Dozens of actors and directors, including Javier Bardem and Tilda Swinton, have condemned the Berlin International Film Festival for its “anti-Palestinian racism” and urged organisers to clearly state their opposition to “Israel’s genocide” in Gaza.
In an open letter published in Variety on Tuesday, the 81 film workers also denounced comments by this year’s president of the awards jury, Wim Winders who – when asked about Gaza – said, “We should stay out of politics”.
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They noted that the festival’s stance stands in direct contrast to its policy on Russia’s war on Ukraine and on the situation in Iran.
All of the signatories are alumni of the festival, which is also known as the Berlinale, and include actors Cherien Dabis and Brian Cox, as well as directors Adam McKay, Mike Leigh, Lukas Dhont, Nan Goldin, and Avi Mograbi.
In their letter, the film workers expressed dismay at the Berlinale’s “involvement in censoring artists who oppose Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza” and the German government’s key role in enabling the atrocities.
They said the festival has been policing filmmakers, and listed several examples from last year’s Berlinale.
“Last year, filmmakers who spoke out for Palestinian life and liberty from the Berlinale stage reported being aggressively reprimanded by senior festival programmers. One filmmaker was reported to have been investigated by police, and Berlinale leadership falsely implied that the filmmaker’s moving speech – rooted in international law and solidarity – was ‘discriminatory’,’ they wrote.
“We stand with our colleagues in rejecting this institutional repression and anti-Palestinian racism,” they added.
The film workers said they “fervently disagree” with Wenders’s statement that filmmaking is the “opposite of politics”, saying, “You cannot separate one from the other.”
Their letter comes days after Indian author Arundhati Roy said she was withdrawing from this year’s festival after what she called “unconscionable statements” by jury members, including Wenders.
This year’s festival runs from February 12 to 22.
The film workers noted that the Berlinale’s actions come at a time when the world is learning “horrifying new details about the 2,842 Palestinians ‘evaporated’ by Israeli forces” in Gaza through thermobaric weapons made by the United States.
An Al Jazeera investigation, published last week, documented how these weapons – which are capable of generating temperatures exceeding 3,500 degrees Celsius (6,332 degrees Fahrenheit) – leave behind no remains other than blood or small fragments of flesh.
Germany, too, has been one of the biggest exporters of weapons to Israel despite the evidence of Israel’s atrocities. It has also introduced repressive measures to discourage people from speaking out in solidarity with Palestinians, including in the arts.
In their letter, the Berlinale alumni noted that the international film world is increasingly taking a stance against Israel’s genocidal actions.
Last year, major international film festivals – including the world’s largest documentary festival in Amsterdam – endorsed a cultural boycott of Israel, while more than 5,000 film workers have pledged to refuse work with Israeli film companies and institutions.
Yet, the film works said, the Berlinale “has so far not even met the demands of its community to issue a statement that affirms the Palestinian right to life, dignity, and freedom”.
This is the least it can and should do, they said.
“Just as the festival has made clear statements in the past about atrocities carried out against people in Iran and Ukraine, we call on the Berlinale to fulfil its moral duty and clearly state its opposition to Israel’s genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes against Palestinians, and completely end its involvement in shielding Israel from criticism and calls for accountability,” they added.
The February half-term is this week but you don’t need to spend money on a day outCredit: PR Handout image
With so many different activities you can ensure the kids will have fun without having to spend any money.
The Super Duper Family Festival, Manchester
The Super Duper Family Festival starts on February 18 and runs through until February 21.
Across four days, families can explore Manchester‘s public spaces that will be transformed into free Play Zones with games, dancing, activities, crafts, movies and performances.
For example, The Carnival zone will feature a Victorian carousel, Hook a Duck, Spin the Wheel, a Coconut Shy and Ferris Wheel Hoopla.
Family Day: impasto studio, National Portrait Gallery, London
On February 17, families can head to the National Portrait Gallery between 11am and 4pm for fun-filled activities.
Between 11am and 1pm and 2pm and 4pm, families can take part in a sketcher’s session, where you get to make your own sketchbook.
At the same times, there will be two relaxed workshops where you can draw from still lives.
