Conclave emerged as a hauntingly timely film, blending cinematic brilliance with real-world relevance during a pivotal moment in Vatican history. Its journey from TIFF red carpet to Oscar glory proves the enduring power of storytelling to echo and influence global events.
It’s not every day that a film feels as if it were plucked from the headlines and projected back to us in a way that’s both eerily prophetic and profoundly human. Conclave, directed by Edward Berger and adapted from Robert Harris’s gripping novel, was one of those rare cinematic moments where fiction and reality intertwined—and I had the unforgettable privilege of witnessing it from behind my camera lens.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Film
Certain moments mark your career in unforgettable ways as a storyteller. Covering the red carpet at the world premiere of Without Blood, directed by Angelina Jolie, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2024 was one of those moments for me. This intimate yet star-studded event was a perfect blend of cinematic elegance and emotional storytelling, all set against the backdrop of Old Hollywood-inspired glamour.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Film
Francis Ford Coppola’s grand return to the spotlight with the Megalopolis premiere at TIFF 2024 brought a star-studded red carpet to life at Roy Thomson Hall. From capturing the legendary director’s gaze to a touching moment with Giancarlo Esposito, it was an unforgettable evening of glamour, emotion, and cinematic history.
Some nights leave an imprint deeper than the images you capture—and the North American premiere of Megalopolis at the Toronto International Film Festival was one of those rare, unforgettable experiences. On the evening of September 10, 2024, I had the privilege of photographing the star-studded red carpet outside Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall, and I’m truly grateful to TIFF for the opportunity to be part of such a landmark cinematic event.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Film
Perfectly time with Saudi Arabia's designation of 2024 as "The Year of the Camel" and the UN's declaration of 2024 as the International Year of Camelids, the film Hajjan, which had its world premiere this September at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, is a powerful tale about the ancient and enduring bond between humans and camels. Beautifully shot in the enchanting desert landscapes of Saudi Arabia's northwestern region by Egyptian-Austrian writer and director Abu Bakr Shawky, the film offers an unprecedented cinematic journey into the world of camel racing.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Film
Dark comedy thrillers aren't usually the first genre attributed, in most people's minds, to films coming out of Saudi Arabia. But Saudi filmmaker and director Ali Kalthami's Mandoob, which had its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, offers a surprisingly candid and eye-opening foray into Riyadh's rarely explored illicit underworld. The Kingdom's capital is portrayed as the ultra-modern global metropolis that is, along with its active nightlife and affluent home parties. Basically, it's not the Riyadh of your '90s imagination.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Film
As the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) approaches in less than two weeks, I look forward to attending this magical celebration of some of the best films on the global cinema stage.
One of the most captivating stories in cinema currently is the rapid growth of the film sector in Saudi Arabia. Celebrating five years since cinemas reopened, Saudi Arabia is out in front as the top Middle East market as its screens and customer base grow. It has already risen from a 15% share to accounting for more than 40% of the Middle East revenue.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Film
"What's the difference between a dream and reality?" That's the question viewers of Saudi film director Mohamed Al Salman's film Raven Song ask themselves. Recently premiering at the second annual Red Sea International Film Festival, Al Salman set the story in a bygone era of Riyadh two decades ago.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Film
As part of an intimate and, at times, emotional conversation during the second annual Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, American actress Sharon Stone candidly shared the story of her sudden and unexpected entry into the world of stardom.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Film
Siphesihle (Siphe) November is a dance prodigy from Zolani, in South Africa's Western Cape. Siphe grew up in the small township located about two hours from Cape Town. At the age of 19, in 2017, he joined The National Ballet of Canada as a member of the Corps de Ballet, after graduating from the National Ballet School, skipping the customary apprenticeship route. Two years later, he was promoted to Second Soloist.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Photography
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our lives — understatement of the century. Social distancing and prolonged confinement periods have affected our work lives, our relationships with our families, friends, neighbours and community members. In addition to adjusting our daily routines to accommodate working remotely and virtually connecting with coworkers, how we consume various forms of leisure, arts and entertainment — when we're not trying to get some work done — has also been transformed.
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- Written by: Meres J. Weche
- Category: Performing Arts
"You're from Canada like Bryan Adams," is what I was told more than once the first time I ventured out on an international trip on my own outside of Canada when I was still a teenager — venturing out on a student work abroad program in England, back in the early 1990s.
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