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‘Past Lives,’ ‘May December’ and ‘American Fiction’ Lead Spirit Award Nominations

US actor Charles Melton arrives for the premiere of "May December" at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, on November 16, 2023. (AFP)
US actor Charles Melton arrives for the premiere of "May December" at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, on November 16, 2023. (AFP)
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‘Past Lives,’ ‘May December’ and ‘American Fiction’ Lead Spirit Award Nominations

US actor Charles Melton arrives for the premiere of "May December" at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, on November 16, 2023. (AFP)
US actor Charles Melton arrives for the premiere of "May December" at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California, on November 16, 2023. (AFP)

Celine Song’s "Past Lives," Todd Haynes’ "May December" and Cord Jefferson’s "American Fiction" got a leading five nominations, including best feature, from the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Natalie Morales and Joel Kim Booster announced the nominees Tuesday on a YouTube livestream.

Song’s quietly romantic film, starring Greta Lee and Teo Yoo as childhood friends who reconnect later in life, earned nominations for her direction, script and for both actors. "May December," about an actress preparing to play a Mary Kay Letourneau-like role got nods for Natalie Portman, Charles Melton and screenwriter Samy Burch. MGM’s "American Fiction," featuring Jeffrey Wright as a frustrated novelist, got recognition for Wright, Erika Alexander and Sterling K. Brown. Jefferson was nominated for his script but not for his direction, however.

It was a good morning for A24. In addition to the nominations for "Past Lives," the indie film company received 11 overall for "All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt,Earth Mama" and "The Zone of Interest." Kelly Reichardt’s "Showing Up" was also named winner of the Robert Altman Award, which is given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. Michelle Williams plays a small-time sculptor in the film, leading an ensemble that includes André Benjamin, Hong Chau, Judd Hirsch and Amanda Plummer.

Alexander Payne's "The Holdovers," about a curmudgeonly teacher played by Paul Giamatti, got four nominations including for cinematography, best screenplay, best supporting performance for Da’Vine Joy Randolph and best breakthrough for newcomer Dominic Sessa. Neither Payne nor Giamatti were nominated.

Directing nominees were: Andrew Haigh ("All of Strangers"); Ira Sachs ("Passages"); William Oldroyd ("Eileen"); and Haynes and Song.

The Spirit Awards limit eligibility to productions with budgets of $30 million or less, meaning films like "Oppenheimer,Maestro" and "Poor Things" did not qualify for nominations.

Lead performance nominees include Wright, Lee, Yoo, Portman, Jessica Chastain ("Memory"), Trace Lysette ("Monica"), Judy Reyes ("Birth/Rebirth"), Andrew Scott ("All of Us Strangers"), Franz Rogowski ("Passages") and Teyana Taylor ("A Thousand and One").

Supporting performance nods went to Noah Galvin ("Theater Camp"), Anne Hathaway ("Eileen"), Glenn Howerton ("BlackBerry"), Marin Ireland ("Eileen"), Catalina Saavedra ("Rotting in the Sun") and Ben Whishaw ("Passages"), in addition to the aforementioned Melton, Randolph, Brown and Alexander.

NFL veteran Marshawn Lynch was also nominated for his breakthrough performance in the wild high school comedy "Bottoms."

Films nominated for best international film include both Sandra Hüller films, Justine Triet’s "Anatomy of a Fall" and Jonathan Glazer’s "The Zone of Interest," from Poland, as well as Denmark/Iceland’s "Godland," Nigeria’s "Mama Wata" and Mexico’s "Tótem."

Last year’s big winner was " Everything Everywhere All At Once," which accepted seven awards including best feature, best director and acting prizes for Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan – categories in which it would go on to win Oscars.

Josh Welsh, the president of Film Independent, said the spirit awards look for films and shows that, "demonstrate the uniqueness of vision, original, provocative subject matter, economy of means and diversity, both on screen and off."

The Spirit Awards also recognize television series. The nominees include "Jury Duty," for best series and best ensemble cast, "Beef" for series, Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, and "The Last of Us" which got acting nods for Bella Ramsey, Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman. Billie Eilish was also nominated for "Swarm."

Saturday Night Live’s Aidy Bryant is hosting the show, which will take place on Feb. 25 in Santa Monica, California. The awards will be streamed live on IMDb and Film Independent’s YouTube channels.

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Entertainment

BTS Opens World Tour in South Korea After Hiatus for Military Service

BTS fans arrive at a stadium where K-pop boy band BTS will perform in Goyang on April 9, 2026. (AFP)
BTS fans arrive at a stadium where K-pop boy band BTS will perform in Goyang on April 9, 2026. (AFP)
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BTS Opens World Tour in South Korea After Hiatus for Military Service

BTS fans arrive at a stadium where K-pop boy band BTS will perform in Goyang on April 9, 2026. (AFP)
BTS fans arrive at a stadium where K-pop boy band BTS will perform in Goyang on April 9, 2026. (AFP)

Tens of thousands of BTS fans packed into a South Korean stadium Thursday to see the K-pop supergroup kick off their long-awaited world tour after a nearly four-year hiatus.

RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook were to perform a set drawing from both their catalog and new fifth album, “ARIRANG," their first since band members completed South Korea's mandatory military service.

Despite pouring rain, the band's fans — including some hailing from Russia, the United States and Brazil — packed a stadium with a capacity for over 40,000 for the show, which marks the group’s first headline tour performance since their 2021–22 Permission to Dance on Stage tour.

Over a hundred fans, including some who had failed to get tickets, stood outside the stadium with umbrellas to listen to the band perform.

Kim Eunhee, a South Korean fan who came with her 30-year-old daughter, said the hope of attending a live BTS concert helped her power through her battle with cancer.

“Even during my hardest times last year while fighting it, this was the one thing I kept waiting for,” she said. "Coming to an actual concert venue and seeing them in person for the first time — it was just so meaningful.”

The shows in South Korea through Sunday launch a tour spanning dozens of shows across the United States, Europe and Asia, which analysts say could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue per quarter.

The concert comes less than a month after BTS marked their comeback with a free concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square.

All seven members of BTS completed their mandatory military service, with Suga being the last to be discharged in June 2025. He reportedly served at government-related facilities and organizations instead of military camps due to a shoulder injury.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men between 18 and 28 years old are required by law to perform up to 21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea.

“ARIRANG” — named after a centuries-old Korean folk song regarded as an unofficial anthem across the Korean peninsula — debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The single “Swim” also made it to the top of the charts.

BTS — short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, or “Bulletproof Boy Scouts” in Korean — debuted in June 2013. The seven-member group launched in 2013 with the hip-hop heavy single album “2 Cool 4 Skool,” releasing three full-length projects before gaining momentum with their 2016 album “Wings.”

Their global breakthrough came in 2017 when “DNA” entered the Billboard Hot 100, making BTS the first Korean boy band to achieve such a feat. The song’s success was followed by a performance at the American Music Awards, further fueling their international fan base called “Army.”

The tour is scheduled to bring the group to Australia in early 2027, with a final stop in Manila, Philippines, next March.

Entertainment

Coachella Kicks off With Headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Bieber and Karol G

Festivalgoers are seen during the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Indio, Calif. (AP)
Festivalgoers are seen during the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Indio, Calif. (AP)
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Coachella Kicks off With Headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Bieber and Karol G

Festivalgoers are seen during the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Indio, Calif. (AP)
Festivalgoers are seen during the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Indio, Calif. (AP)

Thousands of fans have gathered in the California desert for the hotly anticipated Coachella Festival, which kicks off Friday with pop princess Sabrina Carpenter in the headliner spotlight.

The star-studded line-up -- which also includes headliners Justin Bieber and Colombia's Karol G -- will grace the stage in Indio on two consecutive weekends, kicking off the US music festival circuit for 2026.

Friday's acts include standout emerging talent Teddy Swims and girl group KATSEYE, as well as established artists like Moby.

But the highlight of the opening night will be Carpenter, who promised "the most ambitious show" of her career in an interview with Perfect Magazine.

The "Manchild" singer made her Coachella debut in 2024, the year she released her catchy summer hit "Espresso."

Closing out the first day will be Italian DJ Anyma, who is set to premiere his new production, "ÆDEN," which promises to be an immersive audiovisual experience that will hit the road after Coachella for a tour including stops in Milan, London and Seoul.

- Bieber Fever -

The party continues across Coachella's nine stages on Saturday, with the highly anticipated appearance of Bieber, who will close out the night.

"Bieber fever" seems to have returned after a decade and already spread across the Coachella Valley, after the singer made a comeback at the Grammy Awards this year.

Fans of the 32-year-old artist posted videos on social media this week of what appear to be rehearsals that included hits such as "Sorry" and "Where Are U Now."

The night will also feature performances by techno stalwarts like Armin van Buuren and Adam Beyer, K-pop stars such as Taemin and British dance sensation PinkPantheress.

French DJ and producer David Guetta returns to the desert in Indio, and David Byrne, the legendary co-founder of Talking Heads, will make an appearance.

Another highly anticipated act is Nine Inch Noize -- a collaboration between the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails and German producer Boys Noize -- which has just announced a joint album.

As a testament to the diversity of genres on display at Coachella, the festival's main stage will host influencer-turned-singer Addison Rae, as well as New York rockers The Strokes.

Led by Julian Casablancas, the band returns with a new album slated for June, following a six-year hiatus.

- 'Tropicoqueta' -

The cherry on top for Sunday will be reggaeton star Karol G, the first Latina to headline the festival.

The winner of eight Latin Grammy Awards made her Coachella debut in 2022 with a performance that paid tribute to Latin music icons such as Selena, Celia Cruz, and Daddy Yankee.

