All posts tagged: Inspired

How a boy and his eagle in Mongolia inspired Siyuan Aw’s debut picture book

How a boy and his eagle in Mongolia inspired Siyuan Aw’s debut picture book

Published by Sam Flores

He is also already at work on his next book, incidentally bird-themed as well. Unlike the stark, sparse landscapes of Mongolia, the treatment this time is lush, bold and tropical. Inspired by his travels in the Amazon and the Andes, it will draw on myth, magic and indigenous knowledge, where hornbills serve as plant teachers and spiritual messengers. Incidentally, a pair of them has recently taken to visiting his home, sometimes perching on his canvas. Beyond that, he refuses to say more. “I shan’t break the spell,” he said with a laugh. Reflecting on his journey, Aw said loss has changed the way he moves through the world. “Sometimes growth comes from letting go. From travelling without a map, being open, and allowing ourselves to be part of a bigger narrative.” Our Wings As One is available at Kinokuniya Singapore, Woods in the Books, Littered with Books, Wardah Books, Book Bar, Eliko, and other major and independent bookstores. Source link

How ‘Jurassic Park,’ Steven Spielberg Inspired Indie Film on Othering

How ‘Jurassic Park,’ Steven Spielberg Inspired Indie Film on Othering

Published by Daniella Wilson

The Boy With the Light-Blue Eyes, the genre-bending Greek feature film debut of writer-director Thanasis Neofotistos, may be set in a time that is not specified. But the auteur and his creative team serve up visual references to the recent past. Eagle-eyed audiences will even notice a tribute to a certain group of extinct reptiles that, it turns out, inspired the filmmaker who will world premiere the movie as part of the Screen Festival of SXSW London 2026 on Thursday, June 4. The Boy With the Light-Blue Eyes, a cinematic allegory for exclusion and the desire for love and freedom, which can also be viewed as a queer coming-of-age story, stars Giorgos Karydis as Petros, a boy forced by his strict grandmother, and the village mayor, to hide behind a mask because he has blue eyes. After all, that eye color is a source of fear and superstition for the locals of the remote mountain village where they live. Co-written by Neofotistos and Grigoris Skarakis, the film features cinematography by Djordje Arambasic, with editing courtesy of Panagiotis Angelopoulos. Gersh is …

Tell us: have you had a holiday disaster that could have inspired a TV show? | Television

Tell us: have you had a holiday disaster that could have inspired a TV show? | Television

Published by Sam Flores

With the release of Two Weeks in August, along with new series of Four Seasons and White Lotus, it seems we can’t get enough TV about holidays from hell. With this in mind, we would like to hear your own stories of holiday mishaps. Do you have a nightmare holiday story that could have inspired a TV show? Tell us all about it below. Share your experience You can tell us your story using this form. Your responses, which can be anonymous, are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. We will only use the data you provide us for the purpose of the feature and we will delete any personal data when we no longer require it for this purpose. For alternative ways to get in touch securely please see our tips guide. Tell us your nightmare holiday story Please include as much detail as possible. If you are happy to, please upload a photo from your holiday here Optional Please note, the maximum file size …

‘I can gauge John’s reaction: that’s good, stick that in’: Paul McCartney on how old bandmates – and Oasis – inspired his nostalgic new album | Paul McCartney

‘I can gauge John’s reaction: that’s good, stick that in’: Paul McCartney on how old bandmates – and Oasis – inspired his nostalgic new album | Paul McCartney

Published by Sam Flores

‘How far do you want to go back?” In his office overlooking Soho Square in London, Paul McCartney and I sit together on a small sofa, reminiscing. The room smells deep and resinous and faintly ecclesiastical. There is a large green glass candle on the windowsill, and beyond, a view of plane trees, a flood of early afternoon sunlight. The building was bought by McCartney in 1974, and has long served as a home for his publishing company and other enterprises. On another floor, two members of his team survey prints of his late wife Linda’s photographs, spread out on the boardroom table. An assistant is busy arranging a bagel order, while in the small lift, someone is ferrying a trolley full of drinking glasses up to the kitchen, a convivial clink-clatter echoing through the floors. McCartney and I are discussing the earliest sounds he can remember, what Seamus Heaney once called “linguistic hardcore”; that is, the sounds that unconsciously bed the ear, providing a kind of aural foundation. The Boys of Dungeon Lane, McCartney’s …

The anti-Muslim rhetoric that inspired teen gunmen has been increasing for years

The anti-Muslim rhetoric that inspired teen gunmen has been increasing for years

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — That the teenage gunmen in the shooting deaths of three Muslim Americans at the Islamic Center of San Diego shared white supremacy ties and anti-Muslim hate is no surprise to Muslims across the United States. It was the first thing that came to my mind as I looked for more information and worked sources to corroborate the obvious. And it didn’t take long. First came San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl’s press conference hours after the murders of security guard Amin Abdullah, mosque shopkeeper and caretaker Mansour Kaziha and Nadir Awad, a neighbor of the mosque whose wife was a kindergarten teacher there. Wahl said that because the killings occurred at a house of worship, San Diego police were treating the case as a hate crime until more information on motive could be found. Within 72 hours, motive became more clear with the discovery of a 75-page manifesto titled “The New Crusade: Sons of Tarrant,” filled with Islamophobic and anti-Muslim rhetoric, antisemitic statements and the promotion of hate and violence, as law enforcement …

