Lights go out at historic Delhi cinema after 84 years

Dozens of people attend a drive-in cinema that began operating at the racetrack that usually hosts the Mexican Formula 1 Grand Prix, suspended this year because of the pandemic.

In 1995 "La Haine" rocked French cinema to its core, and the shockwaves were felt across society, from artistic circles to the underprivileged suburbs it depicted. One bittersweet phrase from the film's script sums up its dark sense of humour: "jusqu'ici tout va bien" (or "so far, so good"). That catchphrase is now the title of an exhibition in Paris which is showcasing the achievements of the Kourtrajmé collective which started in the suburbs at that time.

This week we begin by looking at South Korea's strategy against Covid-19. It has been widely praised as effective against the virus but is it corrosive to personal freedoms? Next we see how monks are racing to save a Buddhist temple from rising waters in Thailand. The result of failed economic planning at the cost of the local environment. Finally, we head to India where the pandemic has exacerbated the problem of aggressive monkeys in New Delhi. We will look at how innovative solutions such as facial recognition are being used to deal with the problem.

"When the vaccine comes, I’m ready. I’m ready to take a shot," says one man in India's capital, New Delhi after two Covid-19 vaccines were approved for use, kicking off one of the world's biggest inoculation drives. India, which has the second highest number of registered cases worldwide, authorised the use of shots developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University as well as by local pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech.

Theatres, cinemas and concert halls remain open in Spain, despite soaring levels of Covid-19 infections. "I applaud the great efforts being made in this country to defend culture," Mexican tenor Javier Camarena told Madrid's Theatre Royal.

Here is why you should pick up a copy of The Guardian on Saturday. Here are some of the stories to look out for when you grab a copy of The Guardian on the newsstands on Saturday.⁣

Set in Lagos, Nigeria Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) follows the stories of Mofe, a factory technician, and Rosa, a hairdresser, on their quest for what they believe will be a better life on foreign shores. A passport, photos, and a visa form recurring elements. The characters’ misfortunes are part of their everyday life and they are sketching out the need to leave Nigeria at the same time. At the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, status, money, gender, skin colour, and family structures are inextricably connected. The longing for another life is but one thread in this complex mesh, a promise that floats above things at once near and far away.

The capital is the worst-hit city in India, with new infections threatening to overload the health care system. The country as a whole has reported another record daily rise in cases.

Cars line up outside a shopping mall in India's capital New Delhi where a drive-thru clinic has been set-up to administer Covid-19 vaccines. Demand is far outstripping supplies for jabs in India, with only 3.5 percent of the population fully vaccinated. "We’re vaccinating a little more than we were about 10 days ago, two weeks ago. We’ve crossed three million per day," says Gautam Menon, professor of physics and biology at India’s Ashoka University.

Critic Lisa Nesselson joins us to discuss the importance of France's annual "Fête du Cinéma". We also talk about "Charlatan", the latest feature from Polish director Agnieszka Holland. In her fact-inspired drama, a Czech man who has devoted his life to diagnosing and healing people with plants faces the wrath of the Czech government.

It’s been more than two years in the making: the Cannes Film Festival has opened after a pandemic-prompted hiatus in 2020.

New Delhi's Central Vista used to be a favourite spot with residents of the Indian capital. But the large public space, close to the president's house and heritage buildings, is being remodelled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The €2 billion construction caused uproar when it was deemed an "essential service" at a time when Indians were dying by the thousands from Covid-19. The move reopened debate around heritage conservation and public spaces in India’s ancient capital. Our correspondents report.