Encore!

Like it or not, AI is here to stay. Time magazine named the "architects of AI" as 2025's person of the year. In this edition, we focus on artificial intelligence and entertainment. A UK AI-focused studio recently released "Non Player Combat", which it calls the world's first AI-generated reality TV show. Dheepthika Laurent talks to Tom Paton, CEO of the studio and in a first, we interview Clara, the AI host of the show!

FRANCE 24's Charli James previews the new exhibit "All About Love" at the Grand Palais in Paris, which is celebrating the superstar American artist Mickalene Thomas. It spans 20 years of her striking, multi-disciplinary work that rewrites the role of Black women in art history. Plus, a special Christmas show at the Palace of Versailles imagines how the holidays looked inside the court of King Louis XIV.

Emma Jones takes us through the third installment of James Cameron's epic project, as "Avatar: Fire and Ash" takes us back to the spectacular setting of Pandora. We discuss the message at the heart of the movies and the new additions to its cast. Next, director Kleber Mendonça Filho plunges us into 1970s Brazil thanks to a swinging soundtrack and anamorphic Panavision lenses, as Wagner Moura gives an award-winning performance in "The Secret Agent". We also check out a moving tribute to Neil Diamond and small-time musicians the world over in "Song Sung Blue", starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. Plus Kate Winslet goes behind the camera for her star-studded directorial début, "Goodbye June".

FRANCE 24's Dheepthika Laurent tells us about Emily's adventures in Rome, as the heroine of "Emily in Paris" embarks on a fifth season in neighbouring Italy. We debate whether the show has run out of steam and discuss romantic lead Lucas Bravo, who plays Gabriel, as he stars in new French series "Les Saisons". Also, post-apocalyptic drama "Fallout" returns for a second series, with Walton Goggins as a ghoulish cowboy and Ella Purnell searching for her father in this re-make of the nuclear war-inspired video game. Plus we find out more about the new K-drama "Made in Korea", starring TV heavyweights Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung.

In this edition of our arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with the frontman of British band The Spitfires, as well as French musician Gaspard Royant. The Spitfires are back after having split up three years ago. The indie rock, nu-mod band are celebrating their musical renaissance with their sixth album "MKII". Meanwhile, Gaspard Royant has re-released his wildly successful festive record “All the Best for Christmas”: a soundtrack for a cool, classy Christmas.

Bossa Nova rhythms, trap, rap and reggaeton all go into Bianca Costa's musical palette, and the results have got her tens of millions of streams. As the artist releases her first full-length album, "Gringa", she joins us to talk about making peace with her Brazilian and French identity, singing in two languages and drawing on very diverse musical traditions. We also talk about the strong female artists like Diam's, Sia and Chaka Khan who've inspired Bianca and crossed her professional path, and we discuss the juxtaposition of religious values and sensuality which marked her formative years.

He's currently on screens as "Jay Kelly", an ageing movie star on an existential quest in Europe. And it's not too far from George Clooney's own reality, as the actor tells journalists how he's enjoying his new life in the south of France. We also look back at the impressive legacy left by "starchitect" Frank Gehry, after the death of the visionary architect behind landmarks like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris. The world of photography has also lost a major talent in Martin Parr; we take a look back at his distinctive style and unique body of work.

Critic Manon Kerjean takes us through the week's French film releases, starting with an assured début from Alice Vial. "You Found Me" deals with medical emergencies, mortality and a medium who helps souls leave our earthly realm, managing to balance its heavy subject matter with a gentle tone. We also discuss "Love Me Tender", Anna Cazenave Cambet's adaptation of a novel by author Constance Debré, in which a mother is left fighting for the right to raise her child. Motherhood is also a theme in Jérôme Bonnell's film "The Condition", which explores the power dynamics in a bourgeois home in early 20th century France, and we check out the psychologically driven "The Girl Without a Name", featuring an impressive performance from young actress Diane Rouxel.

