http://www.voanews.com/archive/arts-and-entertainment/latest/594/602.html arts-and-entertainment http://www.voanews.com/img/voa/rssLogo_VOA.gif http://www.voanews.com/archive/arts-and-entertainment/latest/594/602.html en-US 2012 - VOA 60 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 02:27:19 -0400 Pangea CMS – VOA Fifteen years after his death in a small plane crash and more than 40 years after his first hit, John Denver’s songs are getting a new lease on life. “The Music Is You,” is a new tribute that brings musicians from various genres and generations together to re-imagine Denver’s biggest hits. The musicians include southern rockers My Morning Jacket, who cover “Leaving On A Jet Plane.” The 10-piece alternative band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros reinterprets “Wooden Indian.” And ... http://www.voanews.com/content/john-denver-tribute-the-music-is-you/1683717.html http://www.voanews.com/content/john-denver-tribute-the-music-is-you/1683717.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:43:23 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Katherine Cole) Reality television star Kim Kardashian gave birth to a girl fathered by rapper Kanye West, celebrity magazines People and Us Weekly reported Saturday. Each magazine posted a story on its website citing an "unnamed source" in confirming the birth of the daughter to the celebrity couple. However, Kloe Kardashian later commented on the birth on Twitter. I can not even begin 2describe the miracle that is now apart of our family. Mommy/baby are healthy &resting. We appreciate all ... http://www.voanews.com/content/kim-kardashian-gives-birth-to-baby-girl/1683087.html http://www.voanews.com/content/kim-kardashian-gives-birth-to-baby-girl/1683087.html Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:02:39 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) Star of songs, sketches and the silver screen for over a hundred years, the Eiffel Tower is now taking the lead role in a musical composition which will see the landmark speak for itself. The structure is an instrument for a piece to be entitled “Tower Music” - a project conceived by U.S. composer Joseph Bertolozzi. With latex mallets, drumsticks and even a large log wrapped in lambs wool in his box of tricks, Bertolozzi moves all over the 324-meter tower, hitting its surfaces with varying ... http://www.voanews.com/content/eiffel-tower-musical-tool-composer-bertolozzi/1682640.html http://www.voanews.com/content/eiffel-tower-musical-tool-composer-bertolozzi/1682640.html Sat, 15 Jun 2013 17:44:35 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) Since 1938, a red-caped superhero impervious to most earthly pitfalls has captivated the imagination of comic book, television, and movie fans around the world.  Superman has become a cultural icon of the United States, and the merchandising and promotion of the character is a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide. The release of the newest Superman movie, Man of Steel, is helping one small Illinois town cash in on its connection to one of the most beloved comic book heroes of all ... http://www.voanews.com/content/small-illinois-town-gets-boost-from-new-superman-movie/1682321.html http://www.voanews.com/content/small-illinois-town-gets-boost-from-new-superman-movie/1682321.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 22:36:23 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Kane Farabaugh) http://www.voanews.com/content/small-illinois-town-gets-boost-from-new-superman-movie/1682321.html#relatedInfoContainer The song millions sing at birthday parties around the world is the subject of a new lawsuit in New York. A filmmaker wants a federal court to declare that  "Happy Birthday to You" is in the public domain and therefore not subject to the U.S. copyright law. Owners of the copyright are being sued by filmmaker Jennifer Nelson, wants to use the song in a new documentary with the working title of "Happy Birthday."  