Or head to animal attire, to draw and collage an animal accessory to wear.
Across the day there are also free activity trails to explore.
Pancake Day races, various
This year, Pancake Day falls within the half-term holidays which is ideal to enjoy some pancake-themed fun.
For example, you could head to Leadenhall Market in London to see the Pancake Race at 12:30pm, where teams of four run a 20 metre relay flipping pancakes.
In Devon, you could head to Dartmouth between 2:30pm and 4pm to see an afternoon of pan-flips.
There is also pancake making of course…
Search ‘Pancake Day race near me’ to find your local event.
On Tuesday this week, it is Pancake Day and around the country pancake races are being heldCredit: Alamy
February Festival, Blackpool
Between February 19 and 22, there will be a festival of circus, live entertainment and family activities in Blackpool.
Events include Elton Wrong, who will be roaming the town centre with his mobile white piano.
There will be dancers on the streets too such as ballerinas.
Railway family fun day, Clitheroe Castle in Lancashire
On February 16, Clitheroe Castle Museum is hosting a family fun day to celebrate 200 years of the modern railway.
Across the day, there will be hands-on fun, creative activities and immersive railway heritage.
At the castle, visitors will be able to see a working ‘Rock and Roll’ model railway, meet Lancashire children’s author Susan Brownrigg who will read extracts from her book Wrong Tracks, play train spotting games and decorate your own train wagon.
In addition, there’s the ‘Tracks of Life: Trains, People and Place’ exhibition, which celebrates the life and work of Ken Roberts (1928–2024) who was a local railway enthusiast and photographer.
There also a Railway family fun day at Clitheroe Castle this weekCredit: Getty
Nottinghamshire Festival of Science & Curiosity
Nottinghamshire Festival of Science & Curiosity returns for another half-term full of activities.
Running until February 20, you can get involved in a number of different activities that are designed to inspire curiosity and imagination.
These include geology workshops, bath bomb making, Lunar New Year celebrations and Lego sessions.
Ikea events, various
Ikea is a great day out in itself, but did you know each store often hosts free events too?
For example, you could head to the Hammersmith store this week for Lunar New Year Fun sessions.
Or perhaps visit Ikea Exeter for spring flower garden canvas painting.
Just head to Ikea’s website and then to the events section and explore the activities at the store near you.
Seven Stories – The National Centre for Children’s Books, Newcastle
If your kids love reading and are good with their imagination, then head to Seven Stories – the UK’s National Centre for Children’s Books.
Inside, visitors can explore children’s stories through exhibitions, performances and workshops.
If your kids love books, head to The National Centre for Children’s BooksCredit: Alamy
Cotswolds Designer Outlet
Across this week, the Cotswolds Designer Outlet will have special guests from Scrubditch Care Farm.
Kids can meet therapy farm animals, which include baby lambs and goats.
There will also be a farmyard trail where little ones can spot colourful animals around the shopping outlet.
There’s an indoor soft play area and adventure playground too.
Waterstones stores treasure hunts, various
Over this half-term, Waterstones stores across the country host scavenger and treasure hunts.
For example, at Waterstones York Monks Cross, there are events themed on Winnie the Pooh’s 100th birthday.
Every day at 11am there will be a storytime session, then there are themed colouring sessions and a picture hunt as well.
Or at Waterstones Carlisle you can browse the bookshelves to try and find Dav Pilkey’s Dogman.
As I take my seat in Galimard’s Studio des Fragrances, in the Provençal town of Grasse, I limber up my nostrils for the task ahead: to create my own scent from the 126 bottles in front of me. Together they represent a world of exotic aromas, from amber and musk to ginger and saffron. But given that I have left the grey British winter behind to come here, I am more interested in capturing the sunny essence of the Côte d’Azur.
Here in the hills north of Cannes, the colours pop: hillsides are full of bright yellow mimosa flowers, violets are peeping out of flowerbeds and oranges hang heavy on branches over garden walls, even though it’s not yet spring. It is the perfect antidote to the gloom back home, and the chance to bottle these very scents is a joy.
