There is a new color appearing on the facade of an old building in the Jeitawi district of Beirut. Amid the cement that has accumulated traces of time, a huge bird with blue, green and red feathers sits, surrounded by dense flowers, with shades of orange and pink spilling over it. The mural “Bearers of the Sun” by the Lebanese artist Spazono is inseparable from the building that carries it. The relationship between them is part of the work, especially after the artist learned, after completing the mural, some of what these walls had hidden.
Weeks ago, Spazono was drawing a different kind of absence. The “Missing Persons” mural in the Hamra area, completed as part of a project in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross, brought the issue of missing and forcibly disappeared people back into the public space. He adopted a distorted image in which features disintegrate into squares, so that faces appear stuck between appearance and disappearance. The closer the passerby gets, the more the image disintegrates in front of him, and the further away he gets, the more it regains some of its completeness.
Spazono told Asharq Al-Awsat that working on the street places him “with the responsibility of leaving a great impact on the place; Therefore, he tries to make the mural relevant to what we live, without abandoning the beauty that “we desperately need in our city.” Graffiti is intended to go beyond the function of facade beautification. The wall enters the lives of people who have not decided to visit an exhibition, and puts work on their daily path, amidst their crowding, busyness, and phone screens.
In Geitawi, he chose the “Palestinian Sunbird,” also known as the Palestinian Tamer, around which to build a work about belonging and difference. A bird in the region, with its feathers whose color perception changes depending on the light and angle of view, opened a door to another idea for Spazono. He says that “the source of light is one,” while the image differs depending on the location of the viewer. From this natural characteristic, a reading emerged that touches on the Levant and its people, and what unites them under the divisions accumulated by politics and history.
With this idea, the mural meets what is happening in southern Lebanon. The artist wanted to transfer what this burning land is experiencing to a wall in Beirut in a way that will stop passers-by and at the same time give them something beautiful to contemplate. The mural also has a trace of displacement. Whoever leaves his land does not leave it all behind him. He takes from it what remains in it wherever he goes. Spazzono knows the limits of what art can do. A mural will not change a political reality or restore a land, but it may awaken someone’s attention or make them stop in front of what they are accustomed to passing by.
The wall has a life that precedes its arrival. The artist carries the history of the place and the traces of those who lived around it, and from this relationship the work begins and takes shape. Spazono enters it, trying to find the connection that makes the work belong to his site. That's why he avoids imposing his idea on just any wall, because its space allows it.
The mural may lead him to a memory of the neighborhood, its people, or a moment he lived, or it may be born from a personal feeling that meets the place. It is noteworthy that after its completion, “The Bearers of the Sun” acquired a class that its owner had not planned for. One of the residents of the building came down and told him that during the war the building had received about 10 RPG shells that hit its roof, and a car loaded with gasoline caught fire in front of it after it was hit by a shell during one of the fuel crises. Suddenly, the colorful bird was suspended above a history of fire.
The mural thus became another part of the building's biography. The illuminated work did not erase what happened to the place, but rather added to it an additional memorable effect. For a woman who lived through its history, the building hit by the shells became the same building on which a bird rose surrounded by flowers. Spazono summarizes this by saying that art can “add a new memory to the memory of a place.”
As for graffiti, he sees it as an art in which the spirit of rebellion is still part of its composition, even if its tools have changed. The Lebanese wall has its own characteristics. During the war, it carried militia slogans and signs that demarcated the boundaries of influence, and in subsequent years the graffiti began to write a different chapter for it. The entry of funding, permits, and institutional projects does not mean, in Spazono’s view, that he has been emptied of his ability to disrupt. The artist may use the institution’s tools to pass layers that were not in its calculations.
A rebellion that knows its path in advance loses some of its effectiveness, and Spazono is always looking for another outlet. This time he found it in a bird carrying the sun over a building that had survived the bombs. The features of the wall have changed, and its scars remain beneath it. The city does not always choose what sticks in its memory, but it can give what happened to it another conclusion.
The moment Celine Dion has been waiting for for 6 years has arrived. The day the disease took away her voice and ability to move, she thought she would not live to step onto the stage again and sing in front of thousands. But here the miracle is accomplished, and the Canadian artist overlooks 30,000 people gathered in “La Plenitude” square, the largest indoor hall in Europe, in the Nanterre area in the French capital, Paris.
The audience welcomed her with long minutes of applause and cheering, but she wet her resounding return with tears. Between one musical phrase and another, she revealed a little of what was in her heart.
“This was a promise, and here I am standing on the stage,” Celine Dion said, as if she was addressing not only her audience but also herself first. She, who faced years of pain due to her suffering from stiff person syndrome, continued: “I am here, in this city that I love so much, thanks to your support and love. Thanks".
In her ceremony, which was paced with intense emotions, Dion confided to the huge audience some of what she experienced during her years of illness: “I must admit that the road was bumpy and longer than expected, but I held on.”