The author and journalist Taffy Brodesser-Akner has been awarded the Grand Prix de Littérature Américaine for her novel "Long Island Compromise" and its translation by Diniz Galhos. Brodesser-Akner tells us about the kidnapping that kicks off this sprawling family saga, and its repercussions through younger generations. We also discuss the pivotal role of wealth and privilege in American society, and why the aspirational lifestyles peddled by the rich and famous prompt such heated debate, after Brodesser-Akner's profile of Gwyneth Paltrow in the New York Times Magazine went viral.

French-Armenian guitarist Waxx has just released a new cover album "Etincelles 2", which features collaborations with beloved French artists such as rapper MC Solaar and singer Jain, as well as up-and-coming musicians like Solann. He tells Marjorie Hache about this new record and his first book "Shuffle", which explores the stories behind the songs. They also check out new music from Guns N' Roses, Sampa The Great and Melody's Echo Chamber.

Award-winning chef Mashama Bailey and hospitality mastermind Johno Morisano are behind a Parisian restaurant where dishes pay tribute to a wealth of culinary traditions, from both sides of the Atlantic. They join us in the studio to talk about bringing corn and braised meats to a menu featuring French bistro classics, including the innovative pairing of foie gras and grits. Mashama and Johno tell us how setting up their restaurant "The Grey" in Savannah, Georgia was a formative experience, helping to refine their vision of gastronomy and hospitality. Plus we learn why "kitchens have a built-in soap opera", as films and TV series set in the world of fine dining dominate our screens.

From the latest arrest in the audacious October heist to the grand opening of the Louvre's Gallery of the Five Continents, the museum is making news for both drama and ambition. Arts24 takes you inside the museum's newest spaces and explains the rising ticket prices for non-EU visitors. Beyond the Louvre, we explore Paris's sprawling manga exhibition at the Guimet Museum and dive into James Cameron's latest cinematic spectacle, "Avatar: Fire and Ash". Don't miss this packed roundup of art, culture and entertainment from around the world.

Arts24 dives into the life of France's most explosive cinema legend as a new documentary pulls back the curtain on Brigitte Bardot – the star who became a myth and then walked away from it all to fight for animal rights. Director Elora Thevenet joins us in the studio to reveal how she gained rare access to the fiercely private 91-year-old, while our critic Manon Kerjean breaks down the film's intimate portrait of a woman once adored and still controversial decades later.

From Lisbeth Salander to Mother Teresa, Noomi Rapace has never shied away from transformative, fearless roles. In her latest film "Mother", directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska, the Swedish actress takes on one of her most radical characters yet: a young Mother Teresa in 1948, on the brink of leaving the convent to follow her calling. But this is no reverential biopic. "Mother" is raw, provocative, and intimate – a "punk rock" portrait that demystifies the saint and reveals the ambitious, conflicted woman beneath.

In this edition of our arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with Ambroise and Zoé from indie band Astral Bakers. The French four-piece have a real Americana, soft-grunge sound, blending warm harmonies with stripped-down arrangements. Their second album "Vertical Life" was recorded in the Catskills in upstate New York, and celebrates their collective identity. We also look at the return of the cassette tape, which is hoping to emulate the same success vinyl records have had in recent years.

The Broadway classic "Chicago" now has a certain "je ne sais quoi" on stage at the Casino de Paris. Our reporters went to check out this new production of the musical famed for Bob Fossé's choreography and its femme fatale, Roxy Hart. We also look back at the life of reggae pioneer Jimmy Cliff, who has died at 81 years old and discover a new, luminous collection of paintings from British artist Christopher Le Brun. Plus we learn more about the micro-dramas hailed as the "soap operas of the digital age", with one-minute episodes designed specifically for smartphone screens.

In this arts24 interview, Grammy-nominated poet aja monet joins us in Paris to talk about her new collection "Florida Water" and what it means to make art in a moment of political turmoil. She opens up about living through the new wave of American culture-war battles – from book bans to attacks on arts funding – and explains why she believes poetry has become an important tool for resistance, healing and community. aja monet also reflects on the heartbreak at the centre of "Florida Water", her long-standing activism for Palestine and the loneliness she sees shaping a generation. With poems like "Castaway" and "For Sonia", she explores how poetry can help us face climate grief, injustice and the feeling of being overwhelmed by the world.

