My essentials: Bradley Cachia’s cultural picks

1. Book

Fl-Isem tal-Missier (u tal-Iben) by Immanuel Mifsud (2010) – this poignant novel explores the intricate relationship between a father and son. The novel is narrated from both perspectives, and delves into themes of love, grief, and self-realisation. Mifsud masterfully depicts how the choices and actions of each character affect one another, painting a heartfelt and genuine picture of familial bonds. His writing style is exceptional and his examination of masculinity in this work is certainly something many men, young and old, can relate to.

2. Film

The Band’s Visit (2007). Recently, I’ve become particularly intrigued with the Arabic language and Middle Eastern cultures, so I’ve begun to consume some media from this part of the world. This Israeli 2007 trilingual film (English, Arabic, and Hebrew) follows an Egyptian police band who mistakenly end up in a small Israeli town and have to spend the night there. It beautifully explores the interactions between the band members and the locals they encounter. It was also turned into a stage musical in 2016.

3. Internet/TV 

I find the internet to be a great resource that allows me to garner more knowledge and to develop my ideas. Despite it’s many negatives, it’s a great tool when used properly. In the case of TV, a series I really enjoyed watching was After Life, as it depicts the harsh reality of a suicidal individual who lost everything that was dear to him in a satirical and comedic way, with the Existential and Absurdist philosophies blended into it all.

4. Music

Chips (Album: Bambinella) by Brodu – In a nutshell, I like this track because it deviates from the usual music we hear in the Maltese language, i.e. what I would call “festival songs”. The alternative music produced by artists such as Brodu, Djun, Brikkuni, Kafena, Michael Azzopardi, and so on is simply exquisite. In the case of Chips, besides it being musically catchy, its lyrics are also quite interesting as the narrative it conveys through colloquial, everyday language feels very raw, without any unnecessary clichés.

5. Place

London, England, United Kingdom – I’ve been to Central London twice and it’s one of those places that I feel like I would never get tired of visiting. Perhaps it’s because of its iconic landmarks, its rich history, or maybe since it is home to the theatreland that is the West End. The street signs, the houses, the underground – it all just feels so special. If I ever visit again though, I wish to get out of the Central sub-region to explore the other sub-regions more.