She says she was asked to pay $1,500 dollars to a ... http://www.voanews.com/content/lawsuit-questions-ownership-of-world-most-performed-song/1681926.html http://www.voanews.com/content/lawsuit-questions-ownership-of-world-most-performed-song/1681926.html Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:01:59 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) Inner-city schools in the United States are in crisis, plagued by high drop-out rates, crime-infested neighborhoods and underfunded programs. Kid Pan Alley, a small, creative non-profit that conducts songwriting workshops for students nationwide, recently visited a school in Washington's tough Anacostia neighborhood. Songwriter and recording artist Paul Reisler founded the organization in 1999, working with more than 35,000 students and producing over 2,200 songs since then. An ... http://www.voanews.com/content/music-inspires-embattled-dc-students/1681329.html http://www.voanews.com/content/music-inspires-embattled-dc-students/1681329.html Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:45:51 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Mark Snowiss) http://www.voanews.com/content/music-inspires-embattled-dc-students/1681329.html#relatedInfoContainer A rare 75-year-old comic book featuring the debut of Superman found in a Minnesota home's wall fetched $175,000 at auction, comic book seller Comicconnect.com said on Wednesday. The identity of the buyer in the online auction, which ended Tuesday, was not disclosed. The comic book, Action Comics No. 1 from June 1938, was the first appearance of the all-American superhero by writer Jerry Siegel and illustrator Joe Shuster. It had been estimated to sell for about $100,000, ... http://www.voanews.com/content/rare-superman-comic-book-found-in-us-wall-fetches-one-hundrend-seventy-five-thousand-dollars/1680644.html http://www.voanews.com/content/rare-superman-comic-book-found-in-us-wall-fetches-one-hundrend-seventy-five-thousand-dollars/1680644.html Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:51:28 -0400 Arts & Entertainment All but diehard fans of international soccer could be forgiven for not knowing, much less caring, about the Confederations Cup, a two-week tournament that kicks off in Brazil on Saturday.   For 200 million Brazilians, though, the competition is the first in a series of big events that will say a lot about their country, their first-world ambitions and the government's ability, amid fading confidence in Latin America's biggest economy, to deliver on the promise of a Brazil ... http://www.voanews.com/content/showtime-in-brazil-but-woes-sap-hopes-behind-sport-extravaganzas/1680620.html http://www.voanews.com/content/showtime-in-brazil-but-woes-sap-hopes-behind-sport-extravaganzas/1680620.html Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:28:08 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) We’re looking at the five most popular songs on the Billboard Magazine Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending June 15, 2013. Different week, same songs: yes, our Top 5 shuffles around a bit, but the titles don’t change. In fifth place, Florida Georgia Line and Nelly mark time with “Cruise” a triple-platinum remake featuring Nelly. That means the song has sold three million copies in the United States. Florida Georgia Line comes by its name honestly: Brian Kelley is from Ormond ... http://www.voanews.com/content/top-5-countdown-for-week-ending-june-15/1680477.html http://www.voanews.com/content/top-5-countdown-for-week-ending-june-15/1680477.html Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:16:31 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Ray McDonald) A 26 year old from Ukraine has won one of music's most prestigious competitions. Vadym Kholodenko took home top honors after a series of masterful performances at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. World class Every four years, since 1962, pianists have come from all over the world to compete in the competition.  Kholodenko was one of 30 competitors, age 19 to 30, who gathered in Fort Worth, Texas this month to perform before a panel of jurors who are experts in ... http://www.voanews.com/content/world-class-pianists-vie-for-van-cliburn-prize/1679134.html http://www.voanews.com/content/world-class-pianists-vie-for-van-cliburn-prize/1679134.html Mon, 10 Jun 2013 17:47:10 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Gail Wein) http://www.voanews.com/content/world-class-pianists-vie-for-van-cliburn-prize/1679134.html#relatedInfoContainer Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris Jackson was taken to a hospital in the early morning hours of June 5 after attempting suicide.  According to reports, Paris ingested 20 ibuprofen pills and cut her wrists.  Her biological mother, Debbie Rowe, told Entertainment Tonight that Paris has had “a lot going on.”  The same morning she was rushed to the hospital, Paris Tweeted the Beatles’ song lyrics, “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away, now it looks as though they’re here to ... http://www.voanews.com/content/paris-jackson-hospitalized-bieber-signs-up-for-space-ride/1678731.html http://www.voanews.com/content/paris-jackson-hospitalized-bieber-signs-up-for-space-ride/1678731.html Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:35:27 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Mary Morningstar) The Broadway musical Kinky Boots has won six Tony awards, including the top award of best musical in American theater. 