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Forbes
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' Composers On How They Got Tom Cruise Dancing In His Seat: ‘I Remember High-Fiving Each Other In That Moment'
Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and ... More Skydance. | © 2025 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved. It's not easy to please one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, but Alfie Godfrey and Max Aruj accomplished just that with their score for Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (now playing in theaters everywhere; click here for tickets). The composing duo knew they'd succeeded when Tom Cruise himself became visibly hyped during an early screening of the film for friends and family of the production. 'He started dancing away in his seat straight away,' Godfrey recalls over Zoom. 'I remember Max and I high-fiving each other in that moment, because we thought, 'Yes, this is definitely working!'' Cruise was responding to the very first cue on the soundtrack — 'We Live and Die in the Shadows" — which plays over the Paramount and Skydance logos, perfectly setting up the movie's pulse-pounding action with some East African Burundian drumming (a first for the blockbuster franchise) and the opening bars of Lalo Schifrin's iconic Mission: Impossible theme from the original TV show. 'It gives you permission as an audience member to go, 'Okay, this film's gonna be a wild ride, let's enjoy it,'' Godfrey explains. Aruj echoes that sentiment: 'Tom was always like, 'I want the audience to come out and go into the summer wanting an adventure.'" What's more: the utilization of Schifrin's enduring 1960s composition is not only a hallowed tradition at this point, but it immediately reminds the audience that what they're about to watch isn't some generic spy adventure. 'It's easy to say, 'Oh, well, I'll just write my own piece of music.' But at the end of the day, you do have to ground the score of this franchise in those themes, so that the audience feels carried along and never forgets what kind of story they're in and what they're watching,' emphasizes score producer and supervising music editor Cecile Tournesac (a veteran of Fallout, Dead Reckoning, and Top Gun: Maverick). 'That was also one of the discussions that we went through … making [sure] A direct continuation of Dead Reckoning, the eighth Mission: Impossible chapter finds Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and the rest of his IMF team on their biggest mission yet as they work tirelessly to stop the rogue artificial intelligence known as the 'Entity' before it can take over the world's supply of nuclear missiles and destroy human civilization. Godfrey and Aruj had their work cut out for them after being recommended to Cruise and director/co-writer Christopher McQuarrie by their former boss, Lorne Balfe, who composed the last two Mission: Impossible installments (Fallout and Dead Reckoning) and was unable to return due to the year-long commitment. Over a dinner in London with Aruj, Godfrey, and Tournesac, Cruise and McQuarrie (or 'McQ' for short) laid out their mandate for the music — none of which would be temped during the edit. 'They said, 'We want to hear music as much and as soon as possible,'' Aruj remembers. 'We're sitting at dinner and thinking, 'Okay, so now that we're here, we gotta deliver.' They made us feel comfortable and got us interested in diving right in.' 'McQ is very fluid in how he works; he just wants to experiment as much as possible,' adds Tournesac. 'There's no one-size-fits-all approach where it's like, 'Well, it's an action scene, so we have to do this type of music.' It's all up for grabs. There's a lot of research and demand for a lot of material. Both Max and Alfie had to push quite hard and dig deep in terms of how far they could search musically.' Having worked with Cruise and McQuarrie on a regular basis since Fallout, Tournesac knows exactly what the duo want out of a score. 'It's all a question of translating [their] words into notes,' she continues. 'My main role, especially at the beginning, is to try and guide what I think they mean and what they're looking for and expecting. McQ is very attuned to what music does in a film, how it shifts according to a scene. So it's just a question of being very thorough and following the story and emotion at all times. He's not looking to just score what's happening onscreen, he's really trying to make the audience feel what is being said and what Ethan is feeling in a particular scene.' 'The thing McQ often says is, 'This music tells me I have no confidence in my movie,' meaning, 'Don't just tell me what it is, make me feel what it is,'' echoes Godfrey. 'That was one of the big reoccurring notes.' Nowhere is that more apparent than in the scene where Ethan is forced to say goodbye to his old friend and dependable computer whiz, Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames, the only other actor to appear in all eight movies), before Luther is killed in an explosion planned by secondary antagonist, Gabriel (Esai Morales). The resultant cue — 'This is Where I Leave You' — directly calls back 'Ethan's emotional theme ['Another Sunrise'] from the start of the film," Aruj says. 