Jews must ‘shout, beg, scream’ for Gaza ceasefire, says actress Miriam Margolyes

Jews must ‘shout, beg, scream’ for Gaza ceasefire, says actress Miriam Margolyes
English-Australian actress Miriam Margolyes has spoken of her “shame” of Israel, urging Jews worldwide to “shout, beg, scream for a ceasefire in Gaza.” (X/@MMargolyes)
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Updated 09 April 2024
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Jews must ‘shout, beg, scream’ for Gaza ceasefire, says actress Miriam Margolyes

Jews must ‘shout, beg, scream’ for Gaza ceasefire, says actress Miriam Margolyes
  • ‘Harry Potter’ star slams Israel as ‘vicious, genocidal’ nation ‘killing women and children’
  • ‘I cannot understand why all Jewish people do not want immediately to stop what is going on’

LONDON: English-Australian actress Miriam Margolyes has spoken of her “shame” of Israel, urging Jews worldwide to “shout, beg, scream for a ceasefire in Gaza.”
The “Harry Potter” star, 82, released a statement via the Jewish Council of Australia on April 9, The Guardian reported.
Margolyes said: “To me, it seems as if Hitler has won. He’s changed us Jews from being compassionate and caring and do unto others as you would have them do unto you into this vicious, genocidal, nationalist nation, pursuing and killing women and children.”
She described Israel’s months-long campaign in Gaza in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack as “shocking, embarrassing and wicked.”
Margolyes added: “I cannot understand why all Jewish people, particularly members of synagogues, do not want immediately to stop what is going on.”
The actress, who starred in Martin Scorsese’s “The Age of Innocence,” also condemned the Hamas attack, but said: “It is not antisemitic to have a different opinion on the wartime actions now. We have to do, as my mother used to say, the right thing; the right thing is a ceasefire to stop the killing, certainly to beg and insist on the release of hostages.
“But there is an opinion about Israel’s actions, which it is not antisemitic to voice. What Israel is doing is wrong, it is wicked.”


Disney plans pared-down premiere for ‘Snow White’ amid controversies surrounding Gal Gadot, Rachel Zegler

Disney plans pared-down premiere for ‘Snow White’ amid controversies surrounding Gal Gadot, Rachel Zegler
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Disney plans pared-down premiere for ‘Snow White’ amid controversies surrounding Gal Gadot, Rachel Zegler

Disney plans pared-down premiere for ‘Snow White’ amid controversies surrounding Gal Gadot, Rachel Zegler

DUBAI: In what may be a death knell for the film, Disney has decided to not allow media outlets onto the red carpet for the premiere of its live-action adaptation of “Snow White,” instead inviting just photographers and house interviewers, according to Variety.

The premiere is set to take place on March 15 at the El Capitan Theater, with both Rachel Zegler (Snow White) and Gal Gadot (the Evil Queen) expected to attend. Controversy has plagued the film ever since it was first announced. Many activists called for a boycott of the film due to Gadot’s pro-Israeli stance over Israel’s war in Gaza.

Gadot, who is Israeli and a former member of the Israel Defense Forces, has been an outspoken supporter of Israel on social media as well as in a passionate speech she delivered on March 4 when she was honored at the Anti-Defamation League’s annual summit in New York City. “Never did I imagine that on the streets of the United States, and different cities around the world, we would see people not condemning Hamas, but celebrating, justifying and cheering on a massacre of Jews,” she said.

Zegler has repeatedly given interviews and used social media posts to advocate for a “Free Palestine,” indicating a rift between the two lead stars.

Meanwhile, some Disney fans questioned casting Zegler as Snow White as she is a Latina actor. The “West Side Story” star also faced backlash when she called the 1937 original “dated” because the prince “literally stalks Snow White.”

In an interview with Variety at D23 two years ago, Zegler said, “She’s not going to be saved by the prince. She’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be.”
 


Gigi Hadid walks for Miu Miu, opens up about co-parenting with Zayn Malik

Gigi Hadid walks for Miu Miu, opens up about co-parenting with Zayn Malik
Updated 12 March 2025
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Gigi Hadid walks for Miu Miu, opens up about co-parenting with Zayn Malik

Gigi Hadid walks for Miu Miu, opens up about co-parenting with Zayn Malik

DUBAI: US Dutch Palestinian supermodel Gigi Hadid walked the Miu Miu runway during Paris Fashion Week wearing a mix of classic tailoring and modern styling with a vintage edge. 

She donned a charcoal, double-breasted coat-dress with a structured, oversized silhouette. The look was completed with a 1920s-inspired hat that ties under the chin. 

The outfit was further styled with dangling gold earrings, knee-high scrunched socks in a muted olive tone and brown leather loafers. 

She donned a charcoal, double-breasted coat-dress with a structured, oversized silhouette. (Getty Images) 

At Miu Miu, the little sister brand of Miuccia Prada, the feminine was not just celebrated — it was deconstructed, reconfigured and worn with a wink.

