Shady dealings behind the Eurovision victory – “extra” points for the Ukrainians?
Ukraine has won the Eurovision Song Contest, but whether the victory was fair is a growing question. As it turned out, Romania's points for Moldova were tabulated for the Ukrainian team, and several other countries have indicated that the same happened to them. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president added a political dimension to the song contest, saying he would do his utmost to secure that Mariupol hosts the festival next year.
Ukraine tipped to win Eurovision, but is it the song or the political background that matters?
The Eurovision Song Contest is well under way in Turin, Italy, this week. Following the semi finals on Tuesday and Thursday, the best song will be selected on Saturday. According to bookmakers' predictions, Ukraine's entry will produce a landslide victory, but analysts say that this may be for political reasons. Russia was excluded from the contest and, in recent years, a growing number of people have asked whether the festival was really about the songs, or has it become a stage to showcase current Western trends?
Police bust Arab clan for tax fraud
On Tuesday morning, German police s special agency against organised crime carried out coordinated raids in Berlin and Brandenburg on suspicion of tax fraud and money laundering. Officers raided several apartments belonging to members of an Arab clan who make money managing young German rappers, according to news reports.
V4NA roundup: this is how European countries support music industry
The pop music industry is among the sectors worst hit by the pandemic. Musicians and event organisers were among the first to lose their revenues following the cancellation of concerts and summer festivals. In its latest roundup, V4NA looks at how some European countries are trying to save the music industry from bankruptcy.
Hungarian government to help pop music industry
The Hungarian government will provide pop music artists and their background staff with financial support in excess of 5 billion forints (14.5 million euros), government spokeswoman Alexandra Szentkiralyi announced on Wednesday.
Andrzej Duda encourages reading and Polish literature
The National Reading campaign which was initiated by Polish President Andrzej Duda and his wife Agata Kornhauser-Duda was held in Poland for the eighth time. The presidential couple chose this year s short stories themselves, with the aim to introduce a new face of Polish literature.
Hungarian graphic studio wins international design award
Hungarian graphic shop Studio Nur has won the Red Dot, the world s most prestigious design award in the Brands & Communication category this year.
Photo contest to showcase Hungary s values
The Hungarian government has launched a nationwide photo contest called Magyarorszag 365 (Hungary 365), aimed at presenting the values of the country. The government also wishes to strengthen Hungarians love for their country and their sense of community.
Budapest fireworks attract over 700,000 spectators
August 20th, one of Hungary s most important national holidays, generated huge interest with its programmes nationwide. The closing event, the popular fireworks spectacle in Budapest, attract large crowds of people each year.
Tens of thousands attend Hungarian national holiday events in Budapest
Events to commemorate the Hungarian state s founder King St. Stephen began a day and a half ago in the Hungarian capital, Budapest. Concerts are a popular attraction during the extended weekend of one of Hungary s longest established celebrations, with most people looking forward to programmes on 20 August.
Banksy Does Bucharest
Bucharest’s Arc de Triomphe hosts a major exhibition of the work of the secretive artist Banksy. ‘The Art of Banksy will run in the Romanian capital until the end of October.
Polish ceramicist marks Bauhaus centenary
Poland celebrates many historical milestones this year, including the 100th anniversary of Polish independence, the 75th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising and the 30th anniversary of the country’s first truly free elections. However one Polish artist is looking to a movement from outside the country s borders for inspiration.
Museum commemorating Greater Poland Uprising one step closer to reality
On the 100th anniversary of the Greater Poland Uprising, officials in Poznan announced that a museum commemorating this pivotal point in the country’s history is one step closer to becoming reality.
Young Hungarian illustrator makes world Top 100
World-renowned German art book publisher Taschen has released a new book with a collection of its picks from the top 100 illustrators around the world. Young Hungarian illustrator Berta Vallo is also featured in this edition.
Hungary s Viktor Orban photographed with Paul Anka
Hungary s Prime Minister Viktor Orban posted a photo on his social media page where he s seen with the world-famous singer. The photo is entitled You Are My Destiny, which is Paul Anka s biggest hit.
Rembrandt s masterpiece is restored live
Remrandt s most famous painting, the Night Watch will be examined and restored on the 350th anniversary of the painter s death. The project started on Monday at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and the restoration work, taking place behind a glass wall, can be followed live on the spot and online as well, the institution promised.
