This week's cultural calendar across Europe offers a mix of nostalgia, provocation, and reflection. From a French dream-pop milestone to a cinematic take on a controversial American TV show, and from London's meditation on obsolete technology to Florence's exploration of broken artefacts, there is plenty to engage the discerning audience.
Film and television
'Primetime' arrives in cinemas across France on 23 September, with a staggered release elsewhere in Europe. Robert Pattinson takes on the role of Chris Hansen, the famously calm host of the American reality series To Catch a Predator. The film delves into the show's peak success and its darker underbelly, exposing the greed that lurked beneath its veneer of justice. The cast includes musician Phoebe Bridgers, Merritt Wever, and Anna Faris. It's a sharp look at the ethics of entertainment and the commodification of morality.
Meanwhile, on Apple TV+, 'Brothers' premieres on 23 September. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson star as fictionalised versions of themselves, inspired by the real-life speculation that they might be half-brothers. The comedy is set in Texas and leans into the duo's easy chemistry. It's a light-hearted counterpoint to the week's more serious offerings.
Exhibitions and events
In London, Somerset House hosts Jenkin Van Zyl's 'Enclosure' from 24 September to 29 November 2026. The British artist's new film and installation is a sensory journey into a world of obsolete technologies that have outlived the society that created them. Set in a decaying facility, the narrative follows a former actress whose body was replicated for tourists to inhabit. When the replica becomes outdated, she decides to terminate it, unleashing chaos. The piece is drenched in neon and the eerie remnants of a fading world, contemplating self-preservation and commodification.
In Florence, the Palazzo Strozzi presents 'Broken: The Power of the Fragment' from 25 September 2026 to 24 January 2027. The exhibition brings together over eighty works and artefacts, including pieces by Giovanni Pisano, Michelangelo, Louise Bourgeois, and Huma Bhabha. It explores how fragments—whether relics of ancient civilisations or symbols of artistic expression—become tethers to the past and catalysts for transformation. The show questions how meaning shifts when something is broken, offering a powerful meditation on loss and renewal.
As a bonus, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris is hosting an exhibition and immersive virtual reality experience dedicated to Auguste Bartholdi, the 19th-century French sculptor who created the Statue of Liberty. It runs until 31 January 2027.
Music
French band M83 marks a significant anniversary with the release of 'I Wrote You A Letter' on 25 September. It's been 25 years since Anthony Gonzalez released the band's self-titled debut, and the new album draws on nostalgia to create an immersive, cinematic experience that also channels the more unpredictable, punk energy of their earlier work. For fans who still miss the peak of the early 2010s, this could be a welcome return to form.
As Europe's cultural landscape continues to evolve, these offerings provide a rich tapestry of reflection and entertainment. Whether you're in London, Florence, or Paris, there's something to provoke thought and stir the senses.
