[FRANCE] Cannes Film Festival
The top prize at Cannes, the prestigious Palme d’Or, went to “Amour”, the story of an elderly woman who suffers a debilitating stroke and is looked after by her devoted husband,directed by Austrian Michael Haneke.
The Grand Prix award for the runner-up was introduced by the Iranian actress Leila Hatami of A SPEARATION, to “Reality”, by MatteoGarrone Italian director.
AbbasKiarostami was back this year with another film shot outside Iran, the Japanese-language “Like Someone in Love,” about the enigmatic, subtly shape-shifting relationship between a young woman and an old man in Tokyo. Reception to the film was considered good at the official screening at the festival.
[IRAN] Contemporary Artist Celebrates 57th Art Gallery
The most profound Iranian female contemporary artist recognized worldwide, Iran Darroudi, has completed her 57th art gallery in Tehran.
Darroudistudied art history at Ecole du L’Ouvre in Paris and from there exhibited her work in art galleries and solo galleries. There her art was so well received that the mayor gave her a key to the city of Miami as a token of appreciation.
Darroudi has had art galleries in major art centers worldwide in Europe, US, Asia and South America.
[AZERBAIJAN]
Norway’s Loss, Sweden’s Win at Eurovision
Loreen from Sweden won the Eurovision Song Contest in Azerbaijan on Sunday, at the Eurovision arena, an extravagantly illuminated 23,000-seat “Crystal Hall” on the shores of the Caspian Sea. The 28-year-old pop singer won with the song “Euphoria” in the annual competition of 42 countries.
Sweden’s entry last won the Eurovision competition in 1999.
The 57-year-old European competition is viewed by some 125 million people worldwide.The winner is picked by juries and television viewers across the continent, so a broad appeal is deemed key to success.Rain fell hard throughout the night in Baku, although fans were not deterred.
Norway’s Iranian singer Toojicame in at 26th with seven points.
Once the competitive section of the show was over, Emin, the pop star son-in-law of Azerbaijan’s authoritarian President IlhamAliyev, came on stage to perform his own song.
[IRAN]
Jackson Pollock Painting Confiscated
EVENTS
[BERKELY] Persian and Kurdish Traditional Music Concert
Master musician Aliakbar Moradi explores the sacred songs of Kurdistan, with the talented music ensemble including his son Kourosh Moradi, percussive virtuoso Pezhham Akhavass, Mehdi Bagheri on Kamancheh and the talented female vocalist Ghazaleh Fayli.
Blended together with the traditional Persian vocals, this concert will be a meditative journey through an ancient sound.
Saturday June 2, 8-10pm. Tickest $20 students with Valid ID, $35 General, $55 VIP.St. John’s Presbyterian Church.2727 College Avenue, Berkeley, California94705
[LONDON] EURASIA Symphony Orchestra
The Eurasia Symphony Orchestra welcomes featured artist AlirezaGhorbani and composer
FarnooshBehzad.
ALIREZA GHORBANI was born in 1972 in Tehran, Iran. He began his career by reciting the Holy book of Quran. Since he was very interested in old Iranian traditional music, he started learning it eagerly. In 1984, he was fascinated by compilation of poetry and music and the insight of Iranian Music under the supervision of his first honorable mentors: Mr. KhosroSoltani, Mr. BehroozAbedini, Mr. Mahdi Fallah, Dr. HosseinOmoumi, Ahmad Ebrahimi and also RazaviSarvestani. His acquaintance with Ali Tajvidi and FarhadFakhreddini led him to new horizons of Iranian music.
Sunday, July 17:00pm, Logan Hall at University of London, 20 Bedford Way, Greater London. London, WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom
A Jackson Pollock paintinghas been confiscated by Iranian customs on the grounds that the Iranian ministry of Culture has a debt owed to the customs administrations. Tehran’s museum of contemporary arts, the state museum that is also the owner of the work, is consequently temporarily deprived of one of its masterworks, valued at $250 million.
Blocked at the Imam Khomeiny Airport since 11 May 2012, the work entitled Mural on Indian Red Ground was being returned by the National Museum of Modern Art of Tokyo which had loaned it and was organizing a Pollock retrospective to celebrate the hundredth year since the painter’s birth.