Celine Dion "alive"
With a voice that was not completely free from the effects of illness and that had not run out of energy, toughness, and charm, Celine Dion conjured a collection of her beloved songs. She opened the concert with On ne change pas (We do not change), then sang the rosary of her immortal musical works in French and English, led by the icon of the movie “Titanic,” the song “My Heart Will Go On.”
And so Celine's brave heart shouted, "I'm Alive," before she continued to announce to the audience: "I'm better." I have learned to live with this fragility. Because I was very close to him, I tamed him and decided to make him the strength of my life.”
Celine Dion challenges her throat
Contrary to what many expected, Celine Dion's anticipated concert was not based on visual dazzle, as much as it was based on the artist's magic. There are no light or dance shows to mention, and no prominent guests on stage to accompany her singing.
There is no star other than her who infuses energy into the place and manipulates her voice and body in order to give her best. She dances, runs, changes costumes, and fights back tears throughout the show. She challenges the throat that betrayed her years ago, and unleashes Maria Callas's masterpiece "Epin ni Andrew Luntana" with an operatic voice that surprised the audience.
Pending the renewal of the date next Wednesday evening, Paris promises itself economic revenues estimated at one billion euros, which are expected to be generated by Celine Dion’s stay in the city. Knowing that the official prices of the cards ranged between 90 and 300 euros, but they exceeded 1,000 euros on the black market.
Celine and Paris... a 44-year-old love
Standing under the Parisian sky, Celine Dion crowns a 44-year-old love story. The Canadian artist was 14 years old when she visited the “City of Lights” for the first time. She sat on a ledge with the legendary Eiffel Tower behind her. She smiled at the camera like any child, excited about the special moment. She returned to that snapshot from 1982, the day she announced her concerts in Paris, publishing the photo on her pages.
During that first Parisian trip, Dion recorded her third album, including the song D’amour ou d’amitié, which she introduced to the French public, and it quickly turned into a romantic anthem that crossed languages and continents.
It was only a few months after the release of that song, for which it deserved a gold record, until Celine Dion returned to Paris in early 1983 to perform it on the most prominent television program and hosted by the most important French media personality, Michel Drucker. “Remember this young woman’s name...she will go far,” Drucker said confidently, anticipating a bright future for the Canadian voice, young in age and big in energy.
According to Drucker, Dion dreamed of France as everyone dreams of America. She never denied this. In a television documentary broadcast in 2025, she said that she had always wanted to be loved by France and the French.
Celine Dion's beginnings on Parisian stages
If Celine Dion's first appearance in front of the French was through the screen, her first concert in Paris was not delayed. However, it was not an official ceremony, since her appearance in 1984 at the Olympia was limited to an opening segment of the performances of artist Patrick Sebastian. I performed 3 songs every night for 5 weeks.
She had to wait 10 years to establish herself as a stage star in the eyes of the French. She stood on the same stage in 1994, after she had appeared in the same year at a charity concert, alongside France's beloved composer and singer Jean-Jacques Goldman, one of the most prominent partners in her musical career.
Jean-Jacques Goldman...the French sponsor of Celine Dion
The moment when Celine Dion met Jean-Jacques Goldman was a pivotal moment in her career. Goldman is not an ordinary person for the French. According to opinion polls, he is the most beloved person to them over the years. Thus, it constituted a milestone in the relationship between Dion and France, and a free passport for her to the hearts of the French. As soon as he heard her voice, he immediately adopted him and became his exclusive French shepherd.
Even when Celine Dion returned from her long absence after illness in 2026, it was Goldman who wrote the comeback songs despite being semi-retired and completely absent from the artistic scene since 2004. This is nothing but evidence of the amount of love he has for his Canadian colleague. Knowing that the relationship between them is not limited to a mere fellowship or artistic partnership, Goldman is one of the closest friends to Celine's heart.
In 1995, they recorded their first joint success with the album D’eux, which became the best-selling Francophone record in France in history. This was followed by a series of concerts at the Zenith Hall in Paris in front of thousands of spectators, which resulted in the album Live à Paris. Goldman shared the stage with Dion in two songs that became one of the most important stations of her career, to the point where she acknowledged that it was Goldman who gave her the opportunity to be a welcomed artist in France.
Since then, their cooperation has not stopped. Goldman composed dozens of songs for Dion and surprised her fans with sneak appearances during her concerts in Paris, especially in 1999 at the Stade de France. In these two legendary concerts, Paris opened its arms again to Celine, who gathered 180,000 spectators around her.
Celine in Paris without Rene
Celine Dion's concerts continued in the major theaters and halls of Paris, and included an official honor for her, as she received the Medal of Honor from the French Presidency in 2008. After a forced absence between 2013 and 2015, Dion returned in 2016 to the French capital, but this time without her husband and her manager, René Angélil.
