Cultural Digest: Don’t miss these events in Europe this week

From the Berlinale 2024 jury being announced to collective existential dread surfaced by an innocent question from a Muppet, it's been another eventful week for culture.

Groundhog Day is also today, and we're ensuring you won't be living out the movie version by bringing the very best new music, movies, exhibitions and more to fill the coming days.

Without further ado...

Exhibitions

Anne von Freyburg: ‘Papillotage’ Solo Exhibition, London, UK

Vibrant, intricate feasts for the eyes, Dutch artist Anne von Freyburg uses traditionally belittled feminine materials and techniques to create strikingly textural art works that commentate on female identity and aesthetic, among other things.

For her first UK solo exhibition at HOFA Gallery, 14 never-before-seen tapestries will be on show, including a reimagining of some Rococo masterpieces by the likes of Boucher and Le Brun, and a remake of Fragonard's ‘The Swing’. Catch it from 2 - 14 February.

'Dans la Seine', Paris, France

This Parisian exhibition paints a portrait of the Seine river based on a series of recovered objects from Prehistory to the current day. The objects were found in its bed or on its banks, presented alongside the vestiges of the Archaeological Crypt of the Île de la Cité, in the very heart of Paris.

Almost one hundred and fifty objects collected from the Seine are presented, each of which recounts an episode of Parisian history.

The exposition started on 31 January and is well worth checking out.

Events

Hexagon Cup, Madrid, Spain

For the uninitiated, Padel is a doubles racket sport much like tennis, but infused with elements of squash and played on a smaller court with glass walls and a lower net. It originated in Mexico but has become popular the world over, especially in Europe.

The Hexagon Cup, which takes place from 31 January to 4 February in Madrid Arena, is a newly founded pre-season Padel tournament that sees some of the world's best players - backed by global tennis stars like Andy Murray and Rafa Nadal - competing for a €1m prize.

Movies

'Zielona Granica (Green Border)'

Our Film of the Week is Zielona Granica (Green Border), "an emotionally devastating indictment of a continuing EU crisis - and one of Agnieszka Holland's best films," Euronews Culture's film critic David Mouriquand writes.

Winner of Venice Film Festival's Special Jury Prize last year, it is an immigration drama that takes place in the perilous no-man’s land between Belarus and Poland, with refugees from the Middle East and Africa desperately attempting to reach the European Union.

The film also thrust director Holland into a toxic political discourse, complete with death threats from right-wing extremists - something she discusses in our exclusive interview with her.

'The Zone of Interest'

As a reminder, Jonathan Glazer's Cannes-winning film The Zone of Interest is still showing in cinemas across Europe - David Mouriquand called it "a prodigiously executed Holocaust drama that will leave you rattled". Make sure to check out our interview with Glazer.

'American Fiction'

Nominated for best picture and best adapted screenplay at this year's Oscars, American Fiction is a smart satire on race and white societal obsessions with saleable stereotypes and Black pain. Struggling writer Thelonious "Monk" Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) becomes the very thing he hates after his cynically penned parody book that plays into exaggerated Black tropes turns into a (somewhat unexpected) hit.

Upcoming: 'I Am: Céline Dion'

Singer Céline Dion announced this week the release of an upcoming documentary that hopes to raise awareness about her rare neurological disorder known as Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS), which she was diagnosed with in 2022 and led to the cancellation of her world tour in May 2023.

In a statement, Dion said: “As the road to resuming my performing career continues, I have realized how much I have missed it, of being able to see my fans. During this absence, I decided I wanted to document this part of my life to help others who share this diagnosis.”

Directed by Oscar-nominee Irene Taylor, there is yet to be an official release date for the film (but something to keep an eye out for!)

TV shows

'Mr & Mrs Smith'

It was a time of 'Team Aniston' t-shirts and terrible tabloid headlines when Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt starred together in the 2005 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith, hot off the news that the two had fallen in love in real life. A silly spy drama about a husband and wife that join forces after realising they're both working for separate agencies as assassins, Brangelina were the movie's main selling point. In this TV show re-imagining, now streaming on Prime Video, the main characters Jane (Maya Erskine) and John Smith (Donald Glover) are no longer married, instead opting to pose as a couple after signing up to a lucrative - yet suspiciously secretive - spy organisation. Chaotic complications sure to ensue.

Music

Adele's Munich residency

"Hello, it's me. I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet - in Munich?"

Yes, Adele fans rejoice. The 35-year-old Grammy award winner has announced that she will be performing her first live shows in mainland Europe in eight years. The four concerts will take place at the Munich Messe on the 2, 3, 9 and 10 August, fresh off her Las Vegas residency.

“I couldn’t think of a more wonderful way to spend my summer,” the singer said on Instagram, signing off: “Guten tag, babes x”.

If you're keen to go, ticket registration is open until 5 February at Adele.com.