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SRMG Returns to Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2023 

The SRMG Beach Experience is set to become the hub of creativity and innovation from the MENA region at Cannes Lions.
The SRMG Beach Experience is set to become the hub of creativity and innovation from the MENA region at Cannes Lions.
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SRMG Returns to Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2023 

The SRMG Beach Experience is set to become the hub of creativity and innovation from the MENA region at Cannes Lions.
The SRMG Beach Experience is set to become the hub of creativity and innovation from the MENA region at Cannes Lions.

Now in its second year, the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) Beach Experience is set to become the hub of creativity and innovation from the MENA region at Cannes Lions.

SRMG will host a series of insightful discussions, immersive activations and experiences, and live performances that represent the transforming media landscape in MENA

Talks and panel discussion with several creative industry leaders, including CEO of Brut Media Guillaume Lacroix, digital entrepreneur Karen Wazen, President of Billboard Mike Van, filmmaker Bryn Mooser, Co-founder of Anghami Eli Habib, Founder of Good People Ali Ali, CEO of Omnicom Media Group MENA Elda Choucair, CCO of BBDO Ali Rez

SRMG, the largest integrated media group from the MENA region, is back at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for the second year with an even bigger presence at Rado Plage on the iconic Croisette. From June 19-23, SRMG is bringing together the leading names in media, tech and creativity for a series of panels, talks, workshops and live performances at the SRMG Beach Experience.

Over the course of five days, the SRMG Beach Experience will highlight the transformation and trends taking place in the creative and tech industries across the world through insightful conversations with the pioneers, entrepreneurs and executives from companies, such as Brut and TikTok. These leaders have created innovative platforms that have revolutionized the way the new generation consumes content.

The program will explore challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the media and creative industries, and how to leverage disruptive advertising technologies and tech solutions. The in-depth discussions will also feature the latest names defining popular culture, including TV star Mo Amer, and award-winning songwriter and rapper Belly.

Panels and talks with the industry’s top innovators will delve into the biggest trends and challenges impacting our industry and what this means for the future of the media industry. The panels will explore how AI will impact the future of the creativity, how film and entertainment can bridge cultures, how the music scene in MENA is rising, and an insightful discussion on how communities have the power to build world-class brands.

The SRMG Beach Experience will also feature immersive and interactive artificial intelligence and augmented reality activations for attendees from some of SRMG’s leading brands, including an Asharq Business with Bloomberg AI video booth that will put guests' reporting skills to the test. Asharq Al-Awsat will have an arcade game, where players will have to choose between real and fake news. Manga Arabia will utilize the latest AI face filter technology to allow guests to transform into their favourite characters, and HIA Magazine will bring the latest fashion trends to life through augmented reality.

Since launching its transformation strategy in 2021, SRMG has supported, empowered, and championed local and regional creative talents, and established partnerships with some of the largest global companies. Cannes Lions is widely recognized as the premier festival for the media and creative industries, and provides a global stage for SRMG to showcase how it is redefining the media landscape.

In 2022, SRMG’s participation at Cannes Lions represented the first MENA presence at the festival. There was significant interest from international companies to partner and collaborate with SRMG, which has led to several new agreements and initiatives. In 2023, SRMG has increased its presence to showcase its media and business portfolio on the global stage, partner with strategic and established brands, and elevate local and regional talent.

This year, SRMG also partnered with Cannes Lions to launch the first Saudi Young Lions competition. SRMG held a competition in Saudi Arabia to find the best young talent to compete in the global competition at Cannes.

“Nurturing young talent is an important aspect of our broader transformation strategy, and SRMG is focused on driving innovation and empowering the next generation of media leaders and content creators. We have partnered with global players to expand our portfolio and provide a stage to showcase our creative talent and stories to the world. This includes partnering with Cannes Lions to launch the first ever Saudi Young Lions competition, where the winners will represent Saudi Arabia at the Global Young Lions competition in Cannes.” said Jomana R. Al-Rashid, CEO of SRMG.

“Cannes Lions is the perfect environment to highlight the creative revolution taking place in the MENA region. This is why we are excited to use this year’s festival as a platform to announce the next major step in our growth and expansion strategy.”

The stellar line up of industry greats will be complimented each night with live performances. And on June 22, SRMG is transforming the beach for the second edition of MENA Night, featuring live performances from renowned singer Elyanna, known for her unique fusion of Latin and Middle Eastern sounds, and one of the most celebrated artists from the region DJ Rodge.