Paris embraced the artist after she lost her companion, and Bercy Square witnessed the most influential concert in Dion's long record. Five months after Angelil's death, she performed 9 concerts, the first of which witnessed a warm reception for the singer.
Paris.. Celine's warm embrace after hardships
For many months, Stiff Person Syndrome crippled Celine Dion. The neuromuscular disease made her think that she would never stand on stage again and sing for her audience. However, her strong will and great passion pushed her to fight the disease. When she decided to tell the world that her throat was still capable of performing miracles, she chose Paris as a platform.
Dion surprised her fans with a resounding and dazzling return at the opening of the Olympic Games in Paris in the summer of 2024, where she stood in the heart of the Eiffel Tower and sang Edith Piaf’s masterpiece Hymne à l’amour.
Celine's show continues
If health conditions do not hinder her, Celine Dion's 16 Parisian shows will continue until October 17, with an average of 3 weekly concerts every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. According to the artist's schedule, she will return in the spring of 2027 to the French capital, where she is supposed to perform a new set of concerts until May of next year. This coincides with the launch of her new French album, which includes works written by French artists such as Jean-Jacques Goldman, Francis Cabrel, Stromai and others.
The new documentary “Naza,” which deals with mass killings carried out by Israel against civilians in Gaza using artificial intelligence, won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday.
The film was directed by Oscar-winning Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Tzur, and some critics nominated it for the “Golden Lion” award for best film, after it received a standing ovation that lasted 25 minutes after its premiere on Thursday.
Upon receiving the award, Abraham said that during the ten days that followed the start of the festival, “Israel killed at least six Palestinian children in Gaza.”
He addressed the audience, saying: “Israeli intelligence officers informed us that these mass killings are systematic, and were not the result of coincidence, but rather the result of prior planning, and include acts of murder and policies based on completely stripping Palestinians of their humanity.”
The Special Jury Award is given every year in recognition of distinguished work, but it ranks lower than the “Golden Lion” and “Silver Lion” awards in terms of importance.
Abraham and Tzur based their work on conversations with 24 different sources within the Israeli military or intelligence establishment, who stipulated that their identities not be revealed.
The 80-minute film shocked a large number of those who watched it, especially since those interviewed spoke of feeling like they were working in a killing “factory” or inside a deadly video game while using Israeli targeting systems supported by artificial intelligence to bomb Gaza.
Screen magazine described the film as “extremely painful and leaves a deep impact on the soul,” while “The Hollywood Reporter” magazine stated that it raises “anger...a feeling of humiliation and deep disgust toward the current Israeli regime.”
Abraham added: “It was very important to us that the Israelis watch this film,” stressing that “our country is the one committing these crimes.”
The Israeli campaign in Gaza, which was launched following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of more than 73,500 Palestinians and the injury of more than 174,000, according to figures from the Ministry of Health in Gaza, which the United Nations considers reliable.
On Friday, the Israeli army criticized the use of anonymous testimonies in the film, saying that they “cannot be verified.”
“The Golden Lion” by an Egyptian-Danish director
The film “Woman Anon” by Egyptian-Danish director, Mai Al-Toukhi, won the Golden Lion Award for Best Film at the conclusion of the Venice Film Festival, on Saturday, and its heroine was awarded the Actresses Category Award.
Al-Toukhi was one of the only two women among the film directors competing in the 83rd session of the festival, and her film “Woman Unknown” (titled in Danish, Kvinde Ukendt, meaning “Unknown Woman”) deals with what she described as “the invisibility of women.”
The film tells the story of domestic worker Mary, who is about to marry her employer after the end of World War II in Denmark, but she almost loses everything because of a heavy secret from the conflict that she is hiding and which reappears.
Likewise, American actor John Malkovich won the Best Actor Award for his performance as an elderly and rebellious CIA agent in the movie “Wild Horse Nine.” Danish Mathilde Arcel also won the Best Actress Award for her role in the movie “Wild Horse Nine.” “Woman Anon,” in which she played the role of a maid who returns to be haunted by memories of a relationship she had with a German soldier during World War II.
Full list of Venice Film Festival winners:
Golden lion:
The film “An Unknown Woman” (Woman Anon) directed by Mai Al-Toukhi (Danish-Swedish-Latvian production)
Grand Jury Award (Silver Lion):
“Possible Love” directed by Lee Chang-dong (South Korea)
Best Director: Ilya Khrzhanovsky for the film “Dow” (German, French, Swedish production)
Best Actress: Mathilde Arcel for the movie “An Unknown Woman” (Woman Anon) (Danish-Swedish-Latvian production)
Best Actor: John Malkovich for Wild Horse Nine (American-Chilean production)
Best Screenplay: Stephane Brisé, Coralie Amedeo and Olivier Gurset for “A Good Little Soldier” (France)
Special Jury Prize:
“Naza” directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Tzur (Britain)
Best New Actor: Malou Kbezi for “A Place to Heal” (France)
