Tag: Director

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Tourism Malaysia senior director: Music concert events gateway to revive Malaysian tourism industry

Tourism Malaysia senior director: Music concert events gateway to revive Malaysian tourism industry
South Indian singer and music composer Anirudh Ravichander speaks during a press conference during the launch of his concert trailer at the JW Marriott Hotel, Putrajaya July 19, 2022. — Picture by Devan Manuel

South Indian singer and music composer Anirudh Ravichander speaks during a press conference during the launch of his concert trailer at the JW Marriott Hotel, Putrajaya July 19, 2022. — Picture by Devan Manuel

Sunday, 24 Jul 2022 5:17 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Music tourism has now become a massive phenomenon around the world and Malaysia is slowly resuming this tourism product to revive the industry as the country moves to the endemic phase.

Downtown of Kuala Lumpur is the hub for many international music concerts this year especially from India, which include famous South Indian singer and music composer Anirudh Ravichander; Tamil music’s prolific singer, songwriter and composer Yuvanshankar Raja; Indian playback singer Sid Sriram and the sensational singer Pradeep Rangaswamy Kumar.

Tourism Malaysia senior director (Strategic Planning Division) Syed Yahya Othman said entertainment especially concerts are among the elements to promote Malaysia’s tourism after two years hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic since 2020.

“Thus, Tourism Malaysia is supporting all concerts, local and foreign, being held here because the artistes will bring along their followers to Malaysia. So far we have four artistes from India.

“For example, for the upcoming ‘Anirudh’s Once Upon A Time’ music tour, on Sept 17 itself, we will receive three to four charter flights from India and Singapore. We have received concert applications from Indonesian and Korean artistes too,” he told Bernama recently.

Anirudh’s concert will be the first ‘glow in the dark’ concert ever done by an Indian artiste in Malaysia where all attendees will be given programmable LED wristbands designed to create a stunning light show during the event to further enhance the concert experience.

Anirudh said the concert to be held at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil has been themed such, taking inspiration from British rock band Coldplay’s previous performances.

“It is not very viable for Indian concerts but I want to give the Tamil music scene a try and my thanks to Tourism Malaysia and MC Entertainment for helping to make it happen now,” the 31-year-old music composer said.

Meanwhile, the organiser for ‘Naan Pradeep Kumar’ concert, Aakar Foundation’s Trustee Mathavan Muniandy, said around 6,000 tickets were sold for the two-day concert on July 23 and 24 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) Plenary Hall.

He said the response to the concert by the 36-year-old singer had been overwhelming which pushed the organiser to extend the concert for another day as initially it was planned to be a one-day show.

“This concert is to revive the local tourism and also to provide opportunities to people in the local entertainment sector to bounce back after pandemic. Thanks to Tourism Malaysia for supporting, “ he added.

Pradeep’s first step into singing was through the 2010 Tamil movie ‘Enthiran’ in which he sang the tunes of the soundtrack composed by A R Rahman. He also collaborated with music composer Santhosh Narayaan in the movies Attakathi and Pizza in 2013.

On the other hand, Yuvanshankar Raja, the younger son of musician Ilaiyaraaja was delighted with the response to the two-day concert held last weekend (July 16 and 17) at the Axiata Arena and thanked all Malaysian fans.

“I was overwhelmed. #Yuvan25 KL will forever be special.Thank you for the love. You guys are awesome! I love you all,” the composer tweeted in acknowledging the warm response he received from fans during the concert.

It was reported that tickets for veteran Indonesian rock band Dewa concert, which will be held on Sept 9 and 10 at Axiata Arena were also sold out within an hour of release, while Sid Sriram Live in KL 2022 ‘s tickets were sold out for the first day (Aug 20) and after the organiser pushed for a second show (Aug 21) that too was a sell-out.

Tamil veteran music director who has composed over 8,500 songs, Maestro Ilaiyaraaja; Academy Award winning singer AR Rahman and Bollywood superstar Salman Khan are also scheduled to perform in Malaysia this year. — Bernama

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Ms. Marvel Director Teases Dark Turn of Events In Upcoming Episode

Ms. Marvel MCU dark

Marvel Studios has delivered some darker stories and plot points as Phase 4 continues through new entries like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Moon Knight. Now, the adventure turns to a more light-hearted adventure in Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel, which just aired the first of its six episodes on Disney+.

