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Outlook Arts: Cinema, Eurovision, Comedy

Shabana Azmi, Conchita Wurst, Humza Arshad

31/10/2014

Cinema, Eurovision, Comedy

BBC World Service - Outlook Arts, Cinema, Eurovision, Comedy

Bearded lady, Humour to stop radicals, Ayo, Shabana Azmi, Poems, Blind sculptor

Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst, Comedy to stop radicalisation, Singer-songwriter Ayo, Indian actress Shabana Azmi, Emergency poet, Blind sculptor who says forbidden NOT to touch

Bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst talks about her double life; how as Conchita, her glamorous stage persona, she won Eurovision with the song Rise Like a Phoenix, and became a global gay icon; but how, when back at home in Vienna, she removes her make-up and reverts to being 25-year old Tom Neuwirth who eats pizza with two hands. 

Singer-songwriter Ayo on her easy-going soul folk music, her latest album Ticket to the World and selling more than one and a half million records in 40 countries. She was born in Germany to a Nigerian father and Romanian Gypsy mother. Her mother became addicted to heroin, so Ayo and her three siblings were put into foster care. 

Indian actress Shabana Azmi describes how she began her stage career at the age of four before going on to star in over 400 movies.  She explains why working in independent cinema was more appealing to her than the glamour of Bollywood.

Deborah Alma calls herself an Emergency Poet.  She travels around fairs and festivals in the UK in a converted ambulance, prescribing poetry to those who seek her help. She says that poetry is better than pills. 

British Muslim Humza Arshad became famous around the world after he filmed a comedy video in his bedroom and posted it on the internet.  He has gone on to create more, featuring friends and family, and has amassed over 55 million hits online.  He tackles issues relevant to the community he grew up in, like arranged marriage, racism, and attitudes to women.  Now the UK police have asked for his help in tackling extremism.  Humza has made a film to be shown in schools, which aims to stop the radicalisation of young people. 

The Italian sculptor Felice Tagliaferri explains why he is famous for his motto: Forbidden NOT to touch!  Felice has been blind since he was 14, and says that exploring his sculptures by touch is as important as looking at them.  

(Picture:  Shabana Azmi, Conchita Wurst, Humza Arshad
Picture credit for Shabana Azmi: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images)

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