For this year's show, the "Provenza" singer is expected to embrace the "Caribbean showgirl" aesthetic of her latest project, "Tropicoqueta."

Sunday also promises the festival debut of K-pop kings BIGBANG, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary with a highly anticipated return to the international stage.

Also appearing will be the godfather of punk, Iggy Pop, and Fatboy Slim -- the British DJ and producer who dominated the electronic music scene in the 1990s.

Other acts include Major Lazer, indie-pop band Foster the People and British singer, dancer, and visual artist FKA twigs.

The festival will close with a screening under the stars of the first episode of the third season of "Euphoria," the HBO high school drama series starring Zendaya, returning to television after four years.

Coachella will also be streamed live on YouTube.

Entertainment

Home Where Young Bowie Dreamt of 'Fame' to Open to Public

Bowie was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Raph GATTI / AFP
Bowie was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Raph GATTI / AFP
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Home Where Young Bowie Dreamt of 'Fame' to Open to Public

Bowie was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Raph GATTI / AFP
Bowie was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Raph GATTI / AFP

With its grey front door and battered picket fence, No. 4 Plaistow Grove in the anonymous London suburb of Bromley is unremarkable in every way except for one.

The modest terraced house -- originally built as a railway workers' cottage in the late 19th century -- is the childhood home of pop phenomenon David Bowie, said AFP.

An inscription on a small blue plaque to the right of the front door is the only clue to the property's extraordinary past.

"David Bowie Singer and Talented Musician 1955-1968," it reads, a reference to the 13 years that he spent living there.

Bowie, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century who died aged 69 in 2016, spent some of his most formative years here.

Now, the house has been acquired by a leading London heritage body which plans to turn it into a Bowie immersive experience.

Under the curatorship of Bowie expert Geoff Marsh it would be returned to the way it would have been when he was 16 in 1963 and opened to the public hopefully by the end of 2027.

The singer, real name David Jones, and his family moved into the property on the southeastern outskirts of the capital in 1955 when he was eight years old.

"It all started in this building," Marsh told AFP. "It was here that he changed from being an ordinary schoolboy to being determined to be a superstar."

- Step back in time -

Bowie lived in the house with his parents, Haywood and Peggy, and older half brother, Terry, a major creative influence who introduced him to modern jazz, Beat literature and Buddhism.

From 1966 onwards, however, Terry was no longer a constant presence at home due to a schizophrenia diagnosis which saw him in and out of psychiatric hospitals.

According to biographers, Peggy was emotionally distant towards Bowie, and their relationship included periods of estrangement.

Peggy moved out in 1970 following the death at home a year earlier of Haywood, aged just 56.

Once restored, people will be able to take a step back in time and experience the young Bowie's world, just as Beatles fans have done in Liverpool at the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Out will go the central heating, modern kitchen-diner extension and conservatory, plus the upstairs bathroom.

Back in will be a coal fire, outside lavatory, tiny kitchen and garage that once stood at the end of the garden.

It is located a stone's throw from the Sundridge Park railway station, from where Bowie "could get from what he saw as being very dull suburban life... straight into the West End, Soho, the music clubs there", Marsh said.

- Place to dream -

"It was that kind of culture in the 50s: keep your head down. Know who you are. Don't try and get above yourself," said Marsh, who curated the David Bowie Is exhibition at London's V&A museum in 2013.

"And David obviously just thought 'that's not for me. I want to be a success'. And music was his way out."

The main focal point will be the small 2.7 meter by three meter (9ft by 10ft) back bedroom where Bowie's creative journey began.

Bowie wrote his earliest songs here but struggled with rejection for five years before achieving his first major hit with "Space Oddity" in 1969.

In later life, Bowie described the bedroom as a place where he went to escape from his parents and dream.

But the singer, whose career was marked by a commitment to constant reinvention, also voiced a sense that the room had followed him around all his life, Marsh said.

He was "always, to some extent, running away from here", he added.

Heritage of London Trust director Nicola Stacey said she expected fans to find there was "nothing more powerful" than standing in the room.

Bowie had a record player and a tape recorder there as well as a saxophone bought for him by his father, who is said to have been more emotionally supportive.

- 'Moment of possibility' -

Other possible items that could feature include a photograph of Little Richard he bought from the Woolworths store when he was 10 and pinned to the wall. The picture remained with him all his life.

Friends of Bowie have recalled coming through the front door into a "rather austere house" with a "rather austere atmosphere", Stacey said.

"They would come up to David's room, and they would play music and look at all this Americana he was so interested in... and they just felt this sort of moment of possibility."

The project has also triggered memories from people who grew up in the area and recall seeing Bowie "wearing incredible outfits", Stacey said.

Bowie assembled and experimented with the outfits in his bedroom having purchased items from second-hand and surplus stores in central London's trendy Carnaby Street.

They knew there was something different about him and were sure he "was going to be something amazing", she added.