Fragments of 2025: Those who made a mark on the cultural scene. (Collage by L'Orient-Le Jour)
In 2025, the global cultural scene was a rollercoaster of intense events: One after another, the big moments hit hard, and sometimes, right where it hurts.
From heartfelt moments, dazzling highlights, lows, or flashes of brilliance, these 25 moments sum up a fiery year.
Farewells that tug at the heart, striking gestures, scandals that grate, and comebacks that offer comfort: All were punches to ennui and blows to cultural amnesia.
Farewell to the unrepeatable Ziad Rahbani
Ziad Rahbani passed away in 2025, leaving Lebanon without its cherished voice. With him gone, a music of clarity, subtle irony, and joyful defiance fell silent.
His farewell, simple and fervent, was carried by a singing crowd, loyal to an artist who spoke the people’s language.
Ziad leaves behind a body of work etched in the collective memory, reflecting a wounded country still filled with grace, anger, and the intelligence of his songs.
Joe Tarrab leaves behind a universal perspective
Joseph (Joe) Tarrab, a leading art critic for L’Orient and later L’Orient-Le Jour, was one of the last humanists of a fragmented Lebanon.
Through his rigorous and sensitive criticism, he revealed artists’ inner journeys and placed their works within a wider cultural history.
The Lebanese Jewish critic bore witness to Beirut's intellectual vibrancy in the 1960s.
Tarrab passed away on Dec. 31, 2024, leaving Lebanon without one of its rare universal voices.
45 years of Elie Saab's creations
In November 2024, Elie Saab celebrated 45 years of creation in a global spectacle blending haute couture, music, and sentiment in Riyadh's "1,001 Seasons."
With 1,200 guests watching, 300 dresses were showcased, including appearances by Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry, and Nancy Ajram. The iconic Dion even sang and danced despite her illness.
Conceived as a total art, the show transported the Saudi capital into a dreamlike world.
Haifa Wehbe, man of the year
“I have always been the man of myself, so it's fine to be, for once, the man of the year,” announced the gorgeous Lebanese pop legend Haifa Wehbe, in a video directed by Elie Fahed for GQ.
Clad in black and white, with a corset and a wide-brimmed hat, she was named “Man of the Year 2025” by the men's fashion and lifestyle magazine.
Ode to the late interior designer, Jean-Louis Mainguy
Jean-Louis Mainguy passed away on Aug. 14, leaving behind the image of a luminous creator at the crossroads of architecture, stage, and faith.
The renowned interior architect designed elegant projects from Paris to Beirut that blended contemporary art and theatricality.
The cultural aficionado left a lasting mark on the Baalbeck Festival through memorable productions, even during crises.
At a pivotal moment in his life, he decided to live simply by joining the Order of Malta and dedicating himself to humanitarian work.
Jeanne Feghaly and the First Lady's style collaboration
Jeanne Feghaly, a self-taught Lebanese designer, had one of her dresses selected for First Lady Neemat Aoun's official portrait.
Chosen from several emerging designers, she crafted a black-and-white piece full of symbolism, unaware of the fate awaiting her.
The former banker-turned-passionate designer gradually built her brand, drawing inspiration from tailoring and tuxedos for women.
Her subtle signature, represented by the dragonfly, honors transformation and women’s empowerment.
'Divas, from Oum Kalthoum to Dalida' nostalgic exhibition
Posters, costumes, films, and archives retrace a golden age where song, cinema, and glamour shaped a modern pan-Arab culture.
The exhibition, designed as an immersive journey, dialogues with the heyday of Baalbeck and features never-before-seen items, including dresses and personal effects, press clippings, and film excerpts.
Originally launched at the Arab World Institute in Paris, the exhibition "Divas. From Oum Kalthoum to Dalida" has now been established at the Sursock Museum. It serves as a reminder to visitors — beyond the myth — of women's emancipation and their influence on shaping the collective Arab imagination during the 20th century.