Hungarians debut at Passau
The Hungarian Academy of Arts contemporary fine art exhibition, titled Verstrichene Zeit – Leaking time, will open in the Museum of Modern Art in Passau on 5 July. The programme is part of the 30 Years in Freedom memorial year in Hungary.
Painting stolen by Nazis to be handed back to Florence gallery
Germany will soon return an artwork to Florence after more than seven decades, according to reports. The still life of a vase of flowers was stolen by German troops from Florence s Uffizi Gallery in 1943, and has been in the possession of a Nazi soldier’s family ever since. The painting could be worth millions of euros.
Hungarian writer Tamas Ungvari dies
Szechenyi Prize laureate writer, critic and literary translator Tamas Ungvari, 89, died on Saturday, his family told Hungary’s state news agency MTI. Ungvari taught at leading universities such as Harvard, Yale, Columbia and Cambridge.
0-euro banknotes to be issued in the Czech Republic
The bills will feature famous Czech singer Karel Gott’s portrait. They will be issued on 14 July, on his 80th birthday.
Italian saviour of art pieces dies
Art historian Paolo Dal Poggetto has died in his hometown of Florence at the age of 83. Dal Poggetto played a key role in rescuing artworks during 1966 Florence flood. He also uncovered several lost wall drawings by Michelangelo in the Medic Chapel at the San Lorenzo Basilica in Florence. Dal Poggetto was an honorary citizen of Urbino.
Graffiti to raise awareness of violence against women in Bucharest
A graffiti in downtown Bucharest addresses the issue of violence against women. It shows a lady with a book, whose cover reads: “Home is where a woman is most likely to get killed.”
The revolver that killed Van Gogh goes on auction
The Lefaucheux revolver that killed Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh goes on auction on June 19 in Paris. The artist was injured by the gun on July 27, 1890, and died from his injuries two days later.
Hungarian films at the Shanghai International Film Festival
This year s International Film Festival in Shanghai will see four Hungarian movies beginning on Saturday, according to a statement by the Hungarian National Film Fund. The presence of Hungarian works in Asia’s most prestigious film event is a great boon to the country. Visitors can enjoy the 3rd instalment of Valami Amerika, BUEK, Genezis and Getto Balboa at the A-list event.
Iranian model hounded over photoshoot
After Iranian model Negzzia was persecuted by the religious police of the Islamic State over her risque photos, she fled Iran and applied for asylum in France.
Young talent in focus at V4 fest
Culture fans can enjoy Polish, Czech, Slovak and Hungarian theatre shows, street performances, concerts and social events.
Louis de Funes museum about open this summer
After 36 years of Louis de Funes’s death, a museum dedicated to the actor’s life achievement will open on 31 July in Southern France, in a town called Saint-Raphael. The exhibition will provide an insight into the private life of the “gendarme of gendarmes.”
Glastonbury cancels anti-Tory band
The UK s Glastonbury Festival is in the news after disinviting a band over a contentious lyric that refers to the British Conservative Party. Killdren pointed out that another band, Fat White Family, will appear at the festival, even though its singer has joked about the deaths of erstwhile Conservative premiers Margaret Thatcher and David Cameron.
Nicolas Cage in Cluj: “Imagination is an actor’s greatest gift”
Hollywood actor Nicolas cage has talked about his career, the behind-the-scenes secrets of his work, and his favourite filmmakers at the 18th edition of the Transylvania International Film Festival (TIFF). The Hollywood star delivered a quick master’s course for budding filmmakers at noon on Sunday. On Saturday night, he received the festival’s Transylvania Trophy for his contribution to the universal art of cinema.
Beethoven’s hair to go up for auction
A lock of hair purportedly from the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in London on 11 June. The auction house has a guide price of 15,000 pounds for the musical relic.
7.5 euro coin enters circulation in Portugal
A 7.5-euro coin, designed by architect Alvaro Siza, has entered circulation in Portugal. Siza designed the coin in honour of his colleague Eduardo Souto de Moura. The coin is the latest addition to the “Architecture of Portugal” series of the Banco de Portugal.
Portraits of Holocaust survivors vandalised
The Holocaust survivor portraits have been cut to pieces in an exhibition in Vienna. This is the third attack against the exhibition.