1980s pop star Cyndi Lauper won best score for Kinky Boots, her first Broadway musical. The adaptation of a British film about a struggling shoe factory that reinvents itself by making boots for drag queens received 13 nominations for Sunday's awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, starring Sigourney Weaver and David Hyde ... http://www.voanews.com/content/kinky-boots-steals-the-show-at-tonys/1678493.html http://www.voanews.com/content/kinky-boots-steals-the-show-at-tonys/1678493.html Mon, 10 Jun 2013 01:27:41 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) Canadian pop star Justin Bieber is the latest celebrity to reach for the stars, signing up to go into space with Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic.   British entrepreneur Branson announced on Twitter on Wednesday that Bieber, 19, and his manager, Scooter Braun, were the latest “future astronauts.” Bieber tweeted in response, “let's shoot a music video in SPACE!!”   Virgin Galactic commercial space flights, which are slated to begin next year, have reportedly already drawn ... http://www.voanews.com/content/justin-bieber-space-voyage-virgin-galactic/1677735.html http://www.voanews.com/content/justin-bieber-space-voyage-virgin-galactic/1677735.html Fri, 07 Jun 2013 19:58:32 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) It’s spring in New York and that means it’s time for the Tony Awards, which recognize the best musicals, plays and actors on Broadway.   Sex is in the Heel is one of the show-stopping tunes that garnered Kinky Boots a Tony nomination for Best Musical. David Cote, theater critic for "Time Out New York," says its 13 nominations are well-deserved.   “Kinky Boots is a bright, funny, silly but sentimental show about drag queens in a shoe factory in England,” he said. “It’s ... http://www.voanews.com/content/best-of-broadway-honored-this-weekend/1677476.html http://www.voanews.com/content/best-of-broadway-honored-this-weekend/1677476.html Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:07:53 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Adam Phillips) http://www.voanews.com/content/best-of-broadway-honored-this-weekend/1677476.html#relatedInfoContainer Esther Williams, whose experiences as a young swimming champion led to a career of Hollywood “aqua-musicals” designed just for her, died on Thursday in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 91, her spokesman said.   Williams, one of the biggest box-office stars of the 1940s and 1950s, died peacefully in her sleep and had been in declining health due to old age, spokesman Harlan Boll said.   Williams became known as “Hollywood's Mermaid” and “The Queen of the Surf.” At her ... http://www.voanews.com/content/hollywood-star-and-swimmer-esther-williams-dies-at-ninety-one/1676663.html http://www.voanews.com/content/hollywood-star-and-swimmer-esther-williams-dies-at-ninety-one/1676663.html Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:31:59 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) We’re sampling the five most popular tracks on the Billboard Magazine Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending June 8, 2013. It all starts in fifth place, where Florida Georgia Line - a Country act - joins forces with multi-platinum rapper Nelly on "Cruise". This isn’t the first time the St. Louis, Missouri rapper has gone the Country route. Back in 2004, Nelly and Tim McGraw teamed up for “Over And Over.” It hit third place on the Hot 100 chart, while selling more than one ... http://www.voanews.com/content/top-5-pop-hits-for-week-ending-june-8/1675533.html http://www.voanews.com/content/top-5-pop-hits-for-week-ending-june-8/1675533.html Wed, 05 Jun 2013 07:38:23 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Ray McDonald) http://www.voanews.com/content/top-5-pop-hits-for-week-ending-june-8/1675533.html#relatedInfoContainer The American Civil War, with brutal fighting from 1861 to 1865, is known as the most deadly time in American history. It’s also known for its music, most famously the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” sung by people in the North, and “Dixie,” the best-known song of the South.  But, those aren’t the songs you’ll find on a recent Civil War collection called “God Didn’t Choose Sides.”  