Latest news with #César
Scroll.in
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
Sunday book pick: In ‘The Famous Magician', Argentinian writer César Aira weighs literature in gold
'Magic, he said, was very limited, limited to itself: it was what it was and nothing more.' Argentinian writer César Aira's 2013 novella The Famous Magician begins with the musings of a writer who resembles Aira in many ways. 'Past sixty and enjoying a certain renown', the writer feels he has 'already read too much' and there's nothing new that he really wants to read. In addition to this, he has hit a writer's block. But neither concerns him too much since he's past the age to worry about money and in his semi-retirement stage has mercifully realised that he has saved up enough. A Faustian dilemma One morning, when he's at a secondhand book market that he frequents, he meets Ovando, a 'fat, scruffy man, somewhere in between forty and fifty' whom the narrator (César) considers the 'residue of residue' of real booksellers. While he was predisposed to ignoring Ovando, something peculiar happens that morning which shifts César's sense of reality. Ovando suggests that he can 'bend' the laws of physics. Taking it as ramblings of a madman, the narrator jokes with him and shows him the different ways that he can mess with the laws of physics. Putting an end to the banter, he transforms a cube of sugar into pure, solid gold. He doesn't stop here – Ovando offers to take César under his wing. But there's a condition: he must give up writing. And what about reading, César enquires. Ovando solemnly says, 'It's a waste of time and dangerous for the purity of the soul.' Both reading and writing have to go. César is in a real Faustian dilemma: Should he surrender his soul? After years of 'laboriously' writing fiction and 'sweating away like Sisyphus', an opportunity of 'magical instantaneity' has finally arrived. César doesn't want to lose out on it but he's sceptical about giving up Literature. He decides to consult his friends (also intellectuals) and his wife, who is away. He'll have to email her. Even as the possibility of becoming a magician looms in his mind, he's not free of mundane obstacles such as the internet that stops functioning when he has to write to his wife or the work that demands his attention. His friends are intrigued by the offer but immediately shoot it down. The clause is too ridiculous – reading is harmful and that was why it was so 'cherished'. Moreover, his friends were no strangers to magic. One of them rubs a pencil stub between his fingers and transforms it into a Montblanc Bohème. This discovery saddens César, who rues that he has 'never lived'. All he has done is read and write and enjoyed the devotion of a handful of writers – 'a simulacrum of real life.' As he considers the offer and waits to hear back from his wife (who is wiser than Hegel!), César has to take a short trip to Egypt for a literary event. At the airport, he is subjected to humiliating interrogation and he starts to worry about how strict rules for international travel were stopping artists from playing rogue, an element essential for creating fantastic art. Sweating away like Sisyphus Too caught up in real life, César almost forgets Ovando's offer. The deadline has come and gone, and César has to give an answer. César, despite saying he has given up writing, cannot stop thinking about the many sleights of hand and tricks that he has employed in the course of his literary career to write fiction. He had polished rough ideas into shiny themes and plots. In fact, he has become so good at it that he is knowledgeable enough to teach and formulate theories. Like his friends and Ovando, he is also creating magic, albeit slowly and at great personal frustration. Over time, the gold cube loses its sheen and so does the Montblanc pen, whose nib becomes dull. And yet, it is César's laboriously constructed fiction that generates new meanings and ideas with every read. And much like magic, it demands the suspension of belief and an implicit trust in the written word. In The Famous Magician, author César Aira considers the entanglements of fiction and reality, including the tremendous power that an author holds in creating the world of make-believe while borrowing liberally from real lives. Between Ovand's transformation of sugar into gold and the narrator's concocting elaborate stories, the line between magic and creative power begins to fade. While the author's 'magic' is there for his readers to see – concrete and sure, the same cannot be said for Ovando's trick.
