Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon Christina Lassen on Wednesday opened the 24th edition of the European Film Festival 24 at Cinema Metropolis Empire Sofil, in the presence of Minister of Culture Ghattas Khoury and of political and diplomatic figures, as well as culture, media and social personalities.

“It is the 24th time we host this festival here in Lebanon which we – in all modesty – think has become an essential part of the cultural calendar here,” Lassen said in a speech.

Harvey Weinstein's accusers were finally heard because the US producer's power was "on the wane," US-British actress Rachel Weisz told the Evening Standard in an interview published Thursday.

Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev has welcomed the failure of her country's controversial candidate for the Oscars to win a nomination, having called the film "Foxtrot" an insult to the military.

Elton John was set to make an announcement Wednesday about his next move, teasing fans by saying: "I've finally decided where my future lies."

Slayer, whose lugubrious, occult-infused music helped create the genre of thrash metal, on Tuesday announced that the group was retiring after a final tour.

Movies from Lebanon, Chile, Russia, Hungary and Sweden are competing in the Academy Awards race for best foreign-language film.

Five nominees announced Tuesday include Lebanese filmmaker Ziad Doueiri's forceful "The Insult"; Chilean director Sebastian Lelio's drama with a transgender heroine, "A Fantastic Woman"; and Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev's stark divorce story "Loveless."

Fantasy romance "The Shape of Water" topped the Oscars nominations list on Tuesday with 13 nods, as the Academy also gave a rare nomination to a woman in the directing category.

Guillermo del Toro's Cold War-set fairy tale scored nods for best picture, best director, best actress for its star Sally Hawkins, and supporting acting nominations for Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer.

Two months after legendary designer Azzedine Alaia's sudden death plunged the fashion world into mourning, an exhibition in homage to the "King of Cling" opens Monday in his studios in Paris.

Guillermo del Toro's fantasy romance "The Shape of Water" has taken home best movie at the Producers Guild Awards, putting it in pole position for Oscars glory in March.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday weighed in on controversy in Lebanon surrounding Steven Spielberg's newspaper drama "The Post," saying it was wrong to screen it in Lebanese theaters.

Censorship authorities had recommended the ban because the director is blacklisted by the Arab League over his support for Israel, but Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq reversed the decision, allowing it to open Thursday in theaters across the country.