Over the next two hours, with the help of perfumery expert Manon Zamoun, I blend my own perfume that I name “Mimosa trail”. The scents (natural essences or synthetic aromas), are set out on three shelves, the top shelf for the high notes, the bottom for base notes, with the heart notes in between. I sniff, blend and decant; it’s the most rewarding chemistry lesson of my life.
The bottles’ labels are turned away from me so my choices are led by my nose not my brain. I’m surprised to find I liked parma violets and patchouli, while rose d’orient and fleurs de lilas don’t make the cut.
Galimard is Grasse’s oldest perfume house, established in 1747. The trade grew out of the town’s leather tanning industry; with scents created to cover the pong, it became the “perfume capital of the world”. Its other two famous perfume houses, Molinard and Fragonard, opened in 1849 and 1926 respectively, later joined by big names such as Dior, Guérlain and Chanel.
But beyond perfume, Grasse is a delight to wander – a maze of yellow-hued streets, overlooked by towering palm trees and, today at least, a welcome blue sky, though there’s still a little chill in the air. I take comfort in the fact it’s 10 degrees warmer than it is back home because I’m here to fast-forward spring with a short road trip between the lesser-known villages and towns of the Côte d’Azur.
Grasse, where the perfume industry developed initially to cover the smell of the town’s leather tanning trade. Photograph: StockByM/Getty Images
En route to Grasse, I’d stopped at Tourrettes-sur-Loup for another of the region’s flowers: violets. When seen from the south, the village is a jumble of terracotta-roofed houses clinging to a clifftop. It’s known for its tradition of growing the small, purple blooms, and has supplied the perfume industry since Queen Victoria visited in the late 19th century while wintering in Nice, 18 miles (30km) south west of here. The queen gave her name to the variety that was, in her day, cultivated by 40 families in Tourrettes and, thanks to its long stalk, was traditionally given in small posies between Christmas and Valentine’s Day.
At La Bastide aux Violettes, a small museum on the outskirts of the village, I discover more about the flower and its history, and inhale its sweet, delicate scent in the greenhouse, where they grow in vertical columns. There are now only three producers, including Jérôme Coche and his family, who turn the petals into products such as crystalised violet sweets. The village still celebrates the end of the season with La Fête des Violettes in late February/early March, which attracts about 12,000 people (some on coach trips from Italy) with carnival floats, dancing, music and a flower and produce market.
Out of season the village is quieter, awaiting the summer crowds. Wine bar-restaurant La Cave de Tourrettes is buzzing with life though, even on a wet Wednesday evening, and my two-course meal is a superb beef tartare with grana padano, caper berries and cornichons, followed by pork filet mignon and orange-scented sweet potato with braised leeks (mains from €25.50). The next morning, the sky is a blaze of blue and I eat breakfast on the balcony of my townhouse apartment, with a lovely view of the valley towards the Mediterranean.
A cafe in Mandelieu-la-Napoule decorated with mimosas. Photograph: Hemis/Alamy
The sun is also shining in Mandelieu-la-Napoule, on the coast, my last stop. Mimosas were just starting to come into bloom on the dramatic route between Tourrettes and the village of Gourdon, which winds through the Gorge du Loup, with its waterfalls, tunnels and steep cliffs – but down on the coast, spring has really sprung.
La Route du Mimosa is a trail through the most impressive blooms, covering 80 miles from Bormes-les-Mimosas to Grasse. Around the town of Mandelieu-la-Napoule – which hosts the Fête du Mimosa, a weekend of celebrations to mark the start of the season in February – there are group hikes into the hills organised by the tourist office, as well as farms to visit and shops where producers have turned its delicate flavour into jams and cordials, and its scent into candles and soaps.
For a thrilling ride and to gain some local knowledge I’ve booked a three-hour tour with La Grande Vadrouille (€160 for one or two). Local guide Daniel Saffioti welcomes me to ride in the side-car of his Chang Jiang Pekin Express motorbike. Daniel knows all the best routes from Mandelieu to Tanneron, a town farther inland where you find mimosas in abundance. After donning my helmet and sunglasses, we set off along the coast road, La Corniche d’Or.
