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London prosecutor calls Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey 'a sexual bully' who preys on men
Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey got a thrill preying on other men and escalated his behavior from touchy-feely advances to hostile fondling and worse, a prosecutor told jurors Friday during Spacey's sexual assault trial in London.
Spacey is "a man who does not respect personal boundaries or space, a man who it would seem delights in making others feel powerless and uncomfortable — a sexual bully," prosecutor Christine Agnew said in her opening statement. "His preferred method of assault is, it appears, to grab aggressively other men in the crotch."
Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges involving four men and allegations that date from 2001 to 2013, when he worked at London's Old Vic Theatre. The charges include sexual assault, indecent assault and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.
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The stakes for the American actor are high. A conviction could send him to prison, while an acquittal could allow for a career comeback.
Defense lawyer Patrick Gibbs said Spacey denied all allegations of nonconsensual activity and told jurors to ask themselves as they listened to the evidence what — if anything — had occurred when he was with the men. He suggested the alleged victims had other motives and said that Spacey had left himself open to opportunists when he came out as gay in 2020.
"What has been reimagined with a sinister spin?" Gibbs said. "What has been made up or twisted and why and when because all of these allegations happened a long time ago."
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He said jurors would hear truths, half-truths, deliberate exaggerations and "many damned lies."
Spacey, wearing spectacles and dressed in a light gray suit, white shirt and gold tie, leaned forward behind a window in the dock, listening intently as his lawyer provided a brief overview of the case. Gibbs will present a longer opening statement after the prosecution rests its case.
The actor served as the Old Vic Theatre's artistic director from 2003 until 2015. The four men who have accused Spacey of sexual assault, now in their 30s or 40s, did not know each other, but all "had the misfortune to attract" his attention, Agnew said.
One victim said he was frequently groped against his wishes by Spacey in the early 2000s, culminating with a day when he was driving and the actor, who had been drinking, grabbed his privates so hard it took his breath away and he nearly ran off the road. He told Spacey to never do that again.
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Spacey "laughed and commented that his getting angry simply turned him on," Agnew said.
Spacey narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips as Agnew spoke, occasionally jotting notes with a pencil on the pages of a large black binder he carried into court.
During questioning by police last year, Spacey said he was "baffled and deeply hurt" by those allegations from someone he considered a friend. He said the events had been reimagined into lies.
Agnew said Spacey seemed to be confident the men wouldn't tell anyone — that the word of a celebrity would be more believable than from someone who wasn't famous.
"None of the men wanted to be touched by Kevin Spacey ... in a sexual way, but he doesn't seem to have cared very much for their feelings," the prosecutor said. "He did what he wanted to do for his own personal sexual gratification."
Another man who said Spacey groped him at a charity event in 2005 only told one friend about it until speaking with police in 2017.
"Kevin Spacey ... was a star, a golden boy as he put it," Agnew said about the man. "He wasn't sure he would be believed, and even if he had been, he didn't think that he would receive any support."
In his statement to police, Spacey said he hadn't done anything without consent. He said it was "entirely possible and indeed likely" he had made a "clumsy pass" but denied grabbing anyone's crotch. He suggested some of the men were seeking financial gain.
An aspiring actor who said he reached out to Spacey for career advice ended up at his London apartment drinking beer and smoking marijuana in 2008. He either fell asleep or passed out on the sofa and when he awoke, Spacey was performing oral sex on him, Agnew said.
The man, who was in his early 20s, said Spacey told him not to tell anyone what had happened and not to mention he had been in Spacey's apartment. The man said he was in shock as Spacey held the door open for him to leave, and that he then walked to a bus stop where he sat down and cried.
He decided to speak with police in 2017 after reading about allegations against Spacey in the U.S., Agnew said.
Spacey's career was derailed when sexual misconduct allegations against him arose as the #MeToo movement exploded. He was written off the Netflix political thriller "House of Cards," where he played lead character Frank Underwood, a ruthless and corrupt congressman who becomes president. He was cut from the completed film "All the Money in the World," with the scenes getting reshot with Christopher Plummer.