Sam Passamano, II, head of the Rural Rhythm Records label, is a Civil War buff. When he got to work ... http://www.voanews.com/content/god-didnt-choose-sides-civil-war-songs/1674532.html http://www.voanews.com/content/god-didnt-choose-sides-civil-war-songs/1674532.html Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:47:23 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Katherine Cole) Electronic/dance duo Daft Punk leads this week’s Billboard 200 chart debuts, coming in at Number One with its fourth album, Random Access Memories. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the set sold 339,000 copies its first week of release, the best ever for the band.  Only Justin Timberlake had higher first-week sales in 2013 by moving 968,000 copies of The 20/20 Experience.  This week’s other Top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 chart include Darius Rucker’s True Believers at Number 2, The ... http://www.voanews.com/content/daft-punk-tops-billboard-200-mariah-minaj-jackson-say-goodbye-idol/1674228.html http://www.voanews.com/content/daft-punk-tops-billboard-200-mariah-minaj-jackson-say-goodbye-idol/1674228.html Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:03:50 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Mary Morningstar) Theater is designed to engage the heart and the mind, but it's mostly a passive experience. Now, three off-Broadway shows in New York have created interactive environments that engage the audience physically as well.  Several years ago, when rock star David Byrne considered doing a musical on the life of Imelda Marcos, the wife of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, he made an interesting discovery. "When I heard some years ago that Imelda Marcos really loved going to discos ... http://www.voanews.com/content/off-broadway-plays-draw-audience-into-action/1674050.html http://www.voanews.com/content/off-broadway-plays-draw-audience-into-action/1674050.html Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:57:59 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Jeff Lunden) http://www.voanews.com/content/off-broadway-plays-draw-audience-into-action/1674050.html#relatedInfoContainer More than a dozen people with physical and intellectual disabilities go to a daycare facility outside Washington twice a week and turn into filmmakers. At The Creative Edge Filmmaking workshop, they learn to use iPads to shoot and edit video. “It’s just another program enhancement that we’re trying to apply to all of our day programs moving forward," explained Melissa Ezelle, a project director of The Arc. The nonprofit advocacy group, which provides services to the disabled, began ... http://www.voanews.com/content/disabled-find-expression-in-filmmaking/1673956.html http://www.voanews.com/content/disabled-find-expression-in-filmmaking/1673956.html Mon, 03 Jun 2013 08:48:22 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Faiza Elmasry) http://www.voanews.com/content/disabled-find-expression-in-filmmaking/1673956.html#relatedInfoContainer M. Night Shyamalan's new sci-fi summer flick, After Earth, is about life after humans destroy their planet. Set more than a thousand years into the future, what little is left of humanity lives on a different planet. During a space mission, a father and son crash land on Earth, a luscious, jungle-like planet healed from humans' abuse, but hostile to its former children.   The father, a starship fleet general played by Will Smith, tries to calm his son down after their spaceship ... http://www.voanews.com/content/after-earth-imagines-a-hostile-future-planet/1672893.html http://www.voanews.com/content/after-earth-imagines-a-hostile-future-planet/1672893.html Fri, 31 May 2013 13:22:59 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Penelope Poulou) http://www.voanews.com/content/after-earth-imagines-a-hostile-future-planet/1672893.html#relatedInfoContainer Emily Bear has performed at Carnegie Hall, the White House, world-class festivals, with symphony orchestras, and on an album produced by Quincy Jones - all before the age of 11.  While most kids her age are hanging out at the mall, playing video games, or carpooling with friends for a weekend of movies and soccer games, Emily is preparing for her next television or concert appearance, composing songs, launching a tour or sharing the studio with seasoned musicians.   Among them - ... http://www.voanews.com/content/musical-prodigy-emily-bear-wows-audiences-worldwide/1672177.html http://www.voanews.com/content/musical-prodigy-emily-bear-wows-audiences-worldwide/1672177.html Fri, 31 May 2013 10:45:19 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Doug Levine) http://www.voanews.com/content/musical-prodigy-emily-bear-wows-audiences-worldwide/1672177.html#relatedInfoContainer U.S. rock band Bon Jovi has waived its fee for a concert in recession-hit Spain next month so that cash-strapped fans can afford tickets, the band's publicist said on Thursday.   