Silhouettes floated around the body rather than adhering to it, sculpted through folds, drapes, and engineered curves. Bras, no longer hidden, became garments in their own right. 

Tailoring slouched off the shoulders, and fur stoles, brooches and heavy bracelets turned the everyday into something significant, a reminder that femininity — soft or sharp — is always a force.

Besides Hadid, Prada, known for casting both models and Hollywood stars, sent a mix of familiar faces and first-time muses down the runway — Raffey Cassidy and Sarah Paulson — blurring the line between fashion and film with every step.

A$AP Rocky, perched in the front row in a nonchalant slouch, soaked in the scene, while Sydney Sweeney, swathed in Miu Miu’s latest ode to femininity, radiated old Hollywood meets modern mischief, AP reported.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid)

Meanwhile, Hadid made headlines this week, opening up about her relationship with ex-partner Zayn Malik.

Now, years after their six-year, on-and-off relationship ended, their priority remains co-parenting their four-year-old daughter, Khai.

“Zayn and I do our custody schedules months in advance,” the supermodel said in an interview with Vogue. “That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t change here and there, but we help each other out and have each other’s backs.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid)

Hadid said that she and Malik have found a way to manage public perceptions of their past together.

“There is the hard part of the world knowing this much, and thinking they know everything,” the model said. “And at the end of the day, we’re not interested in giving everyone our whole story.

“What we are interested in is raising our daughter together,” she added. “With so much respect for each other, and not just as co-­parents, but what we’ve been through together.”


Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Zimmermann at Paris Fashion Week

Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Zimmermann at Paris Fashion Week
Updated 11 March 2025
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Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Zimmermann at Paris Fashion Week

Amira Al-Zuhair walks for Zimmermann at Paris Fashion Week

DUBAI: Saudi French model Amira Al-Zuhair made a statement at the Zimmermann show during Paris Fashion Week, wearing a burnt-orange ensemble.

The sleeveless, fitted dress featured draped, ruched detailing that added movement to the design. The look was finished off with strappy brown leather sandals and gold accessories, including chandelier earrings and bracelets.

The sleeveless, fitted dress featured draped, ruched detailing that added movement to the design. (Getty Images) 

Joining her on the runway was British Moroccan model Nora Attal, who wore a flowing cream-colored gown with a high neckline and long, billowy sleeves. The fitted bodice transitioned into a pleated, floor-length skirt. 

Al-Zuhair and Attal were not the only Arab models making an impact at Paris Fashion Week. French Algerian model Loli Bahia walked for Louis Vuitton on Monday, wearing a relaxed yet structured ensemble. 

She donned an oversized coral turtleneck sweater adorned with asymmetrical metallic embellishments, paired with loose-fitting, high-waisted brown trousers. A coordinating brown coat featuring a checkerboard-patterned pocket detail completed the look. 

Loli Bahia took part in the Louis Vuitton show at Paris Fashion Week. (Getty Images)

The setting of the Louis Vuitton runway was “L’Étoile du Nord,” described by Louis Vuitton as “a hidden station where past and future travelers converge, evoking the golden age of railway adventure.” 

The show took place in this historic 1845 building, originally constructed for the Compagnie du Nord railway company to house its offices. Its atrium was meticulously transformed into a grand train station waiting room for the ready-to-wear display, reinforcing the theme of travel, anticipation and adventure, according to show noted.

On the runway, designer Nicolas Ghesquière spun a narrative of train stations both real and imagined, styling passengers for journeys unknown. There were detectives in trench coats, campers in bulky New Wave sweaters, and party girls rushing for the last train in ruched velvet. The designer has long been a master of cinematic dressing, pulling from a rolodex of filmic inspirations — classic whodunnits, fantasies and comedies. 

Elsewhere, a voluminous, cascading layered tulle skirt in deep fuchsia channeled Ghesquière’s penchant for fusing styles of different centuries, juxtaposed with a contemporary architectural knit top and futuristic slicked-back hair. 

The show saw A-list celebrities sit on the coveted front row, including Emma Stone, Jennifer Connelly, Ana de Armas, Chloë Grace Moretz, Lisa, Jaden Smith, Ava DuVernay and Sophie Turner. 


Saudi Film Festival returns for 11th edition next month

Saudi Film Festival returns for 11th edition next month
Updated 10 March 2025
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Saudi Film Festival returns for 11th edition next month

Saudi Film Festival returns for 11th edition next month

DHAHRAN: The highly anticipated Saudi Film Festival is set to return for its 11th edition from Apr. 17 to 23, with the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) unveiling key details at a recent press conference.