A jury of nine men and five women, including two alternates, will decide his fate during the four-week trial in Southwark Crown Court, where he is identified by his full name, Kevin Spacey Fowler. The actor, who has homes in London and the U.S., is free on bail.
Spacey became one of the most celebrated actors of his generation in the 1990s, starring in films including "Glengarry Glen Ross" and "LA Confidential."
He has earned multiple prominent acting awards for the theater, the silver screen and television. He won an Academy Award for supporting actor in "The Usual Suspects" in 1995 and best actor Oscar for the 1999 movie "American Beauty."
Spacey recently had his first film role in several years, appearing in 2022 in Italian director Franco Nero's "The Man Who Drew God," and playing the late Croatian President Franjo Tudjman in the biopic "Once Upon a Time in Croatia." He also stars in the unreleased U.S. film "Peter Five Eight."
He has suggested he would be in demand if he is acquitted.
"There are people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges," Spacey said in an interview published this month in Germany's Zeit magazine.
Agnew told jurors they would have to evaluate the credibility of the victims and decide if they were telling the truth or manufacturing allegations for profit.
"The prosecution suggest that Mr. Spacey ... abused the power and influence that his reputation and fame afforded him," Agnew said. "Taking what and who he wanted, when he wanted."
IAB celebrates World Music Day
The Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB) organised a captivating musical evening marking World Music Day at the IAB Center in Agargaon of Dhaka on Wednesday.
The event showcased the rich musical traditions and talents of Bengal, encompassing a diverse range of genres such as modern, band, pop, jazz, folk, Nazrul songs, and Rabindra Sangeet.
With the slogan "music must be free; doubtless," the IAB organised the event in solidarity with 110 countries around the world in their shared love for music. The tradition of celebrating World Music Day originated on June 21, 1985, when Europe initiated the festivities, and it has since been embraced by people worldwide.
Read: Rahul Ananda, Max Vandervorst enthrall audiences as AFD celebrates World Music Day
This day serves as an occasion to celebrate the art of music and the cultural diversity it represents. It is a day for people of all backgrounds, regardless of caste, religion, or colour, to unite and experience the transformative power of music.
"We are delighted to celebrate the diverse genres of Bengali music on this special day," according to an IAB media release issued on Thursday.
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Music serves as a constant companion, akin to a good friend, always by people's side. It is often referred to as the universal language as it transcends cultural and linguistic boundaries, it reads.
Among others, IAB vice president for national affairs Prof Ali Naqi and its secretary for heritage and culture Mohammed Ziaul Sharif were present on the occasion.
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Rahul Ananda, Max Vandervorst enthrall audiences as AFD celebrates World Music Day
In celebration of the World Music Day 2023, a multidisciplinary musical and theatrical performance titled "Made in Bangladesh" by Max Vandervorst of Belgium and Rahul Ananda of Bangladesh was staged Tuesday night at the Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Dhanmondi in the capital.
Popular Bangladeshi musician and ‘Joler Gaan’ frontman Rahul Ananda and Belgian musician-artist Max Vandervost have collaborated on this multidisciplinary music and theater project celebrating the day, titled 'Made in Bangladesh'.
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In this project, they used and merged different parts of the rickshaw and bicycle to create euphonic harmony, enthralling the audiences. This project has been in development at Alliance Française de Dhaka premises for the past week as they have worked together to make it a reality.
The one-hour performance featured a theatrical journey of a boy fascinated with bicycles, as well as a musical battle between Bangladeshi and Belgian artistes.
The project is part of the EUNIC cluster in Bangladesh (Alliance Française, Goethe-Institut, British Council, Spanish Embassy, and Embassy of the Netherlands) and the EU Delegation in Bangladesh.
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Also sponsored by SUEZ international and I’M Export Ltd, the project’s featured artist Max Vandervorst is a composer and inventor of musical instruments. He has put together several performances, showcasing instruments he created using a wide variety of objects as raw material since 1988.
His musical numbers including “Symphony for Abandoned Objects”, “Concerto for Two Bicycles”, “The Man from Spa”, and “The Paper Orchestra”, have all been performed numerous times in many different countries including Bangladesh.