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Entertainment

It’s All Coming Back: Celine Dion Fans Gear Up for Paris Return

Canadian singer Celine Dion waves to fans as she exits Hotel Le Royal Monceau in Paris on September 3, 2026, ahead of a series of concerts in the French capital. (AFP)
Canadian singer Celine Dion waves to fans as she exits Hotel Le Royal Monceau in Paris on September 3, 2026, ahead of a series of concerts in the French capital. (AFP)
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It’s All Coming Back: Celine Dion Fans Gear Up for Paris Return

Canadian singer Celine Dion waves to fans as she exits Hotel Le Royal Monceau in Paris on September 3, 2026, ahead of a series of concerts in the French capital. (AFP)
Canadian singer Celine Dion waves to fans as she exits Hotel Le Royal Monceau in Paris on September 3, 2026, ahead of a series of concerts in the French capital. (AFP)

Fans of Canadian superstar Celine Dion are gearing up for an onstage comeback many feared might never happen, with just a day to go until her opening concert in Paris following a years-long battle with a rare neurological disorder.

The 58-year-old will on Saturday perform her first full concert since revealing she was suffering from Stiff Person Syndrome, an incurable condition that forced her to cancel shows and left her struggling to sing.

Some 30,000 fans of the "My Heart Will Go On" singer are expected to see her reclaim the spotlight each night of her 26-date run in the French capital.

"I'm really, really, really looking forward to it -- and the closer it gets, the more excited I am," said fan Elsa, who is going to one of the October shows with her sister and friends.

"We're always singing her songs at karaoke, and so many of them bring back those memories," said the 39-year-old, who preferred not to give her full last name.

She said she had been due to see Dion once before only for the concert to be cancelled after the singer fell ill -- making her all the more determined not to miss out this time.

"She's one of those artists -- one of the very few -- I really wanted to fight to get a ticket for," she said.

- 'Goosebumps' -

Dion -- whose hits include "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" and "Because You Loved Me" -- has sold around 260 million albums in English and French over a four-decade career.

She kicks off her residency at the Plenitude Arena outside Paris on Saturday evening, with 16 sold-out shows in September and October before returning for another 10 next May.

Resale tickets are scarce, with one site showing just two seats available for her September 26 show listed at an eye-watering 1,035 euros ($1,202) and another at 862 euros.

Hotel prices are also seeing a boost, with holiday booking site Kayak showing a 50 percent bump on some of her concert dates.

Florence Monsellier, a 36-year-old French IT project manager, was "absolutely delighted" to have secured six seats.

"I'll be going with my mum, my sister and my three cousins," said the self-described "lifelong fan", who last saw Dion perform in 2007.

Even those without tickets may still get a chance to see the global superstar.

Admirers have gathered outside the Royal Monceau hotel each day, where Dion has regularly emerged for impromptu exchanges with fans.

Videos posted on social media show Dion singing and dancing with fans, even seemingly taking the phone number of one after being impressed by his rendition of her new single "Bonjour, Pardon, Merci" (Hello, Excuse Me, Thank you).

Stephanie, who works near the Royal Monceau, told AFP she left work early one day last week to make sure she saw the singer after narrowly missing her the night before.

"She put on a show... I got goosebumps," said Stephanie, who declined to give her last name.

- Six-year wait -

Dion's return to the stage caps a comeback that, for years, was far from certain.

The singer revealed in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with a rare and incurable autoimmune disorder that can cause severe muscle stiffness and agonizing spasms.

The illness forced Dion to cancel concerts, but she repeatedly vowed to fight her way back to the stage.

"I'm going to come onstage because I'm ready. And my vocal cords will not scare me, because I'm going to be ready, and I'm going to hit those notes," she told NBC two years ago.

She stunned fans with a surprise appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony, belting out the Edith Piaf classic "Hymn to Love" from the Eiffel Tower.

For Elsa, watching Dion retake the stage, however briefly, was emotional.

"By the end of her song, I was crying like a baby," she said.

Now, with her return to a full-length concert just days away, Dion has kept much of the show -- including its setlist -- under wraps, while teasing fans with a few hints and some practical advice.

"Usually I do a one-hour-40-minute show, but this one's longer," she told the crowd one night.

Her tip for those lucky enough to have tickets: "Make sure you wear good shoes."