Film critic Emma Jones tells us why Yorgos Lanthimos's latest film "Bugonia" manages to mix existential angst and entertaining performances in his sixth collaboration with Emma Stone. We also hear why Jesse Plemmon's turn as a conspiracy theorist is worth the ticket price alone.

Hind Rajab's phone call to the Palestinian Red Crescent in January 2024 was, for director Kaouther Ben Hania, the "tipping point" in the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. As the Franco-Tunisian filmmaker releases her latest film "The Voice of Hind Rajab", she tells us about re-creating the story of the five-year-old girl who was killed by the Israeli army following a lengthy phone call with Red Crescent staff who were working tirelessly to arrange her rescue.

One of the reggae artists who brought the genre to the world has passed away aged 81. Jimmy Cliff's widow announced on social media that he had died following a seizure and pneumonia. The Grammy Award winner worked with artists ranging from The Rolling Stones to Kool and the Gang. FRANCE 24's culture editor Marjorie Hache looks back at Cliff's career and how he broke out as an international music star. 

This week on arts24, Marjorie Hache talks to anaiis, a Franco-Senegalese artist who makes beautifully textured R'n'B and who has just released "Devotion & The Black Divine", which touches on the fate of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora and seeks comfort in nature. Her music also extends into film, with anaiis producing stunning music videos. 

This month brings the end of an era as "Stranger Things" returns for its fifth and final season. Meanwhile, Ryan Murphy's "All's Fair", starring Kim Kardashian, in her first leading role has united critics in calling it a catastrophe, with The Guardian dubbing it "fascinatingly, existentially terrible". Plus, a provocative new French series "Seduction" reimagines the classic tale of "Dangerous Liaisons". TV critic Dheepthika Laurent guides us through the must-watch (and must-avoid) shows of the month.

In this episode of Arts 24, we look at "Fall of Freedom" – a nationwide wave of performances, readings and public art events as artists across the United States mobilise against mounting censorship and political pressure on cultural institutions. Hundreds of theatres, museums, and libraries are taking part on November 21 and 22 in what organisers call an urgent stand for artistic freedom. Joining us from New York are two of the movement's leading voices: Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Lynn Nottage and visual artist Dread Scott. They discuss why they believe democracy is at risk, how cultural institutions are being pressured into silence, and why artists are uniting now. Among the stars participating in "Fall of Freedom" are filmmaker Michael Moore, director Ava DuVernay, musicians John Legend and Amanda Palmer, Pulitzer-winning novelist Jennifer Egan and visual artists Marilyn Minter. Events include staged readings, public art installations, concerts, film screenings, and library programs, all aimed at defending free expression.

Film critic Emma Jones joins Eve Jackson to unpack Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo's show-stopping return to Oz in Jon M. Chu's "Wicked: For Good", the blockbuster sequel landing with sky-high expectations, brand-new music and even a headline-grabbing incident at its Asian premiere. But this week's arts24 film show has far more than pink bubbles and green glamour.

Producers and multi-instrumentalists Cate Le Bon, from Wales, and Ouri, who was born in French Guiana, joined Marjorie Hache to discuss their new albums and how much – or how little – location shapes their work. Ouri has just moved back to Paris after spending the past decade in Montreal. She recently released the electro acoustic pop gem “Daisy Cutter”. Cate Le Bon has relocated to South Wales after the end of a relationship, though her 7th album, “Michelangelo Dying”, was produced in Hydra, Cardiff and Joshua Tree. 

At first, its soft cushions, luxurious rugs and fine china evoke the warm hospitality of an Afghan home. Yet as the immersive theatrical experience progresses, the audience feels the walls closing in, the sky outside darkens and the narrator's stories become increasingly bleak in tone. "One's own room: Inside Kabul" is an artistic take on the circumstances Afghan women and girls are currently living in: limited to their homes, with scarce opportunities for education. Its co-creator, Caroline Gillet, tells us about creating this space based on the accounts of Raha and Marwa, the two Afghan women whose stories made up her award-winning podcast "Inside Kabul" after the Taliban seized power in 2021.

