Entertainment & Influence

Shot entirely in secret for fear of reprisal by the Iranian regime, Mohammad Rasoulof’s latest film The Seed of the Sacred Fig, is an urgent and emotional tribute to the Woman Life Freedom uprising and the ongoing fight for democracy in Iran. Notably, the film also marks the first time since the establishment of the Islamic Republic that Iranian actresses appear on the screen without wearing the mandatory hijab—a detail, which carries a tremendous symbolic significance both for the regime and the Iranian public.

Immersed in the American hip-hop and street culture of 1990s Los Angeles, Mami Shirakawa quickly became a trailblazer, shaping the cultural landscape as one of the earliest figures to introduce this culture to the East.

After years of songwriting for others, singer Olivia Marsh has debuted with ‘42’, an ode to her childhood home in Newcastle, Australia. Eastern Standard Times goes deep with Marsh about her musical journey and the influence growing up between Australia and Korea has left with her.

Payal Kapadia just became the first Indian Director to be nominated for a Golden Globe for her fiction feature debut All We Imagine As Light. Earlier this year, she was the first Indian woman to win a Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival for her fiction feature debut.

After years of making waves in Taiwan, Singer-songwriter Andr has released her debut LP, ‘shhh, it’s under my bed’. Eastern Standard Times sat down with Andr to discuss her eccentric approach to music and why Taiwan’s indie musicians are gaining attention abroad.

After years of collaboration, indie bands Hyukoh and Sunset Rollercoaster have joined forces for a unique album, AAA. Eastern Standard Times spoke with frontmen OHHYUK and Kuo about their journey to AAA and the power of music as a universal language.

In November, EST will be releasing As Above, So Below, an original doc chronicling the journey of Sikh/British CEO Nikita Chauhan. Ahead of the premiere, Keshia Hannam gets real with the director and subject of this honest short.

Asian fashion has often been overlooked or stereotyped in the global fashion scene. Asian New York Fashion Week is changing that.

Known for his environmental artwork, Chinese-American artist Michael Wang explores the impact of nuclear energy and its disproportionate effect on Asian and Indigenous communities.

Taiwanese band Accusefive celebrates their seventh anniversary with a world tour, capping off years of award-winning music that blends genres and resonates with fans. Eastern Standard Times goes deep with the trio about how their catchy tunes and energetic live shows are taking their unique sound global.