Japan and South Korea are building on a long interest in a country notable for its cheap labour and 90m-strong consumer market. From Hanoi’s point of view, there is a political imperative to draw more foreign investment because of structural economic problems such as bad debts and inefficient state companies, which have dragged Vietnam’s growth down from above 7 per cent a year before the western financial crisis to 5.4 per cent in 2013.

Professor Martha Bayles of Boston College’s College of Arts and Sciences honors department brought together leaders within the film industry for a panel discussion on Feb. 23 about how America is internationally perceived. (...) She explores America’s image abroad and the potentially surprising lack of desirability in America’s freedom and democracy, as well as the distorted portrayals of these qualities among America’s cultural exports.

Over 100 British artists announced on Friday that they are launching a cultural boycott of Israel, along with hundreds of others who have also signed up to the initiative.  (...) According to the letter, this includes accepting professional invitations to Israel or funding from any institutions linked to the Israeli government.

Bollywood films have long had a place in the hearts of Indonesian audiences, but lately it’s said to have reached feverish proportions, popular not just in urban, but also rural areas. (...) As soft powers go, India’s is actually pretty impressive, covering a wide range of fields. As one writer put it, “from Buddha to Bollywood to BPOs”. 

The French Consulate in Istanbul has prepared a lovers' dictionary in French and Turkish to mark Valentine's Day on Feb. 14. The dictionary, titled "Aşk-ı Hayat" (the Love of Life), introduces the definitions of words associated with love along with traditional Turkish love stories, romantic films and books and special venues for lovers. 

Ritesh Batra believes each film has its own journey. If so, then The Lunchbox is on a long and successful one, with the latest feather being its nomination for the prestigious BAFTA. There was much uproar following the government’s decision to not send The Lunchbox as India’s official entry to the Academy Awards but a BAFTA nomination almost two years later shows the timelessness of this rare and honest Indian film.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are getting their own Hollywood biopic. The film won’t be about tough decisions like the Bin Laden mission or the fight for healthcare reform. It will be a romance film chronicling the first date between a young Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson.