N°64 — Your cultural wrap

It’s the end of the year, we haven’t made any resolutions yet, but we do have a few recommendations for you—cultural ones, of course.

SOMETHING TO BINGE

Christelle recommends the dystopian series “Pluribus”, in which almost all of humanity has been transformed into a cross between zombies and AI, but who, for once, only seek to do good. • Marine, meanwhile, gives a strong thumbs up to the latest season of “Stranger Things”, which features some very badass mothers. • As a journalist and videographer, Alexandra was impressed by the series “Adolescence”, with each episode filmed in a single sequence shot with apparently no second takes. • Whilst Julia and Hélène fell in love with the raw and beautiful messages in the series “Empathie”. • And finally, Meredith believes she’s found you the perfect festive watch with the very moving mini-series “Miss Austen”, about the life of Jane Austen and her relationship with her sister Cassy.

SOMETHING FOR YOUR BOOK CLUB

Dorine, Christelle, and Julia loved Adèle Yon’s approach to recounting the life of her great-grandmother who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, in “Mon Vrai nom est Elisabeth“ (“My Real Name is Elisabeth”). • Alexandra reflected on the transformation that becoming a mother represents, and the transition period from pregnancy to postpartum, while reading “Matrescence” by Lucy Jones. • Morgane took an immersive trip to the Scottish Highlands, coming up against wolves, “monsters”, and the wilderness of both nature and the human heart in Charlotte McConaghy’s “Once there were wolves”.

OUR PLAYLIST WRAPPED

During his trips to Italy, France, and Hungary, Przemysław picked up three great records: “The Napoli Exchange” by Ex Generation, “Pulsar” by l’Impératrice and “Best of Presser Gábor: LGT válogatás I” by Locomotiv GT • Christelle never tires of the delicacy and richness of Feu! Chatterton and the sometimes joyful, sometimes melancholic atmosphere of their album “Labyrinthe”. • Thanks to StreetPress’s report, Hélène discovered the flow and style of the Greek rapper Negro Tou Moria. • Whilst Julia listened to Tame Impala’s “Deadbeat” and Noga Erez’s “The Vandalism” albums on repeat.

CINEMA FOR THOUGHT

Alexandra found a film that should speak to everyone, called “We Live In Time”, which captures the desire to live life to the fullest even when time is running out. • Morgane was very moved by “All the long nights”, which tackles themes rarely seen in Japanese cinema, such as PMS and anxiety disorders, and gives all its characters, even the secondary ones, a real place in the story. • Hélène was blown away by the documentary “White Right: meeting the Enemy”, in which white supremacists break down when director Deeyah Khan—a Muslim woman—asks them: “Have you ever wondered if you might be wrong in thinking the way you do?” or “Would you drive me back to the border?” A great lesson in journalism and empathy. • Marco promises he’s not exaggerating when he says that, “How Deep Is Your Love?” is one of the best documentaries he’s ever seen. There are no neo-Nazis in this one, just nameless creatures living in the depths of the ocean, which makes you see the world from its most supernatural perspective.

The team will be taking some time off over the next two weeks, but we will be back on the 7th January with the next edition of this newsletter.

Happy New Year,

Hélène on behalf of the Sphera team