Editor’s Pick: The National Cherry Blossom Festival

Warner Bros’ Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore is releasing ahead of domestic in 22 international box office markets this weekend, beginning in Holland and Belgium today and including the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Spain and China through Friday. The latter, unfortunately, is not expected to serve up any magic given significant cinema closures.

Marta Balaga Bowing in Canneseries official selection, six-episode miniseries “Infiniti” isn’t just for sci-fi aficionados, Empreinte Digitale producer Eric Laroche told Variety.Co-produced between France and Belgium, the latest Canal Plus offering – created by Stéphane Pannetier and Julien Vanlerenberghe – interweaves multiple storylines, moving from the International Space Station (ISS) that suddenly goes silent to an investigation in Kazakhstan, where a beheaded, wax-covered body is found by a local cop.Discouraged by his superiors, Isaak (Daniyar Alshinov) decides to solve the mystery, while French astronaut Anna Zarathi (Céline Sallette) pursues her dream of space travel.“Having more than one genre, especially in a TV series, is very interesting. But one of them still needs to form the skeleton of the show.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorJuliet Stevenson has joined the cast of crime drama “Professor T,” production partners Eagle Eye and Beta Film announced at MipTV in Cannes Sunday. The companies also said that they have greenlit a second season of period drama “Hotel Portofino.” Eagle Eye’s Walter Iuzzolino said his firm was working on two further shows with Beta, yet to be revealed.Stevenson will play the therapist to the titular character, played by Ben Miller, in “Professor T,” which is shooting its second season in Cambridge and Belgium.

WASHINGTON -- White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Friday would not confirm reports that she will soon take a TV job at MSNBC, saying she is focused on her job speaking for President Joe Biden.“I have nothing to confirm about my length of public service or planned service or anything about consideration about next plans,” Psaki said under questioning at her first briefing after COVID-19 forced her into quarantine for a second time in late-March.“I'm very happy to be standing with all of you here today after it felt like a never-ending time in my basement quarantining away from my family,” she said. “My focus every day continues to be speaking on behalf of the president."The Axios news site first reported Friday, citing a source close to the matter, that Psaki is in exclusive talks to join MSNBC after she leaves the White House around May.Multiple MSNBC representatives did not respond Friday to emailed requests for comment.Reports earlier this year said Psaki was being heavily courted by both MSNBC and CNN, where she provided on-air commentary before joining then-President-elect Biden's transition team.

Jack White and Halsey, as well as Foals, Bonobo, Fontaines D.C. and more.This marks the return of international artists to Fuji Rock Festival following a 2021 edition comprising an all-Japanese line-up.

Pusha T and Nigo have shared a video for their new collaboration, ‘Hear Me Clearly’ – you can watch it below.Produced by BoogzDaBeast, Luca Starz, ThaMyind, and Kanye West, it’s the latest track from DJ and Bape founder Nigo’s new album, ‘I Know Nigo’, to get a video release. It follows the ‘Ayra’, ‘Want It Bad’, ‘Heavy’, and ‘Come On, Let’s Go’.Nigo first announced the forthcoming album back in December, revealing that the project was on the way and that he’d signed to Steven Victor’s Victor Victor Worldwide label, a joint venture between Victor and Universal Music Group.Guest appearances on the LP include Pharrell, Kid Cudi, A$AP Rocky, Lil Uzi Vert, Pusha T, Tyler, The Creator, Fam-Lay and Teriyaki Boyz, with more to be announced.You can watch the video for ‘Hear Me Clearly’ below:Outside of his work as the head of the streetwear brand A Bating Ape, Nigo has long had an interest and association with the world of music.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorBlue Note New York has announced the 11th Annual Sony Presents Blue Note Jazz Festival. The festival kicks off on June 1 with a free show in Washington Square Park headlined by Robert Glasper — who performed on the Oscars Sunday night — in association with Washington Square Park Conservancy.Taking place at major venues across New York City, including Blue Note New York, Sony Hall, The Town Hall, and SummerStage in Central Park, this year’s festival features performances from George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Chris Botti, Charles Lloyd, Macy Gray, Kenny G, Al Di Meola, Madeleine Peyroux, Dave Holland & Kenny Barron, Robert Cray, Kenny Garrett, José James, Chief Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott), Bilal, DOMi & JD Beck, Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, Theo Croker and so many more legends, with a major headliner announcement on April 26.

