5 culture things to know
French actor accused of rape, Japan comedian to go on hiatus amid sex scandal report
French actor and film-maker Samuel Theis, known for his role in Golden Globewinning film Anatomy of a Fall, was ousted from the shoot of his directorial film project Je Le Jure after a crew member accused him of rape. In Japan, comedian and TV personality Hitoshi Matsumoto will suspend his show business activities to “focus on the litigation trial” following the publication of several media reports related to sexual assault allegations against him.
Baby Yoda to get his own movie
Grogu (a.k.a. “Baby Yoda”) will make his debut on the big screen in a new Star Wars movie titled The Mandalorian & Grogu, which will go into production later this year and will be directed by Jon Favreau. Since his introduction in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, the green alien child has become a fan favorite.
Madrid museum can keep Pissarro Nazi-looted painting, U.S. court rules
A U.S. appeal court said that Madrid’s Thyssen-Bornemisza museum has the right to retain a painting by French impressionist Camille Pissarro that was stolen by the Nazis from a Jewish family, in a new development to the decades-long legal battle that has opposed the Spanish institution against the heirs of World War II-era Jewish refugees.
Russian propaganda film screening stirs controversy in Italy
The planned screening in Bologna of the Kremlinbacked propaganda film The Witness on Jan. 27 has sparked widespread condemnation from members of the public and city officials. The movie, which flopped at the box office in Russia last year, portrays a fictional narrative justifying Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and its “denazification” argument.
Spice up your letters with special Spice Girls stamps
The UK’s Royal Mail celebrates the Spice Girls’ 30th anniversary with a special set of 15 stamps issued — the first time the postal service is dedicating an entire collection to a female pop group. The stamps feature various performance images of the band, including at the Brit Awards in 1997 and at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, as well as individual portraits of the five members.