Vellani’s solo series is already earning high praise from some of the MCU’s top names, continuing the trend after the excitement for Ms. Marvel‘s arrival first started following the show’s trailer debuting online. Filled with nods and references to Marvel Studios’ storied history, Episode 1 only scratched the surface of what Kamala Khan’s origin story will add to the franchise’s growing narrative.

Although Ms. Marvel is starting off mostly light-hearted with the 16-year-old starring character, her first MCU outing is sure to get serious and real in the not-too-distant future.

At a recent gathering that featured some of the top names making the series, they teased when things may start to take a darker turn for Kamala as she learns about her newfound abilities.

Ms. Marvel About To Take a Turn

Ms Marvel TV show
Marvel

During the global press conference for Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel, the show’s creative team looked ahead to the themes and teases coming in the next five episodes.

Director Adil El Arbi admitted that there will be a couple of darker episodes in the near future where the stakes rise to new levels. Even more so, however, Kamala Khan will dive further into her journey alongside her family and discover her identity at the same time, as shared by executive producer Sana Amanat and director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy:

Moderator: “What we’ve seen so far is very lighthearted and fun. What can you tell us about the deeper themes of the show and how they will unfold?”

El Arbi: “Well, their episodes are gonna be a little bit darker. The stakes are gonna get higher, so let’s discuss ladies.”

Amanat: “No spoilers, guys.”

Obaid-Chinoy: I think that in searching her identity, Kamala Khan is going to go on this journey to reconnect with her family to understand why it’s so important for her to tell her own story and to craft that story. And to feel that she could be that superhero she always wanted to be, except that it would be her being the superhero as opposed to emulating someone else. And on that journey of discovery, we as an audience are going to go on what I can safely say is gonna be the thrill of our lives.

Obaid-Chinoy also took a look at the Pakistani culture coming through in this series, saying that it’s “pretty freaking cool” to see it come to life under the Marvel Studios umbrella:

Moderator: “Sharmeen, I wanna go to you. How did you approach balancing the superhero aspect of this with the fact that it’s also just a story about a family and a teenage girl? How do you keep those two things relatable to the audiences?”

Obaid-Chinoy: “I think it was about letting the world into the secret that the South Asian culture is pretty freaking cool.”

Amanat: “Yeah.”

Obaid-Chinoy: “Our food, our music, the way the parents’ relationship with the kids are. I wanted to make it cool so that anybody watching it would be like, that was my argument with my mom when I wanted to go out and she’s like, ‘There are going to be boys there. Stay home.'”

Obaid-Chinoy also shared how great it was to be able to see a new level of representation for “the Muslim world” and “South Asian immigrant families” watching this adventure unfold. It’s something truly special for her to see her children have a role model in Kamala Khan to look up to within the MCU:

“And you know, sort of make it such that anyone watching beyond, you know, the Muslim world, South Asian immigrant families watching could see a reflection of themselves on screen. And the superhero bit was just that I always believe that everyone has a superhero in them; they just have to activate it. And telling this story is going to change so much for so many people, because I know I have two young girls that when they see Kamala Khan, they too will know that they can also be a superhero.”

When asked what particularly makes Ms. Marvel special, star Iman Vellani discussed how Kamala’s understanding of the fan culture is what sets her apart from other similar heroes, which is what hooked Vellani to her character:

Moderator: “There are many up and coming young superheroes. But what makes Ms. Marvel special? What is the, ‘It factor,’ that makes her stand out among the rest of the other young superheroes? And you know, I’ll say we’ve already heard the Tom Holland here. We’ve heard, you know, we know there are other young high schooler age people in the MCU. But what is it that makes Kamala stick out?”

Kevin Feige: “Iman.”

Vellani: “I think Ms. Marvel, you know, always understood fan culture on such a cellular level, and it just really elevated the storytelling in a really unique way. You know, she’s a 16-year-old kid with super powers, fine, we’ve seen that before. But she’s also a fan of every other hero within the MCU canon. And you know, that fascination and excitement is so shared with real-life Marvel fans, so that’s why we relate to her. You know? She reacts how we would when she gets powers. And so yeah, I love that part of her, and that’s why I fell in love with her.”