Cyril Aris spotlights the sad and beautiful
The film "A Sad and Beautiful World" by Cyril Aris was selected to represent Lebanon in the race for the 2026 Best International Feature Oscar. Premiering at the Venice Film Festival, it received the audience award and a standing ovation.
The director’s debut feature-length fiction film tells an intimate story that reflects Lebanon's divisions and hopes, with Mounia Akl in the lead role.
Although it was not chosen by the Hollywood Academy, the film captures the ambition of Lebanese cinema, which is now looking outward to the world stage.
Shovel blow: Heritage in peril
Ignoring heritage and defying the DGA’s ruling that his construction plans were unfeasible, the owner of the plot brought in his bulldozer to demolish part of the ancient site of Tall Fadous-Kfar Abida, two kilometers south of Batroun.
The lower levels were saved at the last minute; they had revealed remains (fortifications, public buildings, residential quarters) of an organized community dating from around 3000–2500 B.C.
Today, it is designated a protected site.
Excavation reports now open access
Nothing now prevents the distribution of the "Bulletin of Lebanese Archaeology and Architecture."
Its publication, halted for six years due to funding constraints, was relaunched in digital format with support from the Honor Frost Foundation.
Excavation reports are now open access, available to both the public and field experts. A pioneer of underwater archeology, Honor Frost made her first scuba dives in Lebanon.
A rich exhibit of retro travel and cinema posters
The 80 travel and cinema posters from 1920 to 1970, showcased last summer at the Nouhad es-Said Pavilion of the National Museum, originate from a rich advertising tradition.
They serve both as artistic creations and narrative tools, illustrating stories of various destinations by highlighting their core essence, ambiance, and memorable moments.
This colorful escape, which also reveals an idyllic Lebanon, was organized by collector Philippe Jabre and reflects his commitment to presenting the many creative approaches that have shaped the country’s visual and cultural history.
Wajdi Mouawad’s striking lecture
For the renowned playwright, who delivered a memorable inaugural lecture at the Collège de France last February, writing springs from pain.
“While we’re waiting for blood to be shed here, because doubtless it will be,” he warned.
Before a breathless assembly, Wajdi Mouawad took off his jacket, rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, and offered his veins to a nurse.
“We are all murderers; some become so,” he said.
Dominique Eddé: Humans before heroes
The inaugural lecture of "History Days," organized by the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris last March, featured Dominique Eddé, whose scholarly, measured words focused on heroism, examining figures such as Gilgamesh, Enkidu, Iblis, Antar, Abla, Qais, and Leila.
“I come from a country where the earth shook,” she recalled, urging her audience to “do everything so that noise does not come close.”
She emphasized that no one desires the heroism of war, reminding us of the importance of shedding hubris. “We want humanity to help us live and die.”
Lucien Bourjeili's double feature
After publicly criticizing the excesses of our corrupt politicians both on stage and in the streets, director and activist Lucien Bourjeili addressed a groundbreaking and provocative topic for Lebanese theater: partner-swapping.
Approached through social comedy (and commentary), "What happens bi Barcelona stays bi Barcelona," a parody of a practice increasingly common among our compatriots, became one of last season's theatrical hits.
PR coup: We Design Beirut, year II
For five days in October, Beirut shined with vitality and creative energy. During its second edition — coinciding with Lebanon’s 50th anniversary of the civil war — We Design Beirut took on a bold challenge: reviving the city’s inventive spirit amidst ongoing crises.
From the Roman Baths to the Murr Tower, from Villa Audi to the Union Building, the event showcased Lebanese talent while reactivating emblematic sites that had long been left in the shadows.
'Carmen' with a Lebanese twist at Baalbeck
To stage an opera under Baalbeck’s “pillars of eternity” had been a long-held dream for Jorge Takla.
Despite challenges and security uncertainties, the Lebanese-Brazilian director put on a "Carmen" for Baalbeck 2025 with a Lebanese spirit, featuring both local and European talent.