He creates images of a past, present and future that are tantalisingly close to reality: Phillip Toledano's approach to photography harnesses technology, style and a sharp sense of humour. He joins us to talk about his latest book "Another England" and tells us how manipulating these scenes using artificial intelligence brings another layer to our ideas about "truth". Phillip also talks about putting himself at the centre of his artwork, and we discuss the technological developments that are revolutionising the way we make and consume art and culture.

The Bataclan music venue has become synonymous with the Paris terror attacks of November 2015, when 130 people were killed, 90 of them while attending an Eagles of Death Metal concert at the Bataclan. Photographer Marion Ruszniewski was on assignment at the venue and was injured in the attack. Ten years on, she tells us about the events of that tragic evening, as well as her feelings about returning to work at the Bataclan a year later. Plus, as Marion publishes a book detailing two decades of concert photography, we discuss the resilient spirit that saw Parisians return to the bars, cafés and concert halls in the aftermath of the tragedy. 

French director Rebecca Zlotowski had dreamed of working with her ever since she first started making films: Jodie Foster now takes on the leading role in "Private Life" as a psychologist haunted by a mysterious disappearance. Film critic Manon Kerjean gives us her appraisal of the film, and points us in the direction of "Dossier 137", a tense police drama that draws on real-life events with compelling results. We also discuss the heartwarming, stylish "Love Letters" from Alice Douard and the origin story of one of Victor Hugo's most beloved characters, "Jean Valjean".

He created Jean-Paul Gaultier's Le Mâle at just 24 and gave the world Baccarat Rouge 540, the fragrance that conquered the internet. Now, master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian – head of his own perfume house and Perfume Creation Director at Christian Dior – unveils a new Paris exhibition, "Perfume: Sculpture of the Invisible", at the Palais de Tokyo, celebrating 30 years of his groundbreaking creations. He sat down with FRANCE 24's Culture Editor Eve Jackson to talk about the art of capturing emotion in scent, the viral success of Baccarat Rouge 540 and how he's redefining fragrance as a true form of art.

American rockers We Are Scientists are pioneers of the indie sleaze movement and are currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of their groundbreaking album "With Love and Squalor". It's a double celebration for the group, as they have also just released their latest album "Qualifying Miles". FRANCE 24's music editor Jennifer Ben Brahim chatted with them before their Parisian concert, as part of their European tour.

In this edition of our arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with French multi-instrumentalist and producer Max Baby. A career in music was always on the cards for him, having made a drumkit at age six out of old biscuit tins. He dropped his debut record in 2024, and a year on is back with his EP "Break". It's a blend of post-modern indie, alt-rock and electro, and deals with the aftermath of losing control and the quiet that follows. He is also embarking on a European tour, with his first Parisian headline show.

In this edition of Arts24, we meet award-winning actress Diane Kruger as she returns to French screens in HBO's "Merteuil" or "The Seduction", a bold reimagining of the novel "Dangerous Liaisons". The German actress conquered Hollywood with "Troy" and "Inglorious Basterds"; now she returns to screens to explore a different kind of power, one that plays out in whispers, strategies and seduction in a candlelit 18th-century Paris. This new series sees Kruger play Madame De Rosemonde, a woman navigating the perilous games of patriarchy with cunning and elegance. The actress also tells us about returning to German cinema to explore some of the more complex questions surrounding World War II in Fatih Akin's critically-acclaimed "Amrum".

In this episode of arts24, we journey into the enchanting world of Isao Takahata, one of the founding fathers of Japanese animation and the creative force behind Studio Ghibli classics like "Grave of the Fireflies" and "Only Yesterday". From his early days in the 1960s to his final masterpiece, a new Paris retrospective traces Takahata's lifelong quest to capture humanity, emotion and the beauty of everyday life through animation.