These are the best museums
The Leiden Boerhaave Museum, the Dutch national scientific and medical museum won the European Museum of the Year 2019 award in a competition of forty exhibition venues of 17 countries. The award was handed out in Sarajevo on Saturday evening.
More than one million festival tourists are expected to Lake Balaton
From May to November, the coast of Lake Balaton—Hungary’s largest lake—awaits visitors with new and prestigious festivals, cultural programmes, special gastronomic events featuring Hungarian and international performers.
Eurovision 2019
This year’s Eurovision Song Contest ended with a Dutch victory, with the Netherlands also having won the right to organise next year s show. The contest was home to plenty of oddities, as wearing BDSM gear appears to be a recurring theme.
Hungary funds theatre in Satu Mare, Romania
The foundation stone of a new studio theatre for the Northern Theatre Harag Gyorgy Company has been laid in Satu Mare, Romania. The Hungarian government will subsidise the one-million-euro construction project with nearly 400,000 euros.
Leading movie industry magazine praises Hungarian film scheme
The well-established and favourable Hungarian film support system continues to attract top foreign productions, according to The Hollywood Reporter. As the Cannes Film Festival kicked off, the prestigious weekly ran a long-form article that looked at film production in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
Tarantino could win again in Cannes
The 72nd Cannes Film Festival officially kicked off with the premiere of Jim Jarmusch’s zombie film The Dead Don’t Die, on Tuesday night. The jury s work will be particularly demanding this year, as several of the nominated directors are previous Palme d’Or winners. US director Quentin Tarantino, for example, could win his second Cannes award, 25 years after the first.
Hugging in animal costumes to be banned in Prague
The Prague City Council would issue a decree stating that individuals in animal costumes are not categorised as “street performers.” Recently, more and more people try to earn money this way in the Czech capital.
The world’s oldest lady is 130 years old
Paris is celebrating the 130th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower, which locals call the “vieille dame", or old lady, with three days of events.
French boy sells his art to feed homeless
For five years, a ten-year-old from northern France has sold his paintings, and fed homeless people with the proceeds.
Spotify joins the EP campaign
Spotify, one of the world’s largest music streaming platforms, has launched a campaign to get as many people as possible to vote in the European parliamentary elections at the end of May. To this end, the company has compiled a playlist of 28 tracks from the member states.
Lithuanian pavilion wins Golden Lion
The Lithuanian national pavilion’s project entitled Sun & Sea has won the Golden Lion award for the best national exhibit of the 58th Venice Biennale. The interational jury named the American Arthur Jafa as the best artist of the show.
Talk to living books
Visitors will get a chance to talk to “living books” during the Wiener Festwochen, the spring festival of the Austrian capital. The festival will be held between 10 May and 16 June and will host an array of theatrical, music, dance and film events.
Colosseum security boosted partly due to Hungarian tourist
The Colosseum’s security is tightened, after another tourist, this time a Hungarian, attempted to carve his initials into the wall of the ancient amphitheatre. The Roman local government also plans to compile a blacklist of inappropriately behaving tourists and will ask the embassies to try to keep their undesirable citizens out.
Polish film festival in Hungarian cinemas
The Polish Film Spring is being organised by the Budapest Polish Institute in Hungary between 9 and 15 May, this year for the 25th time. The guests of honour for this year’s programme are Grazyna Blecka-Kolska, Olgierd Lukaszewicz and Zygmunt Malanowicz.
Museum to retain Nazi-confiscated painting
The Spanish Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum can retain a Camille Pissarro painting seized by the Nazis from a Jewish woman in 1939, a California court ruled. The Madrid Museum had been conducting litigation due to the painting with the woman’s family for 14 years in the US. An international convention says works of art confiscated by the Nazis must be returned to their original owners or families. This time, however, the court ruled differently.
Prado Museum in Madrid receives award
The Prado Museum in Madrid has been granted the Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities, in its 200th anniversary year. Cultural programmes linked to the Prado s jubilee will be held in more than 30 cities throughout Spain.
Leonardo da Vinci’s hair to be DNA tested
A strand of hair said to have belonged to the Renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vinci will be exhibited in his home town on Thursday. Scientists plan to carry out DNA tests on the hair to reveal the truth.
Cannes festival jury names unveiled
The names of the jury members of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival is out. The list of films has been available for two weeks, and award winners will be disclosed on the last day of the festival, which will run from 14-25 May.