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The other half in the duo, Rahul Ananda, born in Habiganj in Sylhet, is the lyricist, composer, and vocalist of the vastly popular band ‘Joler Gaan’ in Bangladesh. The band has garnered polarizing popularity across the country through making new instruments and sometimes customizing foreign ones.
The instruments of Joler Gaan are usually portable and do not require electric wires and jacks. Besides, Rahul Ananda plays the flute, clarinet, and mandola. The fine art graduate is also a freelance visual artist and theater activist.
The event will be followed by another performance today at the French International School of Dhaka.
Symon-Mahi's LIVE movie is coming to Bongo!
On the occasion of Eid al-Adha, popular streaming platform Bongo is bringing "Live", a psycho-thriller movie loosely based on a true event. The movie was released in theaters across the country in September last year. Now viewers will be able to enjoy the movie online through the Bongo app.
After Poramon and Jannat, the popular duo Symon-Mahi are back on the screen with the movie "Live".
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Directed by Shamim Ahamed Roni the movie is produced by Shapla Media. It also stars Adar Azad, Khairul Bashar, Shiba Shanu, Amin Sarkar and Saberi Alam.
Someone gets killed in the family of Milon (Symon) and Joya (Mahi). Who killed him and what was his motive? This murder mystery is the central theme of the movie "Live". Moreover there are some pleasant twists and turns for the audience.
Mahiya Mahi's performance in the movie "Live" has already won cinema-goers' praise. Symon Sadik's exceptional performance impressed the audience as well. Shiva Shanu, a famous actor for negative roles in Bengali cinema, this time broke free from his typecast and portrayed the role of a DB officer. The movie also starred Adar Azad, a young star of this time. He surprised the audience with his sharp performance.
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To know the details you have to watch the movie "Live" on the Bongo App.
Father's Day 2023: Entertainment stars on social media, in reminiscence of loving fathers
On Sunday, people across the world are celebrating World Father's Day 2023 as the day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June every year. Although every child is cherished to the fullest extent by the father and love for the father cannot be confined to one day, World Father's Day is observed annually to add a little extra meaning to the relationship with this figure of trust in everyone's lives.
Marking the occasion of Father's Day, some of the popular entertainment stars of Bangladesh reminisce about their fathers which they shared with fans through their Facebook posts.
Read: Alliance Française de Dhaka celebrates ‘Fête de la Musique 2023’
Prominent actor Chanchal Chowdhury has recently lost his father, and marking the occasion of Father's Day 2023, the actor shared a photo of his father with a heartfelt caption: "How dark, faded the world is for a child without a father... only the child who has lost his father knows that. Father's Day has been a sea of salty tears to me since this year, similar to the wail of a crying child."
"On this occasion, I pray that may all fathers rest in peace in this world or hereafter. Respect to all fathers," he wrote.
Popular web series 'Mohanagar'-famed director Ashfaque Nipun wrote, "Happy Father’s Day Abbu. I wish I could show you off to the world how handsome you were, your swag and the great taste in music, cinema & arts you had. Thanks you have instilled all your aesthetics in me and I take great pride that I look like you. Thanks for being the rock-solid base in our lives even if you left very very early. You are the best father I could’ve asked for. Love you."
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Singer Ankhi Alamgir shared a Facebook Reels video wishing his father and eminent silver screen actor Alamgir on Saturday. The video is a collage with photographs of the father-daughter duo alongside the family members, as well as some of his career highlights as an actor.
Sharing a photo with her father and family members, actress Ashna Habib Bhabna wrote, "Early Father’s Day lunch. The most important thing in the world is family and love.… Alhamdulillah for everything."
Model and actress Shabnam Faria shared a photo with her late father, writing, "Happy Father’s to all the amazing fathers … Rabbir Hamhuma Kama Rabba Yani Sagheera…"
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Besides, many other stars and celebrities have also been sharing their favourite moments with their fathers on Facebook and other social media sites such as Instagram as well.
