellation of Jennifer Lopez's recent concert tour play into all of this?

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Maan Jalal discuss Cate Blanchett’s Jean Paul Gaultier's custom dress at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and whether it was a sign of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

Maan then talks about the exhibition of Syrian artist Khalid Akil entitled The Infinite & The Finite now on show at Ayyam Gallry in Alserkal Avenue until June 25. The exhibition is Akil's first foray into painting from the medium of photography where he explored concepts of the infinite through large immersive paintings that experiment with colour, form and process.

Enas and Maan then discuss their thoughts on Netflix’s original film, the Arabic romcom Honeymoonish, starring Egyptian actress Nour Al Ghandour, Kuwaiti actor Mahmoud Boushahri, and directed by Lebanese filmmaker Elie El Samman. Honeymoonish is the first non-English film to hit number one on the streaming platform’s weekly Top 10, plays with modern western tropes of the romcom genre while adding its own Arab twist.

Finally, the hosts share their thoughts about part one of season of Netflix’s Bridgerton. Maan is a big fan of the show he has some qualms on how far the series has deviated from the essence of the series of novels by Julia Quin while Enas is not interested in the genre of regency era-romance.

However, they both discuss how Bridgerton has impacted pop culture and reframed the notions of diversity and character representation on the screen.

Listen to the full conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, and watch the full episode on YouTube.

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal discuss a digital movement that has taken over the internet, urging social media users to block celebrities who have been publicly silent about the war in Gaza.

They explain how the #blockout campaign grew in the days following the Met Gala, how it is affecting the online influence of a number of celebrities and reactions from some influential personalities.

Maan also talks about starting an art collection with a modest budget, explaining why people should consider it and where to find pieces from emerging artists in the region. A full guide can be found in his story here.

Finally, the hosts share their excitement for Abu Dhabi Comedy Week, which will see some of the biggest names in the business, including Dave Chapelle, Aziz Ansari and Bassem Youssef, performing in the capital.

Listen to the full conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, and watch the full episode on YouTube.