大象传媒

Your daily journey into global arts, culture and entertainment, with Bidisha.

Ali Sethi
The headlines about Pakistan are all about missiles, death and Islamic extremist but a talented debut novel by Ali Sethi tells a very different tale. The Wishmaker tells the story of a fatherless boy growing up amongst strong women in urban middle class Lahore. Set against a backdrop of political strife this tale of love, family and small personal ambitions manages to strike an optimistic note on the future of Pakistan.

Jameel Prize
The winner of the Jameel international art prize, touted as the Islamic art world's equivalent to the Turner Prize, was announced this week at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Nine artists had been shortlisted for the award, whose work the panel judged to "contribute to a broader debate about islamic culture". Before attending the award ceremony and talking to the winner, Bidisha first met the exhibition curator, Tim Stanley who took her around the shortlisted works.

Bruno
Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen is back baiting Americans in his new film Bruno. This time in the guise of a gay Austrian fashion journalist, Baron Cohen repeats the trick he used in Borat and Ali G of travelling across the US interviewing people in character. This time the focus is on homophobes. There are some laughs but we ask reviewer Kim Newman whether the Baron Cohen comedy formula is now tired.

Jackson Poem
And Michael Jackson remembered in poetry. At the memorial service dedicated to the singer, musician Queen Latifah read a moving tribute penned by American writer and poet Maya Angelou.