Alliance Française de Dhaka celebrates ‘Fête de la Musique 2023’
French language and cultural institution Alliance Française de Dhaka has celebrated the ‘Fête de la Musique 2023’, globally known as World Music Day with a series of musical performances in its La Galerie on Saturday,
The Fête de la Musique, also known in English as Music Day, Make Music Day or World Music Day, is an annual music celebration. Introduced in 1982, the Fête de la Musique is observed on June 21, which is the day of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere.
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The event was open to any participant be they amateur or professional musicians who wished to perform, and it also featured seasoned Belgian music composer-artist Max Vendervorst, alongside Bangladeshi artists such as Rahul Ananda, Mizanuddin Khan, Rahin Haider and more.
Like every year, Alliance Française de Dhaka is organising several musical concerts, showcasing both solo and group performances.
The next event, a multidisciplinary musical and theatrical performance titled Made in Bangladesh by Rahul Ananda and Max Vandervorst will take place at AFD on June 20 and French International School of Dhaka - EFID (Ecole Française Internationale de Dacca) on June 21.
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Aiming to integrate through the universal language of melody and rhythm, the Fête de la Musique inspires an overture to a participative lyrical voyage by putting forward thousands of free concerts all over the world.
World Music Day to be celebrated Saturday at AFD
Alliance Française de Dhaka is going to celebrate “Fête de la Musique 2023” which is globally known as 'World Music Day' with a series of musical performances in its La Galerie on Saturday from 4.30 pm to 9:00 pm.
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The Fête de la Musique is open to any participant—be they amateur or professional musicians— who wish to perform in this joyful event. All the participating musicians are asked to perform for free, and all of the concerts are free to the public.
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Like every year, Alliance Française de Dhaka is organising several musical concerts — both solo and group performances. Fête de la Musique brings about a great opportunity to immerse and participate in a musical expedition by offering thousands of free concerts all over the world.
AI has enabled a 'final' Beatles song, Paul McCartney says
Sir Paul McCartney has revealed that he used artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in the creation of "the final Beatles record."
He told BBC Radio 4's Today show that the technique was used to "extricate" John Lennon's voice from an old tape so he could finish the song, reports BBC.
"We just finished it up and it'll be released this year," he explained.
McCartney did not name the song, although it is most likely “Now And Then,” a 1978 Lennon tune.
It was suggested as a possible “reunion song” for the Beatles in 1995, while they were putting together their career-spanning Anthology series.
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Yoko Ono, John Lennon's widow, had given McCartney the demo a year before. It was one of several songs on a tape titled “For Paul” produced by John Lennon shortly before his death in 1980, said the report.
The tunes, which are lo-fi and embryonic, were mostly recorded onto a boombox while the musician sat at a piano in his New York residence.
Two of those songs, “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love,” were finished and released in 1995 and 1996, respectively, by producer Jeff Lynne, marking the Beatles' first “new” work in 25 years.
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The band also attempted to record “Now And Then,” an apologetic love song typical of John Lennon's later career, but the session was short-lived.
"It was one day - one afternoon, really - messing with it," Lynne recalled.
"The song had a chorus but is almost totally lacking in verses. We did the backing track, a rough go that we really didn't finish."
Later, McCartney stated that George Harrison refused to work on the song because the sound quality of Lennon's singing was "rubbish."
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"It didn't have a very good title, it needed a bit of reworking, but it had a beautiful verse and it had John singing it," he told Q Magazine.
"[But] George didn't like it. The Beatles being a democracy, we didn't do it."
There were also said to have been technical issues with the original recording, which featured a persistent "buzz" from the electricity circuits in Lennon's apartment.
A bootleg CD containing a fresh version of the demo without the background noise was published in 2009. Fans have theorized that this recording may not have been available in 1995, implying that it was stolen from his residence after his death, along with other personal things.
Sir Paul McCartney has regularly stated his wish to complete the Beatles song in the ensuing years.
First-ever Dhaka Summer Con 2023 to take place July 12-14
Celebrating the increasing craze for pop culture in the country, the first-ever Dhaka Summer Con 2023 will be held for three days on July 12, 13 and 14 at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital.