Set on a circular stage embedded in the ancient site, this large-scale production stands as a resounding victory of art over violence.
Augustin Trapenard’s 'Beirut is a celebration'
Augustin Trapenard, host of La Grande Librairie and patron of Libraries Without Borders, was invited to the Beirut Livres festival to support the cause and charmingly impressed the Lebanese audience.
The festival, held at the ESA campus, also featured great meetings — especially with Laurent Gaudé and Nicolas Mathieu.
Hat tip: Diane Keaton passes away at 79
She might have departed with a final burst of laughter, wearing a unique outfit and tipping her hat in a joyful bow. Instead, Diane Keaton quietly left too soon on Oct. 11, shocking everyone who loved her.
The actress, who was once muse to her (ex-)partner Woody Allen, characterized her cinematic identity through a broad body of work that reflected her life and choices. From the iconic "Annie Hall" to "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" and "The Godfather," we tip our hats to her immortal legacy.
Mayyas in a stunning performance
Nadim Cherfan, the brilliant choreographer behind the spectacular artistry, avoids the spotlight. His show "Al-Awda," presented under the Cedars Festival sky, perfectly captured the precision, sensuality, and depth of a magnificent performance.
Rich in symbolism, performed by flawless dancers and top actors — including Cynthya Karam, Ammar Shalak, and Badih Abu Shaqra — and featuring the voices of Melhem Zein and Jahida Wehbe, it tells the story of Gibran Khalil Gibran and mesmerizes an astounded audience.
After a rerun in Beirut this January, the troupe is preparing for an international tour.
Blue note: 'The great Robert' is gone
His voice, gaze, and gestures exhibited rare precision, adding depth and elegance to each performance.
Robert Redford's image continues to embody that of a rebellious gentleman — an actor, director, and producer — who combined political, environmental, and personal causes.
He will live on as the idealistic candidate in "The Candidate," the melancholic lover in "The Way We Were" opposite Barbra Streisand, and the seeker of freedom in "Out of Africa" alongside Meryl Streep.
Hanan Hajj Ali raises alarm on insufficient public protection from online harassment
After presenting her play "Jogging" in Saida, Hanan Hajj Ali became the target of a violent online harassment campaign, spurred by an out-of-context prayer scene.
Accused of blasphemy, threatened, and then left by the host university, the artist condemned institutional abandonment.
Supported by over 50 cultural figures, she raised the alarm about the vulnerability of a sector exposed to censorship, online hate, and insufficient public protection.
SoapKills queen: Yasmine Hamdan’s return
In 2025, Yasmine Hamdan made a remarkable comeback with "I Remember I Forget," an album that reaffirms her foundational role in the rise of an Arab pop scene that’s both poetic and political.
From SoapKills to her solo trajectory, she has continually redrawn boundaries, refusing to conform to formats and labels.
Memory, exile, pain, and hope run through this new record, faithful to a deep groove forged over time.
In a fractured world, her music continues to express an intimate, identity-driven, resistant voice.
Interview with Hiam Abbass
In an interview with L’Orient-Le Jour, Hiam Abbass spoke candidly, rejecting easy labels.
Deeply attached to Palestine, the actress nonetheless opposed the idea of the Arab woman as the sole lens for reading her career.
Through her roles and engagements, she claims nuance, universality, and the freedom to remain outside the margins.
On screen and in conversation, this interview attested to her consistent stance: What some reduce to just being “Arab,” she simply calls "human."
Brigitte Bardot: Cinema, scandal, and freedom
Brigitte Bardot passed away on Dec. 28, 2025, at her villa “La Madrague” in Saint-Tropez.
Celebrated from Hollywood to the Riviera, she became a national icon of freedom — frequently at the center of controversy—while influencing cinema, morals, and popular imagination throughout the century.
A star of the 1950s–1960s who had retired at age 39, she dedicated herself fully to animal rights and left a legacy that is snazzy and controversial.
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.