In Vellani’s eyes, Kamala’s culture and her Muslim upbringing were only a part of her personality that she experiences every day of her life. She saw a great balance between her Pakistani culture and her place as an “Avengers loving, fanfic writing dork,” which drives the show forward more than anything else:

Vellani: “And culture and religion were never the main thing of her personality, it was just some part of her life. You know, how it was for me. It’s like, this is the time I wake up. This is the time I go to school. This is the time I pray. This is the time I eat. Like, it’s just a set, a normal thing. And we didn’t wanna make the show about a Pakistani Muslim, it was about, you know, this Avengers loving, fanfic writing dork, which just so happens to be a Pakistani Muslim. And yeah, I think we were balanced it quite well. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Things About to Get Real for Ms. Marvel

Although only one episode is available to the public right now, Ms. Marvel has separated itself from the MCU’s Disney+ pack by bringing a sense of childlike wonder and joy into Phase 4 behind Kamala Khan. Her obsession with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and her knack for fan-fiction and other storytelling puts viewers in the shoes of a teenager living in this universe, and it’s largely been a fun time thus far.

Even so, as shown by the first episode’s post-credits scene, Kamala’s world is about to turn upside down in quite a short amount of time.

The Department of Damage Control learning about her existence is something that fans will pay close attention to, especially since it’s the same agent that gave Peter Parker such a hard time in Spider-Man: No Way Home. While it’s unknown when Kamala’s family will learn about her newfound powers, that’s sure to add another layer of drama and intensity to the youngster’s origin story as well.

No matter how all the details work out, this Avengers fangirl is about to learn quickly what it really means to be a powered person in a world full of other powered people.

Episode 1 of Ms. Marvel is now available to stream on Disney+. Episode 2 will debut on Disney+ on Wednesday, June 15.

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Indigenous director asked to leave Cannes event over shoes

Indigenous director asked to leave Cannes event over shoes

The Dene filmmaker from Canada was removed by security at a red carpet event at the multiday festival for wearing traditional moccasins.

Indigenous filmmaker Kelvin Redvers was denied entry to the red carpet at the 75th Cannes Film Festival because he was wearing traditional moccasins.

The director is a member of the Dene Indigenous community and grew up in the Northwest Territories of Canada.

“I 100 percent showed up expecting that this was within the realm of the things they [would] allow,” Redvers told Canadian media outlet Global News.

The Dene filmmaker said the moccasins were a “huge part of our culture”.

“They’re ceremonial, they can be quite special, so if you are going to have a kilt allowed for someone who is Scottish, the equivalent would be a pair of moccasins for someone who is Dene.”

The director travelled to France with a delegation of Indigenous filmmakers and was invited to the premiere of Les Amandiers by French-Italian actor Valeria Bruni Tedeschi on May 22.

Festival security officials, however, barred him from the red carpet, Redvers told several major Canadian news outlets. He was only allowed to return once he changed his shoes.

Within hours of the incident, the filmmaker said he met with top festival officials who apologised and invited him to wear moccasins on the red carpet during the presentation of David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future last Monday.

“This was a really tough experience to live through. When it happened I really honestly couldn’t fully process it,” he posted on Facebook, noting the pair of traditional shoes he was wearing were made by his sister.

“I do hope things change in the future so wearing these is quite normal. The world needs more moccasins.”

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Cities on the move: How is urban transportation changing?

Cities on the move: How is urban transportation changing?

Event summary produced by The Globe and Mail Events team. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.

How should urban mobility evolve in view of climate change, health and safety, and changing societal norms? At a time when sales of new and used vehicles are booming, businesses embrace remote working, and more retail shifts to e-commerce, what solutions will support the movement of people and goods in cities? The Globe Drive Mobility Summit examined these questions and more during a virtual event on March 3, zeroing in on strategies for leaders to leverage new opportunities to create safer, inclusive and sustainable transportation.