This sinuous route southward to the Cap d’Esterel offers astonishing views of Cannes and its backdrop, the snow-capped Mercantour mountains of the Alpes-Maritimes. Along the road, mimosas burst between palm trees and over the garden walls of luxurious villasWe double back toward Mandelieu, and then motor on into the hills, stopping for a rest just outside Tanneron, where the landscape is a tapestry of olive groves, eucalyptus trees and lavender fields awaiting their summer blooms. A closer inspection of a mimosa tree allows me to breath in its delicate scent and see its fern-like leaves and tiny flowers up close – like little yellow pompoms electrified by the sunshine. Daniel tells me how they were introduced by the British, having been brought from Australia (they are a kind of acacia) and how council workers work hard to keep them from taking over the landscape and roadsides, such is their propensity to thrive in the Provençal climate.
Our tour finishes in Mandelieu and after bidding Daniel farewell, I sit on the terrace of the Biskota cafe for lunch and a mimosa-infused lemonade. In the evening is the opening of the Fête du Mimosa. Gingham-clothed tables and benches are laid out for locals to sit and drink wine and street performers, some on stilts, dance through the crowds. Tomorrow there will be floats adorned with flowers, but tonight a firework display shoots up over the crenellated walls of the waterside chateau. I breath in the sulphurous tang that hangs in the air; it may not be the floral scent of spring, but it doesn’t matter – I’ve got a bottle of that in my bag.
The trip was provided by Côte d’Azur Tourism and Mandelieu-La-Napoule Tourism. La Borgarda in Tourrettes-sur-Loup has a one-bedroom apartment from €195 a night and a three-bedroom townhouse from €330 a night. The Pullman hotel has doubles from £130. Perfume blending at Galimard’ Studio des Fragrances is €99pp
Across East and Southeast Asia, and throughout diaspora communities in Los Angeles, Lunar New Year marks a season of renewal. It’s a time of deep reflection and collective gathering, as homes are refreshed, elders are honored and streets fill with lion and dragon dances.
Food is central to the celebrations, with dishes chosen as much for what they represent — abundance, unity and good fortune in the year ahead — as for how they taste.
This year ushers in the Year of the Horse — and not just any Horse, but the Fire Horse, a particularly dynamic pairing in the lunar calendar. The timing couldn’t be better. The horse is traditionally associated with energy, momentum and reinvention, and when paired with the fire element, which amplifies passion and action, this year speaks to our desire to move, create and reclaim a sense of possibility — even in the wake of devastating wildfires, immigration raids and widespread uncertainty.
While Lunar New Year officially kicks off on Feb. 17, celebrations in Los Angeles will take place all month and into the next, with banquet-style feasts, limited-time collaborations and cultural performances. Whether you’re seeking a symbolic meal or a lively street celebration, here are 25 festive ways to ring in Lunar New Year across L.A.
LIKE theatre, gigs and festivals but hate the price tags that go with them?
There are plenty of little-known sites that offer heavily discounted or even FREE tickets to top-name events to fill empty seats. This even includes recordings for TV shows that have audiences.
TodayTix is a great platform for finding discounted West End ticketsCredit: Getty
With London West End shows easily setting two people back £100, heading to the theatre may seem possible only once in a blue moon.
But thanks to the following sites, you could save hundreds on tickets – we’ve tested all of them, and got incredible tickets to some huge shows for a fraction of what everyone else is paying.
TodayTix
If you don’t already have the TodayTix app, you should download it now.
It is an app for booking theatre and stage shows, including the London West End performances.
It’s especially great for anyone looking for last-minute shows.
There is a feature called ‘Rush Tickets’, which offers a chance to get discounted tickets on the day of a performance.
Shows this offer is applied to include MJ The Musical (£30), The Producers (£30), Titanique (£30), Stranger Things The First Shadow (£25), Back to the Future (£29.50), Six (£25), The Book of Mormon (£25) and Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (£25).
I recently watched The Mousetrap on a £25 Rush Ticket and managed to get the first row of the upper circle – a seat that usually costs considerably more than £25.
