The South African rapper Costa Titch died on stage while performing, police said Sunday, as they opened an investigation into the circumstances of the 28-year-old’s sudden death. The artist “collapsed while he was performing” Saturday evening at the Ultra South Africa concert in the Johannesburg suburb of Nasrec, police told AFP. They…
Everything to Know about the Oscars Tonight
Hollywood is gearing up for the 95th Academy Awards, where “Everything Everywhere All at Once” comes in the lead nominee and the film industry will hope to move past “the slap” of last year’s ceremony. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 Oscars, including when they are, where to watch the live show…
Defending Champion Leaves Iditarod Race Over Health Concerns
Brent Sass, the defending Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion, withdrew from this year’s race on Saturday, citing concerns for his health. Sass scratched at the Eagle Island checkpoint, a statement from the Iditarod said. Eagle Island is about 966 kilometers into the nearly 1,609-kilometer race. “He didn’t feel he could care for his team…
Oscar Nominee ‘Stranger at the Gate’ Tells How Love Conquered Hate
When Richard McKinney was getting married last year, friends stepped in to help. Bibi Bahrami cooked Afghan dishes — from rice with carrots and raisins to chicken and beef — for the wedding guests. Her husband officiated the Islamic part of the ceremony. At first glance, nothing seems unusual about that off-camera wedding scene —…
Tom Hanks is the Best of the Worst at the 2023 Razzies for ‘Elvis’ Role
In the 2022 Elvis film, Tom Hanks’ depiction of Elvis Presley’s real-life former manager, Colonel Tom Parker, is cruel, corrupt, and according to the 2023 Razzie award results, deserving of worst supporting actor and worst screen combo awards. Before celebrating the best films of the season during the Oscar ceremony Sunday, the Razzie Awards called out…
Jaded By Education, More Americans Skip College
When he looked to the future, Grayson Hart always saw a college degree. He was a good student at a good high school. He wanted to be an actor, or maybe a teacher. Growing up, he believed college was the only route to a good job, stability and a happy life. The pandemic changed his…
Oscars’ Race: Clock Ticks as Film Buffs Binge on Nominees
A film buff from Oklahoma City, Elyssa Mann has scant time to waste, needing to cross just four more movies off her Oscars binge list before Sunday’s Academy Awards broadcast: Two animated films, one for cinematography and another for costume design. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Steve Tornello has just one left — the…
John Williams: Hollywood’s Maestro Goes for More Oscars History
From “Star Wars” to “Jaws” to “Schindler’s List,” John Williams has written many of the most instantly recognizable scores in cinema history. The 91-year-old is already the oldest person to receive an Oscar nomination for a competitive award, which he earned thanks to his spare yet poignant compositions for Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans.” With 53…
Ukrainian Art Exhibition Opens in LA; Aims To Raise Money To Build Children’s Hospital
An exhibition of Ukrainian traditional clothing and unique art pieces opened in Los Angeles to support Ukrainian artists. The goals are twofold, help the artists but also help children in Ukraine. Khrystyna Shvchenko has the story. …
Heat Takes Toll as Iditarod Mushers Trek Across Alaska
Mushers and their dogs in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race face plenty of variables in the Alaska wilderness. An unexpected one this year has been heat that is taking a toll in a sport better suited for temperatures well below zero. Jason Mackey said a thermometer hanging from the back of his sled hit…
Robert Blake, Emmy-Winning Actor Acquitted in Wife’s Killing, Dies at 89
Robert Blake, the Emmy award-winning performer who went from acclaim for his acting to notoriety when he was tried and acquitted in the killing of his wife, died Thursday at age 89. A statement released on behalf of his niece, Noreen Austin, said Blake died from heart disease, surrounded by family at home in Los…
Burkina Faso Film Festival Highlights Security Threats
The security crisis in Burkina Faso has impacted every aspect of society, including its film industry. The 28th edition of the Pan-African Film & TV Festival of Ouagadougou, or FESPACO, which ended earlier this month , reflected this difficult situation both on and off screen. Reporters Yacouba Ouedraogo and Thierry Kaore have this story,…
California Desert Draws Artists from Bangladesh and Mexico
California’s desert is drawing artists from Bangladesh and from Mexico to the Coachella Valley for an unusual exhibition called Desert X. For VOA, Genia Dulot went to see. …
Gender Equity in Focus on International Women’s Day
Wednesday is International Women’s Day with a theme this year focusing on the need for gender equity. The annual observance, which dates to 1911 and fights for women’s rights, is a day for people everywhere to celebrate the achievements of women across society. The United Nations is putting the focus of its International Women’s Day…
In Indian Kashmir, Women Work for Survival of Traditional Music
When entrepreneur Sana Bhatt decided to set up a studio, she hardly knew if people would appreciate her efforts to revive traditional music on the Indian side of Kashmir. Prior to the launch of the studio, the 24-year-old approached many local artists to sing songs on a set that that appeared similar to that of…
Arts Festival Targets Youth Unemployment
Young artists everywhere struggle to earn a living but that’s especially true in South Africa, where youth unemployment is more than 43 percent. The International Public Art Festival is trying to help bridge that gap by connecting young artists with companies seeking creative marketing. Vicky Stark reports from Cape Town, South Africa. …
Fleeing Russia: Exiled Artist’s Work Traces Soviet Roots of Ukraine Invasion
Several hundred thousand Russian citizens are thought to have fled their home country since February of last year, when the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine. While no official figures exist, some estimates put the figure at close to one million people. The exodus includes Russian citizens seeking to avoid mandated military service, as well…
Anticipation Builds for Hollywood’s Highest Honor: Oscars
All eyes will be on Hollywood Sunday when the Academy Awards, or Oscars, will honor the best in filmmaking. From Los Angeles, Mike O’Sullivan has a preview. …
Fleeing Russia: Exiled Artist Traces Soviet Roots of Ukraine Invasion
Several hundred thousand Russian citizens are thought to have fled their home country since February 2022, when the Kremlin launched the invasion of Ukraine. Critics of the war face imprisonment for “discrediting” the Russian military. Henry Ridgwell spoke to a Russian artist who has found sanctuary in London, and whose latest work addresses the war…
Ivory Coast Project Aims to Raise Awareness of a Traditional Instrument
In 2012, UNESCO, the U.N. body tasked with promoting arts and culture, identified the traditional xylophone known as the balafon as an important part of humanity’s cultural heritage. Today, in Ivory Coast, informal workshops with students are underway to promote the instrument and highlight its African origins. Alain Amontchi looks at this unique instrument in…
Ohtani, Star-Studded US Eye World Baseball Classic Crown
The battle to find baseball’s global champions gets under way this week when the pandemic-delayed World Baseball Classic returns after a six-year absence with Shohei Ohtani hoping to inspire Japan to a record third title. Teams from 20 countries are participating in the fifth edition of the tournament, with the four first round groups hosted…
‘Creed III’ Debuts to $58.7 Million
“Creed III” punched above its weight at the domestic box office in its first weekend in theaters. The MGM release knocked “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” out of first place and far surpassed both industry expectations and the opening weekends of the first two movies in the franchise. Playing in 4,007 locations in North America,…