The National
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Campaigners protest outside Holyrood demanding better paternity leave
'The Dad Strike', organised jointly by charities The Dad Shift and Scottish-based Dads Rock, is calling for the UK to bring its paternal leave laws in line with comparable countries. It comes after a parliamentary report published yesterday called the UK's paternal leave system 'one of the worst in the developed world'. Under the current system, fathers are entitled to two weeks of paid leave, with those eligible receiving £187.18 a week or 90% of their average earnings, whichever is lower. Thomas Lynch, chief executive of Dads Rock, said there is 'a huge disparity' in how people can access paternal leave in the UK. READ MORE: SNP minister responds to 'secret meeting to discuss John Swinney leadership' reports 'There's a whole range of families who are getting next to nothing [in paternal leave] and we know that ultimately that's not good for the child, relationships, or mental health,' he said. Lynch added: 'We believe that small change could make a huge amount of difference to families and get them on the right foot to begin with as opposed to the pressure that you feel at the moment to return to work or to go back to work.' (Image: NQ) Attending the protest with his baby daughter was César, from Spain. The country boasts one of the most impressive paternity leave systems, where all parents are guaranteed sixteen weeks of uninterrupted, full-paid leave. He has lived in Scotland for ten years and had to go through the UK's parental leave system when his daughter was born. Comparing his experience with that of friends and family in Spain, he found the UK system 'unfair'. César said: 'My wife had a C-section. That's a major intervention and the recovery time is six weeks.' 'After two weeks, I had to go back to work for five days. Everything after that was covered by my holiday allowance. Our extended family are in Spain, so it gets really difficult.' Also present at the protest was Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell, who called the current system 'completely unsustainable'. 'It's not just unfair on dads but on their partners as well. It is really outdated, and we need to be extending paternal leave to way beyond two weeks.' While the matter of paternal leave can ultimately only be changed by Westminster, Ruskell believed the Scottish government could 'set a positive example' by changing paternity leave rules for employees in bodies such as the Scottish Parliament, where Ruskell says he has been asking for better paternity leave for his parliamentary staff. (Image: NQ) The UK government is carrying out a review, which is due before mid-July, and would look at all current parental leave entitlements. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'While employment legislation - including maternity and paternity rights - is reserved to the UK Parliament, the Scottish Government continue to champion and support fair work practices. 'Scottish Ministers have called on the UK Government to enhance current paternal leave and pay provision as part of its wider Make Work Pay reforms and will continue to do so as the relevant legislation is developed.'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Roman Polanski's ‘An Officer and a Spy' to Play in U.S., Six Years After Venice Premiere
Roman Polanski's 'An Officer and a Spy' is finally getting a U.S. release, six years after premiering at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize under Lucrecia Martel's jury. The film, which won four of its 12 César nominations including Best Director in 2020, is now set for a two-week limited engagement, starting August 8, at New York City's Film Forum. Film Forum isn't handling the release beyond showings at its own venue, IndieWire has learned, which were booked by 'An Officer and a Spy' producer Alain Goldman. News of the engagement was included deep into Film Forum's summer programming announcement that went out Monday, June 9 (and also highlighted by World of Reel). More from IndieWire 'Horsegirls' Review: The World's Most Unexpected Sport Provides a Clever Way Into This Very Personal Dramedy Chanel Returns to New York City for Its Star-Studded 18th Annual Tribeca Artists Dinner 'An Officer and a Spy' is led by Louis Garrel, who portrays French army Captain Alfred Dreyfus after his trial. The politically scandalous Dreyfus affair took place around the turn of the 19th century in France, with Dreyfus banished to Devil's Island after being found guilty of treason, accused of spreading military secrets to Germany. It was later discovered that the trial's verdict was decided upon, and with little evidence, due to Dreyfus' Jewish faith amid a climate of antisemitism in France. In the film, Jean Dujardin plays the French head of counter-espionage, Georges Picquart, who eventually helped reveal Dreyfus' innocence amid Picquart's own arrest and imprisonment for his views. The scandal was first depicted onscreen by Georges Méliès in 1899. Polanski's film comes with a personal bent: The Oscar-winning director, who has been accused and charged of various counts of sexual assault and has since exiled himself from Hollywood after numerous legal battles, distributed press notes before the premiere of 'An Officer and a Spy' at Venice, citing the parallels between his career and Dreyfus' legacy. 'I can see the same determination to deny the facts and condemn me for things I have not done,' Polanski wrote. 'My work is not therapy. However, I must admit that I am familiar with many of the workings of the apparatus of persecution shown in the film, and that has clearly inspired me.' 'An Officer and a Spy' went on to receive four nominations at the European Film Awards as well as its 12 César noms — the most that year at the French film honors — after a theatrical release in Europe. The film hasn't been seen in the U.S. until now. Polanski's last movie to receive a U.S. release was 2017's 'Based on a True Story.' Other assault allegations have followed the director since he sexually assaulted Samantha Geimer in 1977 when she was 13, leading North American distributors to distance themselves from his work. Geimer has since forgiven and even defended Polanski. 'An Officer and a Spy,' however, is not even Polanski's most recent movie. His 2023 'The Palace,' also a Venice Film Festival premiere, starred Mickey Rourke and John Cleese and garnered the kind of excorciating reviews for its eat-the-rich satire that all but guaranteed the film would never play in the U.S. It was a box-office bomb in Europe. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Top Chef' tearful elimination in Milan determines the chefs moving on to the Season 22 finale