'The goal is that it's so subtle as it comes in, [that] you don't realize it until you're in it and thinking, 'Oh no! I recognize this music and I know this emotion.' Last time we heard it, it was bittersweet when we're looking back at Ethan's whole life. Then we're hearing it again [when Luther] and Ethan are separated by a gate and we know that things aren't looking good … It needed to have a sense of finality, not necessarily catharsis. That's not it at all, but this kind of warm feeling that tells you this is such a special relationship and a friendship between these two.' LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 15: (L-R) Max Aruj, guest, Alfie Godfrey and Cecile Tournesac attend the ... More Global Premiere Red Carpet in support of "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" at Leicester Square on May 15, 2025, in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures) Clocking in at 2 hours and 49 minutes, The Final Reckoning is the longest entry in the nearly 30-year-old franchise. When Aruj and Godfrey became attached, however, the runtime 'was even longer,' says the latter. 'I think it was over four-and-a-half hours. So it was a vast film with no temp — a big, silent film. So if anything, the running time now feels like a relief compared to where it was.' The sheer size and scope of the feature was ultimately reflected in the 13-month process it took to compose, record, edit, and mix the score, which included around 137 hours with a live orchestra. '[That's] a uniquely high number,' notes Godfrey. "It was an incredibly long and labor-intensive recording process [but] the orchestra in London was just incredibly patient and helped us record every single element.' 'Every single piece has to be good. Therefore, you have to focus on one at a time," Aruj elaborates. "The production needs to be pristine, the ideas need to be good. Everything has to turn and shift at just the right moment. The big error is getting overwhelmed by the amount and not focusing on [it] bar by bar, or literally beat by beat.' While every frame of The Final Reckoning required special care and attention, there were two stunt-related set pieces that needed to fire all on cylinders, both visually and sonically, in order to work properly: the Sevastopol sequence and the biplane fight between Ethan and Gabriel. For the submarine segment, Aruj and Godfrey used the Space Bass, an eerie-sounding, one-of-a-kind instrument pioneered by the late Constance Demby. 'It just had the qualities we needed to help personify the submarine; the sounds of bending metal and this kind of pulsing oddity that you've never really heard before," Aruj explains. 'But you know you're somewhere different. It helped us take the score to a very different place that you haven't heard in Mission: Impossible before.' The biplane sequence, on the other hand, takes up much of the third act, which the composers broke up into 'a beginning, middle, and end," Aruj continues. 'We had to find music that got us into that sequence, music that sustained us in that sequence, and then more music for a different chapter once the nature of the fight continues. Then it has to shift [again] when we get into yet another portion of their interaction. Writing music that personified the basic movements of the plane was difficult. If it didn't start out right, if it wasn't the right speed, if it wasn't the right tone, if it wasn't right melody, it was wrong from the start … Once it gets to the last third of the fight, finding music that worked was maybe one of the most difficult things I had ever encountered. And stylistically, I think it really takes you on quite a journey." Despite the fact that it bears the word 'Final' in its title, no one can say for certain that this is really the swan song for Ethan & co. Given the way in which the film regularly calls back to and celebrates previous entries, particularly the 1996 original, one could argue that the Mission: Impossible franchise — at least the version fronted by Cruise — is over. With that said, Aruj and Godfrey were never told that this would be the definitive ending to Ethan Hunt's story. 'Nothing was ever sold to us. I just had to show up to work every day and do my job,' says Aruj. 'There was no time, and for good reason, to overthink anything. We just had to be on board with the team, listen to people's requests, and write the best music we could. Once you're in it, all that matters is that you keep going. I didn't like to ever bring myself out and say, 'Oh well, this is the final one!' [We never] had those kind of overarching thoughts. There's no reason to think like that in my opinion.' 'While we were never sold that this would be the final one, what McQ did communicate to us was the difficulty of concluding all these strands of story that have been going for the last couple of films since Fallout,' concludes Godfrey. 'What Gabriel is up to, what the team is up to, who the team [members] are, Ethan's past, and all these kind of themes. So there was an element of, 'Okay, the music really needs to help me here because there are a lot of strands of story to put together.'' Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is now playing in theaters. The soundtrack by Aruj & Godfrey is available from Sony Music Masterworks.
