Culture

Lupita Nyong’o makes history, becomes first black person to head German film festival jury

Published

9 months ago

February 16, 2024

Kenyan actress, Lupita Nyong’o, has scored another first when she became the first black person in history to be made head of the Berlin International Film Festival jury.

The annual film showcase event, also known as the Berlinale, which is one of the five largest film festivals in the world, has not had a black jury head in its 74-year history.

According to the organisers,
Nyong’o will lead the jury in selecting the winning films in the two main categories, “Golden and Silver Bears.”

At the opening of the event in the German capital on Thursday, Nyong’o said she was “greatly honoured” to take on the position as jury head.

“That’s the beauty of bringing people together from different backgrounds – we respond to different things,” the Hollywood actress who won an Oscar for “12 Years A Slave” in 2014, said.

“We have a lot of world experience and opinion and it’s gonna be interesting. It’s probably also gonna be spicy,” she added, noting that the diversity of the jury would enrich the jury’s process of deciding on the films to award.

The film event will run until 25 February, when the jury will announce the winning films in the major categories.

From the African continent, three films made the entry among the 20 competing for the top prize, and all tell stories from the continent.

The films include “Black Tea” by Mauritanian-born Malian director Abderrahmane Sissako, “Who Do I Belong To” by Tunisian-Canadian director Meryam Joobeur and the documentary “Dahomey” by French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop.

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Culture

Chidimma Adetshina makes history as she emerges first runner-up for Miss Universe 2024

Published

10 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Chidimma Adetshina, Nigeria’s representative at the 73rd Miss Universe Competition held in Mexico, made history as she finished as the first runner-up at the pageant.

The reigning Miss Universe Nigeria finished on the podium of the event held at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Sunday morning after an electrifying final face-off between Nigeria and Denmark, as the two women looked poised to claim the crown.

Adetshina, who competed against over 120 contestants from around the world, delivered Nigeria’s best-ever performance in the prestigious competition.

The competition, which was described as one of the most thrilling in recent years, celebrated the talents, intelligence, and elegance of women from around the globe.

A post by the pageant organizers on Instagram said:

“The final two! Nigeria and Denmark, two incredible women, one unforgettable moment.

“Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, ultimately won the crown taking over from Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.”

The top five were rounded out by Miss Mexico, María Fernanda Beltrán Figueroa, in third place, along with contestants from Thailand and Venezuela.

This year’s pageant was celebrated as one of the most inclusive in Miss Universe history, featuring first-time entries from Iran and Somalia and an expanded lineup of 30 semifinalists, showcasing greater diversity and global representation.

Chidimma’s path to the Miss Universe Nigeria was controversial at best as she had previously entered the Miss South Africa pageant but withdrew following criticism of her nationality and allegations from South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs concerning her mother’s documents.

She was later invited to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria and emerged as the winner of the beauty pageant ahead of 24 other contestants.

Culture

Tyla set to drop new single ‘Tears’ on November 20

Published

3 days ago

November 14, 2024

Isaac Dachen

South African “Ampiona” crooner, Tyla, is set to thrill her fans to her new single titled, “Tears’, which is set to drop on November 20.

According to a statement by her management team, Tyla’s fans should expect something different from the “Water” singer as she is set to release a brand-new single in collaboration with Coke Studio.

“This exciting partnership follows her announcement as part of the Coke Studio 2024 line-up alongside R&B star Usher Raymond in September,” the statement said.

Tyla who is fondly called the “Pretty girl from Joburg,” also took to her Instagram page to share the news with her fans.

Posting a snippet of the video on her Instagram story with the caption, “‘Tears’ coming November 20th! A song in partnership with @CocaCola”, confirming the November release date, she urged her fans to look forward to something different from what they are used to.

The brand has also shared on its social media platforms that Tyla will be performing this highly-anticipated single when she returns to Johannesburg, South Africa, at a special Coke Studio live event.

In an interview with Coke Studio, the 22-year-old singer shared how she breaks away from her original sound with “Tears”.

“I feel like in a lot of my songs, I’m dancing a lot. I really wanted a song where I could just sing, be more raw with people, and showcase my voice this time,” she said.

Snippets from the new single has showcases Tyla’s enchanting vocals, revealing a more vulnerable side that is different from her previous work.

“Breaking away from the amapiano and pop sound she’s best known for, Tyla embarks on an exciting new journey with this project,” one of the reviews said.

“Through “Tears”, she wants to connect with listeners in a raw, captivating way as she partners with Coke Studio to bring this new sound to life.’