Culture Bites

In this episode of Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews share some of their picks from The National’s list of the 50 most important Arabic novels of the 21st century.

The compilation reflects the diversity of the region’s modern literary scene and the influential authors whose works have impacted audiences near and far. Enas talks about the impression Alaa Al Aswany's The Yacoubian Building left on her and draws attention t...

In this episode of Culture Bites, our hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews explore the unlikely connection between Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta and Sharjah, which he chronicled in his writing.

Sharjah hosted a rich literary programme during its participation as guest of honour at the 30th Rabat International Book Fair, highlighting the historical connections between Morocco and the UAE. The famous 14th-century traveller’s journeys...

In a special episode of Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews host the show from Art Dubai, the city's annual art fair that is taking place this week.

They share some of their recommendations for what not to miss at the event this year – including regional, international and digital art.

The hosts speak to Mirjam Varadinis, the curator of the Bawwaba section at Art Dubai, about her vision for the exhibit to imagine new forms...

This week on Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews discuss the ethical consideration of using artificial intelligence to create art.

Their conversation is inspired by the recent viral trend of promoting AI generators like ChatGPT to convert personal photos into Studio Ghibli-style images. The founder of the famous Japanese animation house, Hayao Miyazaki, is staunchly critical of integrating AI into artistic designs. This le...

This week on Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews dig into the controversies surrounding Disney's live-action Snow White, an adaptation of the 1937 animated classic.

The film stars Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. As far back as 2021, when the casting was announced, critics accused Disney of being overly politically correct for hiring a Latina actress to play Snow White.

Enas and Farah also talk ...

On this week’s episode of Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews discuss the Palestinian documentaries that are defying the odds amid a climate of political tension.

Oscar-winning film No Other Land has secured a Dubai-based distributor in the Mena region after failing to find a major distributor in the US. The documentary shows the struggles faced by its Palestinian co-creator as he tried to protect his West Bank village fro...

This week, Culture Bites hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews discuss Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh’s selection to renovate the British Museum’s Western Range galleries, and how this is a major recognition of and a moment of pride for Arab architects. Farah also highlights how picking Ghotmeh might signal a shift in how the British Museum is positioning itself, as it has been under pressure to return looted artefacts, particularly...

On Culture Bites this week, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews celebrate Palestine’s first win at the Oscars.

Co-directed by Palestinian journalist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, No Other Land won Best Documentary Feature at the 2025 Academy Awards. It highlights the daily struggles of Palestinians enduring settler violence in the West Bank area of Masafer Yatta.

Enas and Farah describe the uphill battle for Palestinia...

With Ramadan on its way, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews take inspiration from the cultural happenings in the UAE and the region to reflect on the most important traditions of the holy month.

They give a preview of Alserkal Avenue’s coming Interrupting Patterns programme, which features poetry, theatre and film as platforms for community building and contemplation. They also discuss the role of Ramadan TV entertainment in bringing pe...

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews discuss a new video game about the 1948 Palestinian Nakba, talking about how gaming can be used to tell historical stories. The upcoming Dreams on a Pillow follows a Palestinian mother called Omm who, in the chaos of being forcibly removed from her home, mistakenly grabs a pillow instead of her child.

Meanwhile, the Bafta TV awards delivered some big surprises t...

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews unpack the comedy and tearful moments of the second season of the Netflix series, Mo.

The National's Arts and Culture Editor, William Mullally, shares insights from his conversation with Mo Amer, the creator and lead actor of the show. He talks to the hosts about some of the most powerful moments in the hit series about the life of a Palestinian family liv...

In this episode of Culture Bites, co-hosts Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal look forward to some of the most highly anticipated talks, performances and experiences at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature taking place this week.

From Laaleen Sukhera’s celebration of 250 years of Jane Austen and The Bethlehem Banquet, hosted by chef and author Fadi Kattan, to a family-friendly event with Daniel Handler, author of A Se...

In this week’s episode of Culture Bites, Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal look ahead to the 12th Quoz Arts Fest, which starts this weekend.

The cultural festival celebrates a variety of art, music, food and more, all coming together at Alserkal Avenue in Dubai’s Al Quoz district. Running alongside the event will be Reel Palestine, a Palestinian film festival. Movies being shown include Passing Dreams, about a young boy on ...

The Culture Bites team is back, kicking off with a preview of anticipated arts and culture events lined up for 2025.

Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal share some of the most exciting concerts, art fairs and book releases that they’re adding to their calendars this year. From Sting on stage and Sharjah Biennial 16 to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's new book, this cultural season sets off with a promising start across the region a...

As 2024 draws to a close the Culture Bites team dedicates their final episode of the year to celebrating the moments that left a significant imprint on them.

Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal look back at some of their favourite cultural experiences within the UAE and around the world. From NYU Abu Dhabi’s Between the Tides: A Gulf Quinquennial exhibition to the Andy Warhol exhibition in Dubai, they reflect on the diverse p...

This week’s episode of Culture Bites centres on Syria’s art scene at this delicate moment in the country’s history following the fall of president Bashar Al Assad.

Hosts Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal discuss Syria’s rich cultural heritage that dates back centuries. They discuss the impact of the civil war on its creative talents and how it might shape the art they create in the aftermath of so much pain and suffering.

A...

This week on Culture Bites, Enas Refaei, Farah Andrews and Maan Jalal take a moment to appreciate the Emirati and Arab traditions being considered for Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage lists this year.

Established in 2008, the lists aim to preserve and promote cultural heritage, including practices that may be in urgent need of safeguarding. Several rituals from the region have been added to the list including henna and Palesti...

In this episode of Culture Bites, Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews shine a light on the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial, which has turned public spaces in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain into al fresco galleries.

The event features more than 70 UAE and international artists whose installations in culturally significant sites represent the past and present. This includes the corniche and public parks in Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain Oasis. The hosts discus...