Tickets for the June 27 concert are priced at 18-39 euros ($23-$50) each to cover costs, the publicist said. The concert has sold out already. Tickets for the Stuttgart leg of "Because We Can: The Tour" cost 77 euros in comparison.   The lead singer of band, 51-year-old Jon Bon Jovi, told El ... http://www.voanews.com/content/bon-jovi-reduces-price-of-tickets-for-cash-strapped-fans-in-spain/1671513.html http://www.voanews.com/content/bon-jovi-reduces-price-of-tickets-for-cash-strapped-fans-in-spain/1671513.html Thu, 30 May 2013 12:36:51 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) We’re checking out the most popular songs on the Billboard Magazine Hot 100 pop singles chart for the week ending June 1, 2013. We start in fifth place, where Rihanna and Mikky Ekko hold for a second straight week with “Stay.” Even when she’s away from home, Rihanna can’t avoid online feuds.  While touring Europe through July, online domestic strife still seems to find her. On May 26, actress Amanda Bynes posted disparaging messages about Rihanna on Twitter - then immediately claimed ... http://www.voanews.com/content/billboards-top-pop-hits-for-week-ending-june-1/1671234.html http://www.voanews.com/content/billboards-top-pop-hits-for-week-ending-june-1/1671234.html Thu, 30 May 2013 06:51:56 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Ray McDonald) Blocks of ice from the Bahamas, cardboard bed clothes from Iraq and a thumping Vatican heartbeat will help the 2013 Venice Biennale attempt to capture the “unruly” world of art.   The rich diversity of unexpected sights and sounds at the world's largest non-commercial art exhibition are partly a result of sheer numbers, with shows from 88 countries installed across the canal city in time for this week's opening.   More than 150 artists are taking part in the Biennale, which ... http://www.voanews.com/content/venice-biennale-unruly-world-of-art/1670784.html http://www.voanews.com/content/venice-biennale-unruly-world-of-art/1670784.html Wed, 29 May 2013 15:59:05 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) http://www.voanews.com/content/venice-biennale-unruly-world-of-art/1670784.html#relatedInfoContainer A Russian daredevil says he has made the world’s highest base jump - off the north face of Mount Everest. Valery Rozov, 48, jumped from 7,220 meters above sea level in a special wing suit. He glided for about a minute, reaching speed of 201 kilometers per hour before landing on a glacier at 5,950 meters. The feat, which was timed with the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of Everest, was sponsored by energy drink maker Red Bull and took place on May 5. The company released the video May ... http://www.voanews.com/content/russian-daredevil-claims-record-base-jump/1670935.html http://www.voanews.com/content/russian-daredevil-claims-record-base-jump/1670935.html Wed, 29 May 2013 15:49:29 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) http://www.voanews.com/content/russian-daredevil-claims-record-base-jump/1670935.html#relatedInfoContainer The 2013 Venice Biennale attempts to capture the "unruly'' world of art with a rich diversity of unexpected sights and sounds. The world's largest non-commercial art exhibition features shows from 88 countries installed across the city. More than 150 artists are taking part in the Biennale, which has been running since 1895 and continues to attract artists, art-lovers and collectors from across the world. http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1670857.html http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1670857.html Wed, 29 May 2013 14:36:00 -0400 Arts & Entertainment Sound of Change Live Concert Features Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez On June 1, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Ellie Goulding, John Legend, Florence + the Machine and others will take part in the global concert “Sound of Change Live” at London’s Twickenham Stadium.  All proceeds will go to women’s empowerment projects in more than 70 countries.  The four-hour concert is scheduled to air worldwide on June 2.  Viewers can offer their support by donating online and through a mobile ... http://www.voanews.com/content/global-charity-concert-features-beyonce-lopez-rowland-rubio-join-x-factor/1670464.html http://www.voanews.com/content/global-charity-concert-features-beyonce-lopez-rowland-rubio-join-x-factor/1670464.html Wed, 29 May 2013 07:13:52 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Mary Morningstar) Singers Beyonce and Madonna, activist Gloria Steinem and Bishop Desmond Tutu will be among big names reaching out to a billion people from a pop concert in London on Saturday with a message of empowerment for women across the planet.   