Event management and public relations company MediaQuest Bangladesh is going to organize this festival with segments including cosplay competitions, concerts, comic books, experience zone, kids zone, games, hip-pop, K-pop, food zone and panel discussions.
According to the organisers, Dhaka Summer Con is being organized with the vision of creating a globally inspiring experience and setting a footprint on International platforms in the respective communities.
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The festival will feature cosplayers onstage portraying their favourite comic, superhero, and movie characters and will showcase costume plays through which they will entertain the audience with freestyle performances. Dhaka Summer Con will be a gathering of several popular characters such as Superman, Spider-Man, Pikachu, Naruto and more, the organisers informed.
There will be a dedicated zone for comic lovers which will include a huge collection of comics, especially the vintage classics. The organisers aspire that this will bring nostalgia among comic lovers.
As per the offerings regarding music, concert enthusiasts will get enamoured through the performances of their favourite heavy metal, rock and pop bands and solo artists at the event. There will also be performances by various pop music groups including Hip-hop, K-pop, and J-pop.
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At the three-day Dhaka Summer Con, local and foreign companies will display their products and services in the pavilions. There will also be an ‘Artist Alley’ where various action figures and rare toy collections will be displayed.
The Experience Zone will also be packed with VR experiences, fan ‘meet and greet’ sessions, comic and cosplay merchandising outlets and get-togethers among the pop enthusiasts. There will be a dedicated food court with various kinds of food at the festival throughout its entirety.
Dhaka Summer Con 2023 convener and co-founder of MediaQuest Bangladesh Tariqul Sumon said, "We are going to organize this festival for the first time with various entertaining activities. In addition to meeting favourite superhero performances or favourite cosplay artists, Dhaka Summer Con will become a meeting place for all the popular music bands of the country. In this festival, cosplay performers of three categories - solo, group and kids, will be awarded as winners.
He added, 'There will be a specialized kids zone for children in the festival where children can enjoy and play safely; and through the registration process, parents can leave their children and enjoy other activities at the festival. Moreover, we have kept several surprises that will give our audiences and pop enthusiasts extra amusement, and we hope Dhaka Summer Con 2023 will add a new dimension to this celebration of pop culture in the country.”
Details about Dhaka Summer Con 2023 are available on the official Facebook page of the event at https://www.facebook.com/dhakasummercon.
Kolkata 20th Tele Cine Awards: Afzal Hossain, Chanchal Chowdhury, Bappa Mazumder honoured
Several Bangladeshi artists were honoured in multiple categories for enthralling audiences, transcending the borders between the two Bengala at the Kolkata 20th Tele Cine Awards on Sunday (June 4, 2023).
Eminent Bangladeshi thespian-painter Afzal Hossain received the Lifetime Achievement Award, while "Hawa"-famed star Chanchal Chowdhury received the award for best actor. Bidya Sinha Mim received best actress for her stellar performance in "Poran" and Bappy Chowdhury received a special award at the 2023 edition of the award.
Popular singer Bappa Mazumder received best male singer, and Samina Chowdhury was awarded best female singer at the awards, held at the Nazrul Mancha in Kolkata.
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“For such a long time, we have been trying to take Bangla content to a whole new level. Owing to unforeseen circumstances, we couldn't screen our films and dramas here for many years but we are glad that now our audiences are able to enjoy our content," said Chanchal Chowdhury.
“I want to express my gratitude to the jury board and all of the participants and everyone associated with this event. I also want to express my gratitude to all of my listeners and well-wishers. Stay well everyone, and keep supporting our Bengali music," Bappa Mazumder wrote on his official Facebook profile.
At the 19th edition of the Tele Cine Awards in 2022, a number of Bangladeshi artists were honoured namely Momtaz Begom, Azmeri Haque Badhon, Mir Sabbir, Deepanwita Martin, Masud Hasan Ujjal, SI Tutul, Chanchal Chowdhury, Zakia Bari Mamo and Anika Tasnim.
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The Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 was handed over to eminent singer Runa Laila and evergreen Bangladeshi actor Alamgir, while late actor-politician Akbar Hossain Pathan Farooque MP received the honour in 2021.