The app also has a ‘lottery’ feature for some shows, where you can enter a lottery for tickets from as little as £10.
Under this feature, you do have to be resilient, as the likelihood of getting lottery tickets is slim.
However, after a few months of entering the lottery every week, I managed to bag £40 tickets to both parts of Harry Potter and The Cursed Child – tickets which can usually set you back over £400 for the stalls or dress circle.
Other shows that have lottery offers include Hamilton, which, if you won, you’d only pay £10 for.
Some shows also have their own offers on the app, for example, Moulin Rouge offers Bohemian Seats, which are reduced tickets (£30) for same-day performances.
With TodayTix, I have managed to visit several shows – Rush Ticket offers include MJ The Musical tickets for £30Credit: Cyann Fielding
Applause Store
Applause Store claims to be the world’s best television audience company and gives out tickets to a range of shows.
I have been using Applause Store for about four years now, and in that time, I have seen a couple of shows, including QI.
The one major downside, though, is that you get tickets and then queue for a long time and don’t necessarily get in.
This has put me off using Applause Store as frequently, though it is great if there is a show you really want to see being filmed for TV.
For example, at the time of writing, Applause Store is booking tickets for the BAFTA Awards fan areas, something that I would love to see, and so I have applied for two tickets.
Tickets are free, but just because you get tickets doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed entry, so if you are desperate to see the show, make sure you get there early.
SRO Audiences
SRO Audiences is similar to Applause Store.
For SRO Audiences, you don’t need to sign up – simply head onto the website, look at the shows available and request tickets.
Similar to Applause Store, tickets do not guarantee entry, so it is best to get there early on the day.
Central Tickets
Central Tickets is primarily for London theatre events – and by this I don’t necessarily mean London West End shows.
You have to sign up, but it is free of charge to do this, and then you get access to heavily discounted or even free tickets to shows.
Before Christmas, I nabbed two free tickets with a £6.50 admin fee (so £13 total) to see Burlesque: Unwrapped instead of a minimum of £45 per person.
The festive-yet-saucy burlesque performance was, of course, adults only and featured performers twirling around and undressing to Christmas tunes – I’m talking Rudolph nipple tassels and lots of glitter.
It was no London West End show, but for £6.50, my friend and I had a great laugh and a fun evening out.
A lot of the events and shows will most likely be things you haven’t heard of before, but all have a description, meaning you can learn what the show is about before booking.
Sometimes there are some real gems, though; for example, at the time of writing, you could head to Phantom Peak’s immersive experience for £10 instead of £35, or you could head to Sabrage, “featuring international circus elites and theatrical misfits”, for £15 instead of a minimum of £30.
Some sites have discounted tickets to events, including comedy gigsCredit: Getty
Show Film First
Similar to Central Tickets, Show Film First offers heavily discounted tickets to shows and events.
You do have to sign up for an account, which is free, and their newsletter to get the offers.
Some of the current offers include seeing the London Lions basketball team playing against the Niners Chemnitz team, and you would only pay the access fee.
They have also had tickets to top London day festivals, featuring international popstars as headline acts – for an access fee of just £7.95 (but we won’t say who, to spare their blushes).
Other offers include travel conferences and comedy shows.
Age-bracketed tickets
When living in London, it is often easy to forget that theatres, cinemas, and so on offer age-related discounts, and it isn’t necessarily always for youngsters.
The Young Vic then offers £12 tickets for under 25s, and the Barbican and Almeida Theatre both offer £5 tickets for 25s and under.
A bit older than that? Well, if you are under 30, joining the mailing lists for the Royal Albert Hall and Donmar Warehouse allows you to grab £20 tickets.
At The Royal Albert Hall, past events have included Barbie: The Movie in Concert, Video Games in Concert and BBC Proms: The Traitors.
There is also Kids Week, which usually takes place in the summer, and allows children under the age of 18 to visit many West End shows for free with a paying adult.
In addition to offers, there are some ticket types that cost lessCredit: Cyann Fielding
Restricted view
One way to get cheaper tickets at pretty much any show is by opting for the restricted-view seats.
Sites like SeatPlan and A View From My Seat help to show what sort of view you would get, so you can always check a restricted seat’s view before actually booking it.