The “Sound of Change Live” gig headlined by Beyonce, Florence + the Machine and Jennifer Lopez will be broadcast live from Twickenham sports stadium to 150 countries, and on primetime TV in the United States the following day, organizers said on ... http://www.voanews.com/content/beyonce-madonna-desmond-tutu-women-empowerment-charity/1670208.html http://www.voanews.com/content/beyonce-madonna-desmond-tutu-women-empowerment-charity/1670208.html Tue, 28 May 2013 17:17:03 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1669802.html http://www.voanews.com/media/photogallery/1669802.html Tue, 28 May 2013 11:17:00 -0400 USA Angelina Jolie's aunt died of breast cancer Sunday, May 27, nearly two weeks after the Hollywood movie star wrote about electing to have a double mastectomy when she learned that she had inherited a high risk of breast cancer. Debbie Martin, the younger sister of Jolie's mother, died at age 61 at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, near San Diego. Her husband, Ron Martin, praised Jolie's decision to get a double mastectomy, saying it made his late wife very happy. "It ... http://www.voanews.com/content/angelina-jolies-aunt-dies-of-breast-cancer/1669011.html http://www.voanews.com/content/angelina-jolies-aunt-dies-of-breast-cancer/1669011.html Mon, 27 May 2013 09:29:12 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) A French lesbian love story and a veteran Hollywood star are among the top winners at the 66th annual Cannes Film Festival - the world's most prestigious celebration of cinema. Blue Is the Warmest Color, a story of a teenage girl's love affair with an older woman, won the Golden Palm (Palme d'Or) award for best film. Its Tunisian-born director, Abdellatif Kechiche, said he is dedicating his prize, in part, to young Tunisians whose successful revolution gives them the chance to ... http://www.voanews.com/content/french-lesbian-love-story-wins-top-prize-at-cannes/1668788.html http://www.voanews.com/content/french-lesbian-love-story-wins-top-prize-at-cannes/1668788.html Sun, 26 May 2013 17:22:50 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) A man pretending to be South Korean rapper Psy talked his way into glitzy parties at the Cannes film festival and posed with fans until he was spotted drinking champagne by the real Psy's manager. Psy, in Singapore on Thursday night to perform at the inaugural Social Star awards, said that Scooter Braun spotted the imposter, took a photo and sent it to him. Here the picture of #fakePSYinCannes spotted by @scooterbraun!! lol#realPSYinSingapore twitter.com/psy_oppa/statu… — PSY ... http://www.voanews.com/content/fake-psy-party-crashes-in-cannes/1668437.html http://www.voanews.com/content/fake-psy-party-crashes-in-cannes/1668437.html Sat, 25 May 2013 20:19:24 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) A documentary using small clay figurines to tell the story of how Cambodian filmmaker Rithy Panh's family perished under the Khmer Rouge regime won the top prize in the second most important competition at the Cannes film festival on Saturday.   L'Image Manquante (The Missing Picture) was among the 18 films that premiered in the Un Certain Regard category that was set up to encourage emerging and innovative filmmakers and run alongside the main competition at the world's top ... http://www.voanews.com/content/cambodian-documentary-wins-cannes-prize-for-innovative-cinema/1668433.html http://www.voanews.com/content/cambodian-documentary-wins-cannes-prize-for-innovative-cinema/1668433.html Sat, 25 May 2013 19:41:01 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) America's immigration debate finds echoes in a period drama that premiered at the Cannes film festival on Friday about a Polish woman who arrives at Ellis Island and fights to survive in 1920s New York. “The Immigrant” features French Oscar winner Marion Cotillard as the immigrant Ewa, speaking English and Polish in the film, with Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner as the two men with whom she becomes entangled as she is forced into prostitution. The film competes with another period ... http://www.voanews.com/content/immigrant-drama-shoots-for-top-cannes-prize/1667806.html http://www.voanews.com/content/immigrant-drama-shoots-for-top-cannes-prize/1667806.html Fri, 24 May 2013 13:25:32 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) http://www.voanews.com/content/immigrant-drama-shoots-for-top-cannes-prize/1667806.html#relatedInfoContainer What looks like a little red birdhouse with a pitched roof sits on a post outside Centreville Elementary School in