Don't miss out on these cultural events happening right now, from the highly anticipated return of David Attenborough's "Our Planet" series to the surprise of a new Banksy exhibition.
ADVERTISEMENTFeeling a little bored with your calendar? Don't fret! At Euronews Culture, we've got you covered with the coolest lineup of entertainment options happening this week in Europe.
Now that summer has arrived, it's the perfect moment to dive headfirst into some cultural experiences. As always, we've gathered an epic collection of the latest and greatest happenings across Europe to make sure your week is filled with excitement.
Television
This week is filled with excitement in the world of television.
To begin with, the highly acclaimed series "Our Planet" by David Attenborough is back with its second season, now exclusively streaming on Netflix. Viewers can expect to embark on a global journey, exploring a wide array of extraordinary animal species and uncovering their remarkable survival strategies. Attenborough masterfully delivers a poignant yet crucial message about humanity's impact on our planet and its magnificent creatures. With breathtaking visuals, an epic soundtrack, and the incomparable charm of Attenborough's soothing voiceover, this season is an absolute must-watch. The recent season became available for streaming on Netflix as of 14 June.
If animals aren't your cup of tea, perhaps you'd be interested in something more dystopian. Enter "Black Mirror," which just premiered its sixth season on 15 June. This dark and twisted anthology series, created by British writer/producer Charlie Brooker, boasts an impressive cast including Aaron Paul from "Breaking Bad," Rory Culkin, and Salma Hayek. However, it must be said that the show's ratings have gradually declined since season three and the early reviews for the first episode of the latest season haven't all been glowing 5-star appraisals. But it's still definitely worthy of a watch if you're a fan of the show. The first episode of season six follows Joan, a manager at a media company portrayed by Annie Murphy, who discovers that her life has been adapted into a new series starring none other than Salma Hayek herself.
Music
Festival season is in full swing, and Euronews Culture's own Jonny Walfisz had the pleasure of attending last week's Primavera festival in Madrid. The event showcased incredible performances by renowned artists such as Blur, Kendrick Lamar, and Rosalía. Meanwhile, the highly anticipated 30th edition of the Sónar festival has just begun in Barcelona. This year's lineup guarantees a multitude of exceptional acts, with Eric Prydz taking the stage to present his groundbreaking audiovisual 3D show, HOLO. Attendees can also look forward to sets by renowned artists including Aphex Twin, Fever Ray, and the incredibly talented Little Simz. And if you don't have tickets to Sónar, fear not, as the entire event is being live-streamed online for your enjoyment.
Shifting gears in the realm of music, the K-pop powerhouse BTS recently celebrated their monumental 10th anniversary. To honour this milestone, South Korea released commemorative stamps, which sold out within moments of their online release. Additionally, the group marked the occasion by releasing a fresh new single titled "Take Two." If K-pop isn't your thing, you might want to check out the three new singles released by the esteemed rock band Queen of the Stone Age from their highly anticipated album, "In Times New Roman…".
Art exhibitions
June in Europe is abundant with extraordinary exhibitions it can be hide to keep up.
This week Madrid offers a must-visit experience with the 'Picasso, El Greco and Analytical Cubism' exhibition at the Museo Nacional del Prado. Visitors are invited to delve into the intriguing connection between the Greek Master and Picasso, exploring how El Greco's influence shaped the renowned artist's iconic cubist style.
London is set to delight art enthusiasts with the upcoming Great Exhibition Road Festival, taking place from 17 to 18 June. This annual celebration of science and the arts is a free event that takes place every summer in South Kensington. Attendees can expect live music performances, science workshops, and plenty of fun for the whole family.
In other exciting news this week, the legendary street artist Banksy announced a surprise official exhibition at Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art. Titled 'CUT & RUN: 25 years card labour', the exhibition will showcase a collection of works spanning the enigmatic artist's entire career. Notably, this event signifies Banksy's first authorized exhibition in 14 years. The exhibition is scheduled to open on Sunday, 18 June, allowing both locals and visitors to view it until 28 August.
Meanwhile, just outside Paris, France, the revered Japanese artist Takashi Murakami unveils has unveiled his exhibition titled 'Understanding the New Cognitive Domain'. The exhibition, held at the Gagosian gallery in Le Bourget, showcases five of his iconic monumental paintings, as well as others in smaller formats and several sculptures.
Film
The new Indiana Jones film had its red carpet premiere in Los Angeles this week, setting the stage for its release on June 28. Our very own cinema aficionado, David Mouriquand, had the glamorous opportunity to rub shoulders with the stars and watch the film early at Cannes last month. However he was left with mixed feelings. While he tipped his hat to Harrison's performance and the film's impressive actions sequences, he ultimately found it to be an unsatisfying and poorly written farewell to the beloved action hero. In his review, he write's that Harrison's last dance as Indiana Jones was "truly ruined by a four-way screenplay (Mangold, David Koepp, Jez and John-Henry Butterworth) that clearly couldn’t figure out how to say goodbye properly."
This week has witnessed the release of several highly anticipated films, with DC's The Flash and Pixar's Elemental taking the lead. Pixar has previously triumphed with their movie that personified emotions in "Inside Out," and they're now aiming to replicate that success by giving personalities to elements as well. Set in a world where watery, earthy, and airy inhabitants coexist, the film centres around the journey of a fiery young woman and a watery gentleman who stumble upon a revelation of elemental proportions: their surprising shared traits and connections.
Ironically, despite its protagonist's superhuman speed, The Flash has faced endless hurdles on its journey to the big screen. The film has been plagued by relentless delays, reaching a point where its release seemed uncertain due to the turbulent behaviour of its lead actor, Ezra Miller. The saga began in 2020 when a leaked video emerged, capturing Miller strangling a woman and forcefully throwing her to the ground in Reykjavík. This incident marked the beginning of an alarming sequence of bewildering and troubling events surrounding the actor. The list includes drug abuse, reports of grooming, rooms filled with firearms, rumours of cult-like activities, and fights in Hawaiian Karaoke bars. Nevertheless the film is finally here and its so far been receiving some strong reviews, with particular praise directed towards Miller's performance.
Video games
Rev your engines, gamers and F1 fans! F1 23 is here, and it's been dubbed as "the most complete Formula 1 racing game to-date." The latest instalment (released on 16 June) hopes to revitalised the racing series and bounce back from the disappointing release of the previous year. The game's recent unveiling has garnered widespread acclaim, particularly for its refined and realistic vehicle physics.
And mark your calendars RPG aficionados, because the highly anticipated sixteenth instalment of the iconic Final Fantasy franchise is poised to sweep the globe next week on 22 June.