We reached a big location change for Top Chef, with the remaining four competitors landing in Milan, Italy. They met host Kristen Kish near the famous Duomo di Milano, where this week's competition started with a Quickfire Challenge. The chefs had to present their own version of a risotto dish in 35 minutes and there was $15,000 up for grabs for the winner. But the challenge was not being taken into account to determine who moves through to the finale. Tristen won the challenge making a West African risotto with heirloom tomatoes and charred buttered greens. Moving on to the elimination challenge, Kirsh introduced the three-part heat-to-head tournament, with the chefs tasked with featuring ingredients from Milan, Cortina and places in between. Round 1 was centred around polenta and the winner of that round automatically secures their spot in the finale. The three remaining chefs compete in the next round, focused on beet dishes, and the winner of that round moves on to the finale. Finally, the remaining two chefs move on to the third round of cooking, presenting a dish with gorgonzola cheese. Four Olympians and Paralympians joined Top Chef in Milan. Elana Meyers Taylor, five-time U.S. Olympic medalist in bobsled, Red Gerard, U.S. Olympic gold medalist in snowboarding, Declan Farmer, three-time Paralympic gold medalist in sled hockey, and Oksana Masters, 19-time U.S. Paralympic medalist in para biathlon, para cross-country skiing, para cycling and para rowing. Joining the judges panel was Ali Ghzawi from Top Chef World All Stars, and chef and owner of Alee, and Andrea Aprea, chef and owner of Andrea Aprea Ristorante Milano. Round 1 dishes were as follows: Tristen — Cou cou with pwason nan sos and epis-marinated mackerel César — Polenta cake with black walnut ice cream and candied prosciutto Shuai — Five-spice roast duck on creamy polenta Bailey — Creamy polenta with roaster mushrooms, hazelnuts and herbs Each judge held a paddle for the polenta dish they liked the best. Tristen and César each got one vote, Bailey got two votes and Shuai won with three votes, securing his spot in the finale. Ali said it was brilliant and the polenta really stood out. Tom Colicchio said the duck was beautifully cooked. Moving on to the second round, the chef had to complete their beet dishes in 30 minutes, while Shuai got to watch his competitors cook. Tristen — Glazed beets, smoked beet purée, beet pikliz and pork belly César — Beet tostada with chipotle mayo and salsa verde Bailey — Grilled beets with brown butter caper vinaigrette and whipped ricotta At the end of that round, Tristen got a whopping six votes, with César getting three votes for the best dish, and Bailey couldn't get any votes. Kristen said Tristen's dish was "technically flawless," while Tom said Bailey's big flaw was the dish was more cheese forward than beet forward. In the final round to get a spot in the finale, Bailey and César had 30 minutes to make a gorgonzola dish. César — Butternut squash casserole with gorgonzola sauce and sage pesto Bailey — Polenta gratinata with brûléed gorgonzola And in the final deliberation, César was eliminated from the competition. Tom said Bailey's dish was more "focused" on the gorgonzola, which pushed her ahead. And that takes us to the final cook of Top Chef Season 22.
Time Out
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Three U.S. restaurants just made this year's World's 100 Best Restaurants list
Ahead of the grand reveal of The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025—set to be announced in Turin, Italy on Thursday June 19—the extended list of restaurants ranked 51 to 100 has landed, and three U.S. standouts made the global list, including two seafood-focused stunners in New York. This year's selection spans six continents and 25 countries and, as always, is a showcase of global culinary excellence. From São Paulo to San Francisco, Atxondo to Queenstown, restaurants across 37 cities made the cut. And while these dining destinations didn't manage to crack that coveted top 50 list, they're anything but second tier. In the United States, one newcomer and two previous list-makers have been recognized. César in New York makes its debut at number 98. Helmed by César Ramirez—whose résumé includes such acclaimed kitchens as The French Laundry, Le Bernardin and Brooklyn Fare—it's a sleek, seafood-centered temple of precision and power, with dishes like his now-iconic uni toast. Atelier Crenn in San Francisco returns to the list at number 96. Chef Dominique Crenn's tasting menu remains one of the most emotionally resonant experiences in the game, with her team (including dessert wizard Juan Contreras) delivering magic plate after plate. And a second NYC restaurant, the legendary Le Bernardin, comes in at number 90. Here, chef Eric Ripert continues to elevate globally influenced French cuisine across multiple tasting menus in an effortlessly elegant setting. You can check out which other exceptional eateries made it to the World's 50 Best extended list here. As for that other half of the prestigious rankings, the top 50 best restaurants will be announced on June 19 at a lavish Italian ceremony. Last year, two U.S. restaurants made the list—Atomix in New York, NY and Single Thread in Healdsburg, CA. If you want to catch the action, the ceremony will be livestreamed from Turin at 8pm (local time) on the World's 50 Best YouTube channel.
