On the radar

Show Don’t Tell
Curtis Sittenfeld

Fans of Curtis Sittenfeld’s first novel, Prep, have the chance to reunite with its main character, Lee Fiora, in “Lost But Not Forgotten”, the closing story in this new collection. Before that comes a series of sharp comedies of manners. Perhaps the best is “A For Alone”, in which a Minneapolis artist conceives a project designed to challenge Mike Pence’s rule of never spending time alone with any woman other than his wife.
‘Show Don’t Tell’ is published on 27 February

The Unworthy
Agustina Bazterrica

Agustina Bazterrica is part of a wave of female Argentinian horror writers that includes Samanta Schweblin and Mariana Enríquez. She first commanded attention with her compellingly grim cannibalism dystopia Tender is the Flesh (2017). Her new book, The Unworthy, is set in a similarly broken world and concentrates on the mysterious workings of a convent. The book opens with the line, “Someone is screaming in the dark.” And things only get worse from there.
‘The Unworthy’ is published on 13 March

When the Going Was Good
Graydon Carter

Canadian journalist Graydon Carter learned the ropes at Time and Life before co-founding the magazine Spy. But he’s best known as the editor of Vanity Fair between 1992 and 2017 – the period that dominates his breezy memoir. There’s Hollywood gossip, score settling and tales from the era of limitless editorial budgets. Carter claims that a piece he commissioned on Lloyd’s of London might be the most expensive per word magazine story ever written – and he didn’t even run it.
‘When the Going Was Good’ is published on 27 March

Anselm Kiefer: Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

At first glance, Van Gogh’s colourful sunflowers would appear to have no place in the postwar horrorscapes of Anselm Kiefer. Yet the German artist made a Van Gogh-inspired pilgrimage aged 17 and the influence never left him. This major retrospective spotlights that connection and includes Kiefer’s parched take on “Starry Night” – a postapocalyptic rendering imbued with a haunting beauty all of its own.
‘Where Have All the Flowers Gone?’ runs from 7 March to 9 June

Anicka Yi
UCCA, Beijing

Whether cultivating algae in brightly lit vitrines or frying wildflowers in tempura batter, Yi’s works blend biology, philosophy, politics and aesthetics in unexpected ways. By setting up living organisms in sterile or confined spaces, she gently invites us to consider our own place in the world.
‘Anicka Yi’ runs from 22 March to 15 June

The Studio
Apple TV+

This Seth Rogen and Catherine O’Hara-fronted Hollywood satire takes the temperature of an increasingly embattled industry. Rogen, who also serves as writer, director and executive producer, stars as Matt Remick, a studio executive who believes (perhaps naively) that this town is still capable of making great art.

The Leopard
Netflix
Sixty years after Luchino Visconti brought together Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale and Alain Delon for his adaptation of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s novel, Netflix have taken its own sumptuous crack at the Italian text. Starring Deva Cassel (daughter of Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci), The Leopard follows 19th-century Sicilian nobles who are faced with the unification of Italy and their own imminent obsolescence. 

Hyper Knife
Disney+
South Korean medical thriller Hyper Knife sees Jeong Se-ok (Park Eun-bin), a doctor at an underground clinic, reunited with Choi Deok-hee (Sul Kyung-gu), the mentor who wrecked her career. Driven by a desire for revenge, Se-ok seeks to break new medical barriers despite the ethically dubious implications. But at what cost? 

Polaroid
Museum für Fotografie, Berlin
It is easy to forget the thrill of Polaroid’s instant cameras. Helmut Newton’s adoption of the format was borne of impatience – a desire to quickly see how his fashion shoots might turn out in an era before screens – so his Polaroids collected here possess a vitality and dynamism. Works by fashion pioneer Sheila Metzner and photocollage artist Maurizio Galimberti also feature.
‘Polaroid’ runs from 7 March to 27 July

Sister Midnight
Karan Kandhari

Karan Kandhari’s audacious Mumbai-set debut breathes new life into a vampiric tale with a sharp commentary on the pitfalls of modern arranged marriage. This blackly comic film sees Uma (Radhika Apte) and Gopal enter an awkward matrimony, which becomes even more difficult to navigate when Uma is bitten by a bug that begins to transform her into something monstrous.
‘Sister Midnight’ is released on 14 March

Black Bag
Steven Soderbergh
No one could accuse Steven Soderbergh of complacency. Just a couple of months after the release of his ghost story, Presence, he returns with Black Bag, a propulsive and phenomenally fun thriller featuring the talents of Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender as married intelligence agents. Their union and spy skills are tested when the former is accused of treachery and the latter’s loyalty is split.
‘Black Bag’ is released on 14 March

La Cocina
Alonso Ruizpalacios
The Bear, Boiling Point and The Menu proved that restaurants are an ample source of intrigue and La Cocina is no exception. Alonso Ruizpalacios sets his film in a gaudy tourist trap off New York’s Times Square, which is largely staffed by recent immigrants. Out of sight of the customers, dishes burn, romances falter, the threat of deportation looms and Ruizpalacios paints an elegant portrait of the broken promise of the American dream.
‘La Cocina’ is released on 28 March

Lisa
Alter Ego
The much-anticipated solo album from Blackpink’s Lisa is a delight for pop fans. “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me)” reimagines the dreamy 1990s song “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer. Other highlights include the frenetic hyper-pop of “Rockstar” and the collaboration with Rosalía on “New Woman”. Now we’re just waiting to see Lisa appear in the new season of HBO’s The White Lotus, set in her native Thailand.
‘Alter Ego’ is released on 28 February

Ben Mazué
Famille

Singer-songwriter Ben Mazué’s fifth album looks at both the joys and challenges of family. He brings emotional heft with tracks such as “C’est l’heure”, while “Rupture” features the smooth vocals of French-Swiss singer Yoa. Mazué also has a successful podcast, Amour Jungle, in which he talks to guests about topics including parenthood and divorce. A CD with the podcast’s best moments will be sold as part of a special-edition vinyl release of the new album.
‘Famille’ is released on 28 February

Davido
5ive

The Nigerian afrobeats superstar Davido returns with what he’s dubbed his best album yet. In “Funds”, he partners with Nigerian rising stars Chiké and Odumodublvck and uses a sample of a classic song by late South African singer Brenda Fassie in “Vuli Ndlela”. “Awuke”, featuring YG Marley, is another highlight. The album will reinforce Davido’s reputation as one of Nigeria’s biggest stars.
‘5ive’ is released on 14 March