Culture | AW

Culture

Iraqi

Cover of Samuel Helfont’s “Compulsion in Religion: Saddam Hussein, Islam and the Roots of Insurgencies in Iraq.”

Studying Saddam’s ‘compulsion in religion’

Cairo

Cover of L.L. Wynn’s “Love, Sex and Desire in Modern Egypt.”

L.L. Wynn’s ‘Love, Sex and Desire in Modern Egypt’

Dunia El-Zobaidi

Cairo

A puppet version of Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum performs with a puppet-backing band in Cairo. (Al-Sawy Culture Wheel)

‘Umm Kulthum Returns’ on Cairo puppet theatre stage

Sherif al-Shafei

Theatre

A scene from the Tunisian play “Zaman El Forsene” (“Era of Knights”). (Carthage Theatre Festival)

Carthage Theatre Festival: A celebration of Arab and African roots

UK

A sculpture shows Ashurbanipal hunting on hosrseback. (British Museum)

British Museum brings ancient Assyrian Empire to life

Karen Dabrowska

Lebanon

Curator Hala Younes (3rd-L) at the inauguration of the Lebanese pavilion. (La Biennale di Venezia)

Lebanon’s architectural landscape reinvented at Venice biennale

Egypt

Jordanian actress Saba Moubarak poses on the red carpet at the closing ceremony of the 40th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival, November 29. (AFP)

In its 40th edition, Cairo International Film Festival reinvents itself

Morocco

Actor Robert De Niro (R) poses after receiving a tribute award from US director Martin Scorsese during the 17th Marrakech International Film Festival, December 1. (AP)

Marrakech festival showcases Moroccan cinema

Iraqi

Iraqis making clay pots in the city of Najaf, on November. (AFP)

Iraq’s ancient pottery struggles to outlive modern plastic