Virginia, attracting a lot of attention. But there are no birds inside. The wooden box contains about two dozen children’s books. Any child in the community who wants to read is welcome to pick one. Promoting love of reading This little free library was built as a service project by a group of young Girl Scouts at the school. “It was kind of a challenge,” said Kyra Gosney, ... http://www.voanews.com/content/little-free-libraries-promote-love-of-books/1667629.html http://www.voanews.com/content/little-free-libraries-promote-love-of-books/1667629.html Fri, 24 May 2013 10:34:13 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Faiza Elmasry) http://www.voanews.com/content/little-free-libraries-promote-love-of-books/1667629.html#relatedInfoContainer Life is often stranger than fiction as filmmaker Rick Beyer found out when he learned that an American Ghost Army helped defeat the Germans during World War II. The story was classified for decades, and after it was declassified it took Beyer eight years to piece the story together with hard-to-find footage, interviews with selected veterans, and artwork created by soldiers at the front.  Beyer created the first documentary account of this specialized unit that was charged with helping ... http://www.voanews.com/content/fank-tanks-ghost-army-defeated-germans-in-world-war-ll/1667445.html http://www.voanews.com/content/fank-tanks-ghost-army-defeated-germans-in-world-war-ll/1667445.html Fri, 24 May 2013 06:26:39 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Penelope Poulou) http://www.voanews.com/content/fank-tanks-ghost-army-defeated-germans-in-world-war-ll/1667445.html#relatedInfoContainer Academics, professionals and Star Trek fans are once again discussing the iconic franchise's influence on society, science, and technology, as the dazzling new sci-fi adventure Star Trek Into Darkness plays in theaters.  The starship Enterprise is well-known to viewers of the iconic Star Trek TV series and visitors to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, where the original model is on display in the gift shop. The fictional craft - whose long-running ... http://www.voanews.com/content/star-trek-movie-influence-live-long-and-prosper/1666982.html http://www.voanews.com/content/star-trek-movie-influence-live-long-and-prosper/1666982.html Thu, 23 May 2013 12:26:02 -0400 Science & Technology webdesk@voanews.com (Suzanne Presto) French singer and songwriter Georges Moustaki, beloved in France for his songs celebrating liberty and collaborations with Edith Piaf, died on Thursday after a long illness. He was 79.   The singer was born in Alexandria, Egypt of Greek parents, and arrived in Paris in 1951, where he began to play guitar at nightclubs and met some of the period's best-known singers.   He was introduced to Edith Piaf in the late 1950s and started to write songs for the Parisian star, the most ... http://www.voanews.com/content/edith-pilaf-songwriter-singer-georges-moustaki-dies/1666989.html http://www.voanews.com/content/edith-pilaf-songwriter-singer-georges-moustaki-dies/1666989.html Thu, 23 May 2013 12:24:46 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) In many ways, Singapore is the ultimate modern society - uber efficient, affluent and safe - but at what expense? The recent legal trials of a young graffiti artist and a cartoonist being investigated for alleged sedition has some Singaporeans saying it’s time for politically uncomfortable art and speech to be allowed.  Samantha Lo is the street artist responsible for a series of satirical stickers that cropped up all over Singapore last year. She also painted a message that some say was ... http://www.voanews.com/content/Singaporean-traversing-political-boundaries-through-satire-and-art/1666746.html http://www.voanews.com/content/Singaporean-traversing-political-boundaries-through-satire-and-art/1666746.html Thu, 23 May 2013 08:48:51 -0400 Asia webdesk@voanews.com (Kate Lamb) Massive corporations like Coca-Cola have a primary goal: Sell their products to make money. Sometimes, if they’re lucky, that goal aligns with another endeavor: Make peace. A new three-minute advertisement released by the beverage company this week aims to do both. Coca-Cola filmed the advertisement in two locations: Pakistan and India, South Asia’s nuclear-armed neighbors mired in political mistrust that has spurred three historic wars. The company set up Coke vending machines outfitted with ... http://www.voanews.com/content/coke-ad-hawks-pop-and-peace-to-india-pakistan/1665675.html http://www.voanews.com/content/coke-ad-hawks-pop-and-peace-to-india-pakistan/1665675.html Tue, 21 May 2013 16:54:55 -0400 Asia webdesk@voanews.com (Kate Woodsome) Microsoft Corp gave the world the first look at its new game console on Tuesday, hoping the Xbox One will attract existing video game fans while also becoming a hub for living room entertainment.   