It felt to me like this year’s awards season was dominated by discourse on the Middle East. Perhaps by virtue of the specific echo chamber I inhabit on social media, or perhaps more because the current state of the world is such a jarring backdrop for self-congratulatory Hollywood stars dressed to the nines.

For better or for worse though, there was a lot to unpack – from the Emilia Perez scandal, which Karl Richa witnessed up close at this year’s Caesars, to accusations of zionist messaging in ‘The Brutalist’ to the acceptance speech from the directors of ‘No other Land,’ and its subsequent uproar, relayed to us by Gabriel Blondel. 

As the dust settles from the drama of last weekend, here are some other moments that have sparked conversation in the culture space this week. Enjoy!

Escobar’s love life reimagined at Sursock Palace 

Beirut had its own dose of gowns and glamour at Sursock Palace as Lebanon’s best dressed gathered for the Lebanese-Palestinian designer Omran Osman’s show. He unveiled his latest collection Epica Esplendida, inspired by the love life of Pablo Escobar – because why not mix Byzantine grandeur with 1980s excess? 

Who tells the history of Palestine?

In an illuminating conversation with L’Orient Today, political scientist Xavier Guignard explained his innovative method for depicting and understanding Palestinian history using text and graphics. He discusses the limits of framing the Palestinian question as a choice between a one or a two-state solution, and how it obscures the realities of the occupation.

Neemat Aoun’s dazzling portrait 

“Patrick Sawaya’s camera is now one of the most sought after,” writes Fifi Abou Dib speaking about the beloved photographer whose portfolio boasts numerous, world-famous models and A-list celebrities. Most recently he was charged with capturing the first official portrait of Neemat Aoun, wife of the new Lebanese president. How did this photoshoot embody Lebanon’s new era?

Cultural exchange through dance 

Set to the music of Charbek Haber, which at times “echoes the sound of machine gun fire,” Lebanese dancers from Beirut Dance Company and French dancers from Paris Opera united on stage for the first time ever and unpacked their baggage … literally!

A mountaineering feat

30-year-old Lebanese mountaineer Fereic Sfeir, who suffers from a degenerative eye disease that has significantly impaired his vision, successfully climbed Mount Aconcagua in Argentina. Layal Dagher follows him on his intrepid expedition, a story that perfectly epitomizes the saying “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey.”