Entertainment

Sian Heder Makes ‘Invisible People Visible’ with Toronto Film on Disability Rights

This image released by Apple shows Ruth Madeley, left, with director Sian Heder during the filming of "Being Heumann." (Apple TV via AP)
This image released by Apple shows Ruth Madeley, left, with director Sian Heder during the filming of "Being Heumann." (Apple TV via AP)
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Sian Heder Makes ‘Invisible People Visible’ with Toronto Film on Disability Rights

This image released by Apple shows Ruth Madeley, left, with director Sian Heder during the filming of "Being Heumann." (Apple TV via AP)
This image released by Apple shows Ruth Madeley, left, with director Sian Heder during the filming of "Being Heumann." (Apple TV via AP)

Academy Award ‌winner Sian Heder's feature film "Being Heumann" opened the Toronto festival with a heartfelt tale of how disabled people with an indomitable will, courage and commitment accomplished the impossible.

"Being Heumann" tells the story of Judy Heumann, the late American activist — known widely as the "mother of the disability rights movement" — as she led a group of disabled people in their fight against apathy and discrimination that resulted in the longest occupation of a federal building in US history.

"She led a group of 100 disabled people into a federal building and ‌she held ‌that building until the first legislation was passed ‌around ⁠disability rights. So ⁠she's someone everyone should know," Heder told Reuters on the red carpet ahead of the film's premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

"I think all of her work was about how to make invisible people visible and shine a light, and not just shine a light, but create the hard change of inclusion, ⁠and that's what we're doing here," Heder said.

Writer-director ‌Heder won the Oscar for Best ‌Adapted Screenplay in 2022 for her film "CODA," a coming-of-age story about the ‌only hearing member of a deaf family.

Daniel Durant, who received ‌critical acclaim for his part in that film, jumped at the chance to work with Heder again.

"She is truly a magician and you can see it on screen," he said.

The sit-in in San Francisco ‌in 1977 lasted 26 days and forced the then US Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, Joseph ⁠Califano Jr. ⁠to sign regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which ensured access for people with disabilities.

British actor Ruth Madeley plays Heumann while American star Mark Ruffalo portrays Califano. Most of the film's cast are disabled actors.

"I think bringing so many different sides of Judy into the movie... People know her as this fierce activist who changed the world, so to be able to show her fun side, her wild side, her humor, her joy, all of that, is really special and meaningful," Madeley said.

The film will be released in select theaters on November 6 before streaming on Apple TV a week later.

Entertainment

Qiddiya City Signs MoUs with Five Leading Travel and Tourism Companies

The MoUs aim to establish shared frameworks for cooperation with a select group of travel and tourism service providers - SPA
The MoUs aim to establish shared frameworks for cooperation with a select group of travel and tourism service providers - SPA
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Qiddiya City Signs MoUs with Five Leading Travel and Tourism Companies

The MoUs aim to establish shared frameworks for cooperation with a select group of travel and tourism service providers - SPA
The MoUs aim to establish shared frameworks for cooperation with a select group of travel and tourism service providers - SPA

Qiddiya City has announced the signing of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with five major travel and tourism service providers: Al Faris International Travel and Tourism, Travel Destinations Solutions, Al Matar Commercial Services Company, AlMosafer Travel and Tourism Company, and Fursan Travel and Tourism Company.

The agreements form part of a strategic direction aimed at expanding Qiddiya City's network of partnerships in the travel and tourism sector, strengthening its readiness to welcome visitors, and developing more integrated pathways for accessing its diverse destinations and experiences from within the Kingdom and abroad, SPA reported.

The MoUs aim to establish shared frameworks for cooperation with a select group of travel and tourism service providers, contributing to the development of more integrated and flexible solutions for the visitor journey; from planning and booking, through travel and arrival arrangements, to enjoying Qiddiya City's experiences more smoothly and efficiently.

Through these partnerships, Qiddiya City will leverage the specialized expertise, booking infrastructure, and commercial networks of these travel companies. The joint focus will be on delivering integrated and flexible solutions across every stage of the visitor journey, from initial planning and booking to travel arrangements and arrival.

These MoUs reinforce Qiddiya City's ongoing commitment to build quality partnerships with key players in the tourism and travel ecosystem, and form part of its future plans to develop integrated tourism solutions that enhance the readiness of its destinations to welcome visitors from within the Kingdom and abroad.

These partnerships also contribute to expanding the scope of cooperation with sector partners and providing more flexible and efficient options for the visitor journey, supporting the company's objectives in establishing Qiddiya as a global destination that brings together entertainment, sport, and culture, offering inspiring experiences built on the concept of "Power of Play."