Festival Director Ahmed Al-Mulla emphasized the festival’s significance as a platform for filmmakers. “The festival presents a diverse selection of films and programs that highlight successful production experiences in the film industry, allowing professionals and enthusiasts to engage and learn from these journeys,” he stated.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by (@saudifilmfestival)

This year’s theme, “Cinema of Identity,” will explore how films shape and reflect individual, national, and cultural identities.

Organized by the Cinema Association in partnership with Ithra and supported by the Film Commission, the festival will feature 68 films from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf — including Iraq and Yemen — and beyond.

A major highlight this year is the honorary tribute to Ibrahim Al-Hasawi, a veteran Saudi actor with over three decades of experience in theater, television, and cinema. His notable works include the TV series “Tash Ma Tash” and “Bayni Wa Baynak,” as well as films such as Ithra’s “Hajjan,” “Zero Distance,” and the recent “Hobal.” 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Ithra | (@ithra)

This year’s lineup includes seven Saudi and Gulf feature films, 22 short fiction films, and seven documentaries, alongside 12 parallel screenings of Saudi productions. The festival will also host four panel discussions, four advanced masterclasses and three book-signing sessions for the Saudi Cinema Encyclopedia.

Once again, the red carpet will be rolled out, giving filmmakers, actors and industry professionals the chance to be there in-person to celebrate the achievements of the region’s growing film industry.

The festival will also include award ceremonies, where films across various categories will be recognized after a deliberation by jurors. All selected entries will be showcased at these cinemas, where festivalgoers can attend screenings and experience the films firsthand. The awards will be given out as the festival’s finale.

For the first time, the festival will utilize the cinema space at the neighboring Energy Exhibit to screen additional films, expanding beyond Ithra’s two existing cinema halls.

The plaza and library at Ithra will host ‘Meet the Expert’ one-on-one sessions and private screenings, offering filmmakers ample opportunities for personalized mentorship and feedback.

A key component of the festival is its production market, which will showcase 22 booths from various production entities, providing filmmakers with a platform to develop and present their work. And to network.

A curated selection of 12 short films from the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival will be featured.

Additionally, Japanese cinema will be in focus, marking 70 years of Saudi-Japan relations, with eight Japanese films, expert discussions, and the return of the Short Shorts Film Festival from Japan as a major collaborator this year.

The festival is also introducing different passes this time around, allowing attendees to tailor their experience. These can be purchased online through the Ithra website.

For those unable to attend in person, parts of the film festival will be streamed online.


Karen Wazen on hand as Valentino hosts theatrical show in Paris

Karen Wazen on hand as Valentino hosts theatrical show in Paris
Updated 10 March 2025
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Karen Wazen on hand as Valentino hosts theatrical show in Paris

Karen Wazen on hand as Valentino hosts theatrical show in Paris

PARIS: Valentino paraded high fashion inside public toilets in one of the season’s most provocative backdrops, especially for a house as classical as Valentino.

Lebanese influencer and eyewear designer Karen Wazen was on hand — decked out in an all-cream Valentino look, with polka dotted gloves to boot — as the likes of Chappell Roan, Parker Posey, Jared Leto and Barry Keoghan sat amid the crimson glow of the set. Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna and Saudi Arabia-based Argentine model Georgina Rodriguez were also spotted in the audience, both wearing head-to-toe Valentino.

Lebanese influencer and eyewear designer Karen Wazen was on hand at the show. (Getty Images)

The meticulous recreation stayed true to the aesthetic of a communal toilet down to the tiling, soap dispensers, mirrors and endless rows of stalls, all bathed in an unsettling, almost seedy red light.

Partly inspired by David Lynch, the space set the tone for Alessandro Michele’s bold new vision. With a background in costume design, Michele infuses his collections with inspirations from theater and film, crafting narratives as much as he does garments.  

Michele often selects venues with deep historical or cultural significance — think palaces — so this public toilet setting was a clever subversion, even of his own signature style. The result? A show that explored the boundaries between public and private, intimacy and exposure, and the ever-blurred lines of identity in contemporary fashion.

Models emerged from toilet cubicles, some stopping to inspect their faces in the mirrors, blurring the line between personal and performative. (Getty Images)

Models emerged from toilet cubicles, some stopping to inspect their faces in the mirrors, blurring the line between personal and performative. The clothes were pure theatricality: caps, hoods, and dark shades concealing the face, while sheer nude tops exposed the body, a direct contrast between covering up and revealing.

Michele’s designs are characterized by a kaleidoscopic mix of times and cultures, blending elements from different historical periods to create a unique aesthetic. He considers himself an “art archaeologist,” exploring how adornment and embellishment have evolved over the centuries.

Michele’s designs are characterized by a kaleidoscopic mix of times and cultures. (Getty Images)

The audience buzzed with excitement. “He’s upending Valentino in the same way Demna did at Balenciaga,” one front-row guest remarked. The applause was loud, the reaction immediate. This wasn’t just a collection, it was a statement, disruptive and irreverent, pulling a classical house into new, unexpected territory.