Negotiators attempt to establish a six-week cease-fire and hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas before the start of the sacred Islamic month of Ramadan; Portugal holds a snap parliamentary election with a far-right party gaining traction; international films gain prominence at the ninety-sixth Academy Awards; and Chinese President Xi Jinping breaks with the thirty-year tradition of the premier’s press conference after the National People’s Congress.

Mentioned on the Podcast

J.A. Bayona, Society of the Snow

Ilker Çatak, The Teachers’ Lounge

Manohla Dargis, “‘The Zone of Interest’ Review: The Holocaust, Reduced to Background Noise,” New York Times

Matteo Garrone, Io Capitano

Greta Gerwig, Barbie

Johnathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest

Andrea Kannapell, Hwaida Saad, and Michael D. Shear, “‘We Need a Cease-Fire,’ Biden Says.” New York Times

Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things

Françoise Mouly, “Barry Blitt’s ‘Slappenheimer’,” New Yorker

Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Celine Song, Past Lives

Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall

Wim Wenders, Perfect Days

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit The World Next Week at:  https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/ramadan-cease-fire-prospects-portugals-snap-election-oscars-go-international-and-more