If you do book this kind of ticket, you can expect to save between 30 and 50 per cent compared to a seat with a non-restricted view.
Whilst this offer isn’t available at the moment, it will be in the summer again, every Friday at 11am when tickets are released for the following week.
And each ticket only costs £5.
Last summer I watched The Winter’s Tale on a standing ticket.
Half of the show was conducted inside, where I did stand but had a barrier to lean on, and then the other half was outside, and thanks to the show not being fully booked, I got a seat.
It is worth checking the length of the show and thinking whether you can stand for that long, though, before committing.
Like at the Globe theatre, you can stand for just £5Credit: Getty
Disney discounts
If you head to the ‘Disney Tickets’ website, you can grab tickets to Disney’s West End shows for less than usual.
For example, you can grab tickets to The Lion King and Disney‘s Hercules on Mondays at noon for that week’s performances for £29.50.
Known as Magical Mondays, it means you could see The Lion King for considerably less than the usual ticket price, which sits around the £70 to £110 range.
All you need to do is create a MyDisney account, which is free to do.
The beach resort recently gave local clubs permits to open 24-hours a day along the shore, turning the area into a serious clubbing zone and a cheaper competitor to the party island of Ibiza
The island is becoming a party hotspot(Image: Maroon Horizon Ltd)
If you’re looking for chilled days on the beach followed by all-nighters at the club, then Ibiza might be your go-to destination. But the Balearic Islands aren’t the cheapest option, and certainly not the only place where you can party all night long.
One beach resort is emerging as a serious contender for those who want to enjoy the party vibes, but can’t stretch their budget to a week in Ibiza. Set on the picturesque Pag Island just off the coast of Croatia, Zrce Beach is becoming a major destination for fans of night – and day-clubbing.
Zrce Beach is about an hour and 20 minutes from Zadar airport, which has Ryanair flights from Birmingham, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, London-Stansted, Manchester, and Newcastle upon Tyne, making it easy to access from the UK. Flights start at just £21 one-way with the budget airline and take about 2.5 hours.
The beach itself has smooth pebbles and turquoise seas, and its position in a sheltered bay means there are shallow, clear waters for swimming. Along the beach, you’ll find a variety of beach clubs renting out loungers and Bali beds, or you can grab a spot next to a palm tree.
Outside of festival time, the daytimes here tend to be relaxed, with people sipping cocktails in beach clubs and enjoying chill music and the occasional dips in the sea. Some clubs have their own pool areas where you can enjoy the friendly atmosphere.
As the sun starts to set, the parties begin, and the great thing about Zrce Beach is that it has so many bars and clubs in a relatively short, walkable area, so you can simply wander around and find the best party. Noa Beach Club is one of the most unique clubs in the area, with a huge pier where you can dance and party surrounded by the sparkling blue seas.
At the other end of the beach is Kalypso, where the party often spills out onto the seafront. DJ sets last until the small hours in this paradise-themed club, and there’s an outdoor chillout area right next to the sea. There’s also Euphoria Club, famous for its giant cocktails and outdoor parties that often go on long after the sun comes up.
But it’s the summer festivals that really bring in the crowds, with stages set up right on the beach, boat parties, and international DJ sets that last all night. Zrce Spring Break Croatia takes place over two weekends in 2026, on May 22 to 25 and June 4 to 7, and is set to include Spring break games, water sports, and of course, plenty of late nights.
One of the summer’s biggest events is the Balkan Wave festival, with acts from July 9 to 11. Regular tickets cost €89.99 (about £77) for all three days, or you can book accommodation packages from €229.99 (just under £200) which include four-nights accommodation in a basic apartment nearby plus access to the festival.
Many visitors stay in nearby Novalja, which during peak season has regular shuttle buses to and from Zrce Beach. Hotel Kaneo is popular with guests who want to enjoy the lively nightlife and is on a long stretch of sandy beach with rooms from £54 a night. For those on a budget, there’s the Casa La Cha – Hostel & Bar, which is also on the beach and has apartments that sleep up to eight people, making it ideal for groups.
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