Entertainment

Metallica is set to perform for the first time in Saudi Arabia during a concert in Riyadh on December 14, marking the kickoff of the three-day Soundstorm Festival and bidding farewell to 2023. This concert will mark Metallica’s debut appearance in Saudi Arabia, making them the pioneering metal band to hold a public performance in the country. The festival lineup includes other renowned artists such as Pharrell Williams, Chris Brown, H.E.R., and Black Eyed Peas, ensuring a diverse and star-studded event. The previous year’s Soundstorm Festival drew an estimated attendance of 600,000 people, showcasing its substantial popularity. Metallica announced their participation in the festival through a Facebook post, expressing their enthusiasm for this unique opportunity to perform in a region they seldom visit. Their statement read, “We’re not finished with 2023 yet, as an incredible opportunity has arisen for us to perform at a major festival in a part of the world that we rarely venture into. We’re thrilled to announce that on Thursday, December 14th, we’ll be the first hard rock band ever to grace MDLBeast’s Soundstorm Festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.” Notably, appearances by heavy metal musicians in Saudi Arabia are infrequent. In 2022, the melodic death metal…

The Beijing International Film Festival has been organized since 2011 and is a major film event in China. It is an international film festival that promotes China’s culture and talents to the world. Today, the festival has grown into a major international event on Chinese soil and attracts the attention of film professionals, journalists and film lovers around the world. In addition, this year it will last five days, in the center of Beijing, including a variety of competition programs, film screenings and seminars for film students and professionals. Jury members of this year’s BIFF’s 13th Tiandan Award, led by famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou as the jury president, appeared at the opening ceremony. The organizer said 1,488 films from 93 countries and regions had applied for the competition this year. Among them, 15 films were selected to compete for the Tiandan Award. Ten awards, including Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Artistic Contribution, Best Actor and Best Actress, will be announced at the closing ceremony on April 29. Various activities such as international film screenings and forums will be held during the festival. Launched in 2011, BIFF aims to enhance exchanges between global industry experts. It has attracted increasing…