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Culture Digest: The best things to do, hear, see or watch in Europe this week

'All's Fair' - 'The Running Man' - 'Lux' by Rosalía
'All's Fair' - 'The Running Man' - 'Lux' by Rosalía Copyright  Disney - Paramount Pictures - Columbia
Copyright Disney - Paramount Pictures - Columbia
By Amber Louise Bryce
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Stunning wildlife photography, dystopian game shows and scandalous divorce lawyers - here's what cultural highlights to look out for this week.

Welcome back for another round of recommendations, where we curate the most exciting new events, exhibitions and other releases to combat cultural overwhelm.

As winter approaches, there was never a better time to find a new TV show to binge - and this week sees two of the industry's biggest show runners return with very different offerings: sci-fi drama Pluribus and glossy melodrama All's Fair.

If looking to enrich your mind and perspective, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition in London is an astonishing display of Earth's natural wonders. Meanwhile, the works of 20th century greats Kandinsky, Warhol and Pollock are being explored through unique lenses in Paris and Madrid.

Finally, if dystopian game shows and Stephen King are your thing, race to the cinema for The Running Man - or catch-up on Yorgos Lanthimos' mad and magical alien movie Bugonia.

Until next time, here's what's happening.

Exhibitions

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Ghost Town Visitor
Ghost Town Visitor Wim van den Heeve/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

When: Until 12 July 2026

Where: Natural History Museum (London, UK)

Showcasing the diverse spectacles of planet Earth, the Wildlife Photographer of the Yearis one of the largest and most prestigious awards in nature photography. From more than 60,000 submissions, the judges have whittled down a shortlist of stunning images that are now on display at London's Natural History Museum. From caracals hunting flamingos, to bioluminescent fungi, and the haunting beauty of winner Wim van den Heeve's 'Ghost Town Visitor' - it's a striking collection that captures the violence, beauty and never-ending awe of the world.

Warhol, Pollock and Other American Spaces

When: Until 25 January 2026

Where: Thyssen-Bornemisza (Madrid, Spain)

Andy Warhol was obsessed with many things: the concepts of fame and celebrity, consumerism, advertising, cookie jars... But famously among these was a lifelong fascination with the artist Jackson Pollock. While both artist's had very different approaches, when viewed together a connection is revealed - one that peels back the layers of paint and pop-colour to examine how they each innovated spaces to propagate new perceptions. For fans of 20th century art, this is a must-see that encourages a different way of viewing now-iconic imagery. It also includes other influential works from the era, including those by Hedda Stern.

Bonus highlights: ‘Kandinsky: The Music of Colours’ is open at Philharmonie de Paris in France until 1 February 2026. Meanwhile, London's Saatchi Gallery celebrates it's 40th anniversary with new exhibition 'The Long Now'.

Paris Photo

A female bather having a nap on the hot marble of Cağaloğlu Hamam, 2020
A female bather having a nap on the hot marble of Cağaloğlu Hamam, 2020 Courtesy of Sabiha Çimen & LOOCK

When: 13-16 November 2025

Where: Grand Palais (Paris, France)

The French capital celebrates photography in all its forms with a vibrant cultural programme that makes this show unmissable for collectors, artists, book lovers and fans of thought provoking conversations. The 28th edition this year brings together 183 galleries and 41 publishers from 33 countries, with 59 who are participating for the first time.

Movies

The Running Man

Where: European cinemas

When: 11 November

Set in a dystopian future, contestants of a popular TV show called ‘The Running Man’ must avoid being hunted by trained assassins for 30 days to win a lump sum of life changing money. A precursor to The Hunger Games and Squid Game, Stephen King’s original 1982 book remains as prescient and influential as ever; a commentary on authoritarianism and the public’s desire for televised violence. Its events also take place in a fictionalised 2025, so what better time for a new movie adaptation?

Directed by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), campy aesthetics and whiplash rhythm charge the story of Ben Richards (Glen Powell), a charred bad-ass on a mission to beat the game and save his sick daughter. As they say on TikTok, “run don’t walk” to the cinema!

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (POFF)

Where: Tallinn, Estonia

When: 7 November - 23 November 2025

While the big three European film festivals are over for another year (Berlin, Cannes and Venice), Tallinn's POF is just about to begin. While it might be lesser-known, it's equally as important - founded in 1996 and one of the Baltic's most comprehensive showcases of bold, innovative cinema. This year's main Competition titles include The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat from Yukihiro Morigaki, The Good Daughter by Júlia de Paz Solvas, and Versalles by Andrés Clariond. Find out more here.

Bonus highlights: Die My Love, a feverish and feral portrait of post natal depression starring Jennifer Lawrence, hits select UK cinemas on 7 November, with a European roll-out to follow. James Vanderbilt's war thriller Nuremberg also hits cinemas 14 November.

TV series

All’s Fair

Where: Disney+

When: 4 November

Ryan Murphy, the show runner behind cult favourite American Horror Story, brings us a fresh new serving of bingeable melodrama: All’s Fair. Featuring an all-star cast that includes Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close, the show follows a team of high-powered female divorce attorneys running a newly established legal firm. There’s glamour, deception and plenty of scandal in what is the ideal glossy escape from the placid autumn nights.

Bonus highlight: Pluribus, a new show from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, streams from 7 November on Apple TV+.

Music

Rosalía: LUX

When: 7 November

Fusing traditional flamenco with contemporary hip-hop, Spanish singer Rosalía has been breaking conventions (and Grammy records) since her 2017 debut album 'Los Ángeles'. Her latest release follows the award-winning 'Motomami' (which also featured in our Best European Albums of the 21st Century list) but evolves from its bold urbanism into a more orchestral sound. Collaborators include Carminho, Estrella Morente, Silvia Pérez Cruz - and Björk on lead single 'Berghain'.

Bonus highlight: Indie folk band The Mountain Goats release their 23rd (!!) studio album, 'Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan' on 7 November.

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