The third-generation Microsoft console, coming eight years after the Xbox 360, was unveiled by games unit chief Don Mattrick at an event at the software company's campus near Seattle.   The Xbox One is an “ultimate all-in-one entertainment system,” Mattrick said.   The ... http://www.voanews.com/content/microsoft-unveils-new-xbox-one-game-console/1665564.html http://www.voanews.com/content/microsoft-unveils-new-xbox-one-game-console/1665564.html Tue, 21 May 2013 14:44:21 -0400 USA webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) The relationship between the flamboyant pianist Liberace and his young lover dazzled at the Cannes film festival on Tuesday and threw the spotlight on gay rights at the movie industry's largest annual gathering.   Director Steven Soderbergh said he struggled five years ago to secure funding for "Behind the Candelabra" because some financiers thought the film would only appeal to a gay audience and, at a cost of $25 million, would be a financial risk.   Eventually he ... http://www.voanews.com/content/liberace-film-casts-spotlight-on-gay-rights-at-cannes-festival/1665475.html http://www.voanews.com/content/liberace-film-casts-spotlight-on-gay-rights-at-cannes-festival/1665475.html Tue, 21 May 2013 13:07:17 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) Zach Sobiech, an 18-year-old whose battle with cancer became a global story, has died. The Minnesota native became famous when his song “Clouds,” which is about facing death, became a viral sensation on YouTube, topping 3 million views. The song was originally released in December of last year. The video was so popular that a group of celebrities were inspired to create a video tribute in which they lip-synch the lyrics. Sobiech was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, osteosarcoma, ... http://www.voanews.com/content/teen-who-made-viral-video-clouds-dies-of-cancer-zach-sobiech/1664874.html http://www.voanews.com/content/teen-who-made-viral-video-clouds-dies-of-cancer-zach-sobiech/1664874.html Mon, 20 May 2013 17:20:43 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News) http://www.voanews.com/content/teen-who-made-viral-video-clouds-dies-of-cancer-zach-sobiech/1664874.html#relatedInfoContainer A new app launched on Monday aims to bring William Shakespeare's sonnets to the masses with the help of short films starring stage actors performing them in front of New York landmarks.The Sonnet Project is a free app for the iPhone and iPad that showcases the bard's poetry through films of up to two minutes and performances by Tony-Award winning actors Joanna Gleason and Cady Huffman, among others.   “Shakespeare gets a bad rap. A lot of people say 'I don't like ... http://www.voanews.com/content/shakespeares-sonnets-come-to-life-in-new-app/1664596.html http://www.voanews.com/content/shakespeares-sonnets-come-to-life-in-new-app/1664596.html Mon, 20 May 2013 12:43:24 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) Indian movie actors and a new wave of directors are on a mission at the Cannes film festival - to show that their industry, which turns 100 this year, is more than just Bollywood. The largest Indian contingent to date is on the French Riviera at the world's leading cinema showcase to promote their country, which has the world's biggest film industry, making over 1,000 films a year compared to about 600 in Hollywood. Movies from Mumbai-based Bollywood and other regional India films ... http://www.voanews.com/content/india-cinema-cannes-bollywood-image/1664182.html http://www.voanews.com/content/india-cinema-cannes-bollywood-image/1664182.html Sun, 19 May 2013 20:45:04 -0400 Arts & Entertainment webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters) Danish singer Emmelie de Forest has been crowned the newest winner of the annual Eurovision song contest, with a "folky" pop song called Only Teardrops. De Forest was favored to win the song competition, watched by well over 100 million viewers, though competitors included Welsh pop star Bonnie Tyler and a number of other high-profile stars. De Forest succeeds last year's winner, Swedish singer Loreen. The contest is usually set in the home country of the previous year's ... http://www.voanews.com/content/denmarks-emmelie-de-forest-wins-eurovision-contest/1663852.html http://www.voanews.com/content/denmarks-emmelie-de-forest-wins-eurovision-contest/1663852.html Sun, 19 May 2013 04:41:15 -0400 Europe webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)