Don Quixote.In honor of the center’s 50th anniversary season, the acclaimed New York-based company once again revives the signature duet of bravura dancing between the spirited maiden Kitri and her charming amour Basilio — this time performed in its proper place as the stirring climax to the full-length Don Quixote.A sweeping and romantic tale, the rollicking, high-spirited ballet was developed by legendary Russian choreographer Marius Petipa, with further refinement by Petipa’s former student and regular assistant Alexander Gorsky.Set to music by Ludwig Minkus in a staging by ABT’s Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie and longtime Regisseur Susan Jones, Don Quixote offers what the company calls “a feast of choreographic fireworks.”A different coupling of dancers from the company’s starry roster will be featured at each of five performances in the Opera House, kicking off with Isabella Boylston as Kitri and Daniil Simkin as Basilio on Thursday, March 31.The premiere dance organization, decreed “America’s National Ballet Company” by an act of Congress in 2006, will mark its return to the Kennedy Center earlier this week with two evening performances of the mixed-repertory program “ABT Forward.”Billed as a showcase of “the company’s artistry in three dazzling works by today’s modern masters of choreography,” the program includes Bernstein in a Bubble, a work by Alexei Ratmansky developed in pandemic quarantine and inspired by the variety, charm, and quintessentially American spirit of Leonard Bernstein’s Divertimento; ZigZag, a joyous piece, set to songs by iconic crooner Tony Bennett, from Jessica Lang, hailed as a “master of visual composition” by Dance Magazine; and Single Eye, a new, innovative work by Alonzo King and set

We’re just about 24 hours away from the 2022 Oscars and it’s time to make our final predictions for the awards!

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefGlobal streamer Netflix has expanded its slate of unscripted entertainment programming in Japan. The company says it has 15 shows in the comedy, reality television and documentary genres in different stages of development.

Courtney Barnett has announced ‘Here And There’, a boutique touring festival with a rotating line-up. Tickets will be available here.The one-day, one-stage festival will be making 15 stops across North America this August and September with a unique line-up set for each city.

Dafna Linzer, who has most recently been managing editor for politics at NBC News and MSNBC, has joined Politico as executive editor.

2022 Oscars was officially released last week. And while the scope of awards season has changed pretty dramatically over the last few years, the talent and unique storytelling present in this year's pack of nominees is perhaps more impressive now than ever before. Leading the way for Oscar favorites is Netflix's which racked up12 total nominations including those in major categories like Best Picture, Best Director for Jane Campion, Best Actor for Benedict Cumberbatch, and supporting acting nods for Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefKitano Takeshi, a contemporary icon of Japanese cinema, is to receive a lifetime achievement award next month at the Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy.“A legendary artist on Friday the 29th of April will receive the Golden Mulberry Award for lifetime achievement on the stage of FEFF 24,” the festival announced Friday with barely concealed delight.Kitano who has film credits as writer, director, producer and performer, as well as a whole TV comedy career, is known for the brutal sergeant he played alongside David Bowie and Sakamoto Ryuichi in Oshima Nagisa’s “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” and for incursions into Hollywood in “Johnny Mnemonic” and “Ghost in the Shell.” His Japanese oeuvre ranges from fine art to gangster genre thriller. He has credits in film noir (“Violent Cop”), romance (“A Scene at the Sea”), drama masterpieces (“Sonatine,” “Kids Return,” Venice Golden Lion-winner “Hana-bi,” “Kikujiro,” “Dolls” swordplay (“Zatoichi”) and hard-boiled cult saga “Outrage.”“For Far East Film Festival 24, a truly incredible dream comes true: the dream of bringing one of the giants of world cinema to Udine.

Alton Towers crash amputee Leah Washington was spotted arriving back at Manchester airport on Monday with new fiancé Joe Pugh after the pair’s surprising engagement announcement at the beginning of the week. The 24 year old was beaming as she landed in the UK after travelling back from Venice, Italy, where she was proposed to by boyfriend Joe, she told her followers on Instagram two days ago.

Secrets of the Sprakkar, which explores the cultural roots of Iceland’s progressive attitude towards equality, in a discussion with Icelandic women authors Audur Ava Ólafsdóttir and Thora Hjorleifsdóttir moderated by local journalist and author Andrew Evans, at the Eaton DC (3/19, starting at 2 p.m.).A screening of Valdimar Jóhannsson’s stunning film Lamb, a creepy, dark folktale that served as Iceland’s official submission for consideration as Best Foreign Film at the 94th Academy Awards, at the Eaton DC (3/20, starting at 5 p.m.).A spin of the Wheel of Prizes, presented by Icelandair, will occur prior to each event (excepting the dinner and the bath) with prizes including Blue Lagoon skincare products, an Icelandic wool blanket, a Reyka Vodka package, a year’s supply of Icelandic Provisions-branded skyr, and the grand prize: a trip for two to Iceland including a stay at the Blue Lagoon.The event will touch down in Boston and Denver later this spring, and Chicago, Toronto, and Seattle in the fall.

Alton Towers crash amputee and social media influencer Leah Washington has gotten engaged to boyfriend Joe Pugh.The 24 year old model and inspiration was on the theme park's Smiler ride with Joe back in June 2015, when a test cart crashed into them. The catastrophic injuries required Leah and another ride-goer called Vicky Balch to have one leg amputated. Leah and Joe, who also suffered a number of non life-changing injuries in the crash, were on their first official date at the time and sat on the front row together.