Jonas brothers’ family restaurant inspired by their great-grandmother is closing

Jonas brothers’ family restaurant inspired by their great-grandmother is closing

Published by Daniella Wilson

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more The Las Vegas restaurant co-owned by the Jonas Brothers’ parents and inspired by the rock band’s great-grandmother is closing its doors after four years. Nellie’s Southern Kitchen, the comfort food restaurant that served family recipes, shut down its Las Vegas location at the MGM Grand after service Monday. “We are grateful to our dedicated staff and loyal guests who filled that space with so many unforgettable moments over the years,” Manolis Alpogianis, a spokesperson for the restaurant, said in a statement to People. “As our lease approached its expiration, we made a strategic decision about where to focus our long-term efforts.” The mini restaurant chain is co-owned by Nick, Kevin, Joe and Franklin Jonas’ parents Denise and Kevin Jonas Sr. and is named after …

How Generational Sagas Inspired a Genealogy Journey

How Generational Sagas Inspired a Genealogy Journey

Published by Jenni Sidey

My DNA journey began long before I decided to invest in more intensive genealogical research, and I told myself it was imperative to writing fiction. I celebrated the championing of OwnVoices when it became a subject of much discussion in September 2015; I subscribed to Ancestry.com in October 2015. For the first time, the gloomy possibility that my multiracial identity meant I’d always be an outsider shifted one limb toward the brightness of having a unique perspective to offer the world of storytelling. Back then I wanted to write YA and the book world was talking about the dearth of stories written about marginalized communities by people from those communities in children’s literature. I looked out for books identified as OwnVoices, mostly reaching for Asian American stories because my long if infrequent visits to Singapore where it sometimes seemed I was related to every passerby helped me feel less an imposter in that culture. Asia is huge and contains an abundance of ethnicities but because my options for Singaporean kid lit were limited, I searched …

The chilling real-life moment that inspired BBC mystery drama Two Weeks in August

The chilling real-life moment that inspired BBC mystery drama Two Weeks in August

Published by Daniella Wilson

The creator of the BBC‘s gripping new mystery drama, Two Weeks in August, has revealed the unsettling real-life moment that inspired the series – and it sounds like something straight out of a thriller. Starring Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife) and Damien Molony (Bergerac), Two Weeks in August is set in Greece and follows Zoe, a woman who goes on holiday with her family and friends in a bid to rediscover joy in her life. © Robert Viglasky / BBCTWO WEEKS IN AUGUST cast But when she witnesses an illicit kiss, the trip soon spirals into a nightmare, prompting Zoe to act on her deepest desires. As a result, the holiday she hoped for becomes a reckoning for a group of adults who refuse to grow up. Speaking about the origins of the show, executive producer, creator and writer Catherine Shepherd sat down with HELLO! to reveal the inspiration behind the story, as well as why working with a psychologist became crucial in shaping the new BBC drama. WATCH: Two Weeks in August Trailer What …

AANHPI Graphic Novels Inspired by Mythology & Folklore

AANHPI Graphic Novels Inspired by Mythology & Folklore

Published by José Betancourt

May is Asian American, Native Hawai’ian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! One great way to celebrate is by reading graphic novels that celebrate and uplift the AANHPI community’s rich cultural history. Sometimes we can learn the most about a culture through their storytelling and the ways they envision magic in their own history and present. That’s why these AANHPI graphic novels for all ages specifically explore mythology, folklore, and spiritual traditions in creative, visual ways. These excellent reads for kids, teens, and adults are full of ancient magic, mythological heroes, fascinating histories, and fresh perspectives on immigrant and first generation experiences. Plenty will make you laugh, some will make you cry, and they’ll all give you something new to learn this AANHPI Heritage Month. Children’s AANHPI Graphic Novels Hi’iaka and Pana’ewa: A Hawaiian Graphic Legend by Gabrielle Ahuli’i, illustrated by Sarah Demonteverde While this short graphic novel was written for kids, it’s a lively way for readers of all ages to explore a classic Hawai’ian legend. When an evil lizard starts to turn Hawai’i’s verdant …

How Bad Bunny Inspired Artist Edra Soto’s Plastic Chairs Art

How Bad Bunny Inspired Artist Edra Soto’s Plastic Chairs Art

Published by Daniella Wilson

Grammy winner Bad Bunny has made quite an impact in recent years, including on artist Edra Soto. Having also grown up in Puerto Rico, Soto now intentionally repurposes objects and designs from her childhood into pieces of art that represent life on the small island, such as her upholstered plastic lawn chairs, which are deeply connected to Puerto Rican culture. She’s also been watching Bad Bunny‘s rise in fame and on the music charts over the last decade, appreciating his outspoken support for his home and community in Puerto Rico. So when the rapper released his 2025 album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (which went on to win album of the year at the 2026 Grammys), and the cover art featured two plastic lawn chairs, she knew it was time to bring her idea to life. “I had this idea a whole year before I made them,” Soto recently told CNN. “I was doubting myself. I was thinking maybe this is too on the nose.” Called the “BB chairs,” the chairs are covered in cheap fabric …