This week on arts24's film show, critic Manon Kerjean from Lost in Frenchlation joins us to explore four very different slices of French cinema – from monumental architecture to female bandits, nostalgic comedy and a sweeping national portrait. We begin with "L'Inconnu de la Grande Arche" ("The Great Arch"), a visually striking portrait of the architect behind Paris's modern landmark, La Grande Arche de La Défense. Director Demoustier turns stone and steel into emotion, capturing the tension between ambition, politics and legacy, with Danish actor Claes Bang mastering French for the role.

Kenyan photographer Thandiwe Muriu is turning heads and bending reality. Her vibrant portraits blend women seamlessly into richly patterned fabrics, creating hypnotic optical illusions that celebrate African identity while questioning how we see beauty, culture and self-expression. Now, Muriu returns to Paris for her third solo exhibition, "Clouds Bring Blessings", at 193 Gallery. For the first time, she's created her own tie-dye fabrics, calling nature her "uninvited co-creator". In this edition of arts24, Muriu opens up about her journey from Kenya's first female commercial photographer to a global art sensation – and how fabric, light and heritage weave together in her striking visual universe.

French novelist Laurent Mauvignier has won France's most prestigious literary honour, the Goncourt prize, for "La Maison Vide" ("The Empty House"). The book "recalls the great realist authors of the 19th century, like Zola, Maupassant and Flaubert", FRANCE 24's Culture Editor Olivia Salazar-Winspear tells us from the awards ceremony in Paris.

In this edition of our arts24 music show, Jennifer Ben Brahim chats with Rebecca Lucy Taylor, aka Self Esteem. She's one of the UK's most exciting breakout stars of the last decade, with Grammy and Mercury nominations under her belt. Her music is a mix of bold, genre-blending pop and razor-sharp lyrics. She's also an actress, with roles including Sally Bowles in the West End production of "Cabaret". Self Esteem's third album "A Complicated Woman" is her most theatrical and truthful record to date, exploring the complexities of womanhood – from burnouts to depression to sexuality. She's currently on a European tour, with a stop at Paris's Pitchfork festival.

In this episode of arts24, we're at Paris Games Week, where the hit French video game "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33" has gone from digital epic to musical phenomenon. Composer Lorien Testard's symphonic tour "A Painted Symphony" is taking sold-out audiences by storm across France. Next, we head to Paris's newest cultural landmark as the Fondation Cartier unveils its spectacular new home opposite the Louvre – a Jean Nouvel-designed masterpiece blending Haussmannian charm with modernist flair. Finally, Hollywood's love affair with the musical biopic continues. From Elvis to Bob Marley, we explore why rock legends' real-life stories keep striking box office gold and take a look at the latest hit, "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere".

Our film critic Emma Jones tells us why the Oscar buzz surrounding Dwayne Johnson's performance in "The Smashing Machine" is deserved and how the film deviates from the average "in the ring" biopic. We also discuss Jeremy Allen White's turn as Bruce Springsteen in director Scott Cooper's "Deliver Me From Nowhere", which zooms in on a difficult period in The Boss's career. We then discover a new talent in Laura Carreira, who's captured the precarity of the gig economy and the weight of loneliness in "On Falling", a social study with shades of Ken Loach. Plus we check out Guillermo del Toro's take on the monstrous "Frankenstein", starring Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac, as he revisits the gothic tale in his own unique style.

Dreaming up creations that resemble a garden of earthly delights, filled with beauty, decay and poetry: Precious Okoyomon is a Nigerian-American artist who embraces dark and light, matter and impermanence. Their new exhibition is called "It's important to have ur fangs out at the end of the world" and the artist tells us why this new work has a fairytale quality, encouraging the viewer to open up to the softness at its heart. We also discuss the wild and urban Brazilian landscapes that inspired a recent installation, and learn how the unique energy of Lagos and its people was distilled into a sound sculpture for the Nigerian pavilion at the Venice Biennale. 

Amadou and Mariam, the iconic musical duo from Mali, performed together for more than four decades until the passing of Amadou in April. Their ninth and final album together, "L'Amour à la Folie" or "Crazy Love" in English, has just dropped. It's a posthumous love letter from Mariam to her late husband, with help from their son Sam Bagayoko. FRANCE 24's Marion Chaval and Yong Chim spoke to Mariam about performing without Amadou.