Matti Siemiatycki, associate professor with the department of geography and planning at University of Toronto and Petrina Gentile, contributing writer for Globe Drive with The Globe and Mail kicked off the afternoon discussing how city and regional mobility has changed during the pandemic. They also looked at what lies ahead as cities see a boom in private vehicle purchases.

Up next, Jordan Chittley, editor of Globe Drive with The Globe and Mail moderated a panel on clean vehicles featuring Brandy Giannetta, vice-president of policy, regulatory and government affairs with the Canadian Renewable Energy Association; Mike Buff, senior manager of product and programs with Electrify Canada; Scott MacKenzie, senior national manager of external affairs with Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. and Carolyn Kim, director of transportation with Pembina Institute.

After a short break, Oliver Moore, urban affairs reporter with The Globe and Mail tackled new solutions for public transit. The panel included Patrick Condon, professor and James Taylor chair in landscape and liveable environments with UBC; Michael Sutherland, director of urban solutions with Hatch; and Karla Avis-Birch, chief planning officer with Metrolinx.

The last panel of the day, moderated by Adrian Lee, content editor for the Opinion section with The Globe and Mail examined ‘The 15-Minute City’ and what it means for equality and sustainability. The discussion included Emily Reisman, partner with Urban Strategies Inc.; Darnel Harris, executive director of Our Greenway and Lon LaClaire, general manager of engineering services with the City of Vancouver.

To view their full conversation, please see the video playback below, and for more information on upcoming Globe Events, visit our events hub at tgam.ca/events.

The Globe and Mail presented the event with sponsor support from Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc.

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From Dancer To Director: Senior Closes Out THON Experience As Special Events Head

From Dancer To Director: Senior Closes Out THON Experience As Special Events Head

Over the last four years, Penn State senior Alyssa Bielinski has played many integral roles in helping to make THON a reality.

From a Rules and Regulations committee member in her freshman and sophomore years to a Special Events captain and independent dancer in her junior year, she’s now serving the THON community as the Special Events director for THON 2022.

Growing up in a Penn State family in Scranton, Pa., Bielinski had always been exposed to THON. Cancer also hits close to home for her, since her aunt passed away during her sophomore year at Penn State.

Bielinski’s role is primarily focused on pre-and post-THON events. She’s in charge of planning events like 100 Days ‘Til THON, the THON 5K, Family Carnival, the THON Showcase, THON history tours, and Athlete Hour.


Courtesy of Alyssa Bielinski

One of the main focuses when planning THON this year was ensuring the safety of the THON families and volunteers, which included virtual components, like the live stream, to in-person events.

“We were very successful in integrating a lot of hybrid events into our year to make sure that we were being as inclusive with all of our Four Diamonds families, our stakeholders, donors, and student volunteers,” Bielinski said.

Bielinski has always wanted to serve the THON community in any way she could to make a lasting impact. Last year, she danced as part of an independent dancer couple (IDC), which — along with serving on the THON executive committee — had always been a dream of hers.

“Having the opportunity to dance last year was 46 hours that I will quite literally never forget for the rest of my life, and the same goes for receiving the position as Special Events director this year,” she said. “I always felt like I had more to give for this organization so I never would have wanted to graduate in May without knowing that I gave it my absolute all. I dedicated every single ounce of me to this organization, which has been my goal since my freshman year.”

One of the greatest opportunities that has come with being the Special Events director for THON 2022, according to Bielinski, is the chance to bring people in the THON community together outside of the actual THON Weekend.

“Just being able to see [THON’s] mission grow each and every day leading up to this weekend, I know that it won’t stop once the 46 hours are over,” Bielinski said.

Leading up to this weekend, Bielinski prepared by prioritizing her health and despite it being hectic, making sure to pause and take in every moment coming into this weekend – something she wants to carry with her until she leaves the BJC on Sunday night.

So, what’s she looking forward to most about this weekend? The culmination of everything that THON has worked towards over the last year. Additionally, Bielinski is looking to everything from being back in person to watching people experience their first THON

“Everyone has put so much hard work and dedication into this all year long, and I’m just so excited to see it come to life,” she said.

Mackenzie is a senior majoring in English and is one of Onward State’s associate editors. She is from Minersville, PA, and is always trying to explain exactly where that is. Send all compliments to [email protected] or @MackenzieC__ on Twitter.