News24
2 days ago
- General
- News24
Rwanda joins criticism of M23 'parallel administrations' in eastern DRC
Twelve African countries, including Rwanda, condemned M23's 'parallel administrations' in eastern DRC. The Entebbe statement calls for all foreign armed groups to disarm unconditionally. Rwanda reconsiders M23 support; Burundi sent 10 000+ troops to aid DRC. Twelve African countries, including Rwanda, on Wednesday condemned the M23 armed group for setting up 'parallel administrations' in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Kigali's condemnation of a group that it supports militarily comes as the M23 stands accused of human rights violations in the region, where it has seized large areas since January. The United Nations has notably denounced the M23 for summary executions of suspects, some of them minors, while on Tuesday, Amnesty International accused it of killing and torturing civilians that it was holding illegally. The group denies the charges. In a joint statement, the 12 African countries said they 'condemn the territorial advances and installation of parallel administrations' by the M23 and the Congo River Alliance (AFC) of which it is a part. The DRC also signed the declaration at a regional meeting in Entebbe, Uganda. Two analysts recently told AFP that Rwanda had begun to question its support for the M23 because of the financial and diplomatic cost. Belgium, the former colonial power in the DRC and Rwanda, has been vocal in the international community in criticising Kigali for its support of the M23. The text signed in Entebbe also calls for all other 'foreign armed groups' active in restive eastern DRC to be dismantled and to 'lay down their weapons without conditions'. They include the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which was founded by former Rwandan Hutu leaders of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis. The M23 accuses Kinshasa of supporting the FDLR and maintains that its offensive in the mineral-rich region is justified to neutralise the group. Another group is the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) of Ugandan-origin rebels, who swore allegiance to the Islamic State and are behind massacres that have killed thousands. Congolese troops are fighting the ADF, backed by Ugandan troops, who are also helping the DRC against the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO), a community-based militia. Also urged to lay down its arms is the Resistance for the Rule of Law in Burundi (RED-Tabara), which has been less active in recent years but has conducted attacks on Burundian soil. Burundi has sent more than 10 000 soldiers since October 2023 to help the Congolese army fight the M23 and other armed groups.
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Photos: Congolese refugees in Burundi face starvation and violence
Claude fears he may soon die – either from starvation or violence – as he waits at a food distribution tent in a refugee camp in Burundi. He is among thousands of Congolese refugees trapped between a brutal conflict across the border and severe reductions in international food assistance. A former bouncer from Uvira, a town in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Claude fled after violence erupted in the east, sparked by the rapid advance of the Rwanda-backed M23 group. Armed groups 'were shooting, killing each other, … raping women,' recalled the 25-year-old, who escaped across the border into Burundi in February. In the overcrowded Musenyi camp, Claude now faces a different struggle as food rations dwindle. Hunger has fuelled new tensions within the camp, prompting Claude to join volunteers who patrol the area to prevent theft of what supplies remain. 'When I arrived here, I was given 3.5kg [7.7lb] of rice per month. Now it's a kilo [2.2lb]. The 3kg [6.6lb] of peas have dropped to 1.8kg [4lb]. What I get in tomato sauce lasts one day. Then it's over,' said Claude, whose name has been changed for security reasons, as have the names of other refugees interviewed. Some of the most desperate resort to slashing neighbours' tents in search of food, he added, while gangs 'spread terror'. 'The reduction of assistance will lead to many crimes,' he warned. Oscar Niyibizi, the camp's deputy administrator, described the cut in food rations as a 'major challenge' that could 'cause security disruption'. He urges refugees to cultivate land nearby but said external support remains desperately needed. The administration of United States President Donald Trump slashed its aid budget by 80 percent, and other Western nations have also reduced donations. As a result, many NGOs and United Nations agencies have been forced to close or significantly scale back their programmes. These cutbacks have come at a 'very bad time' as fighting escalates in the DRC, according to Geoffrey Kirenga, head of mission for Save the Children in Burundi. Burundi, one of the world's poorest countries, has received more than 71,000 Congolese refugees since January while still hosting thousands from previous conflicts. Established last year to accommodate 10,000 people, the Musenyi camp's population is now nearly twice that number. In addition to food shortages, the reduction in aid has led NGOs to discontinue support services for survivors of sexual violence, who are numerous in the camp, Kirenga said. His gravest concern is that 'deaths from hunger' may become inevitable. The World Food Programme has halved rations since March and warned that without renewed US funding, all assistance could end by November. According to the UN, hundreds of Congolese refugees are compelled to risk returning across the border in search of food.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Ibizira n'ibikorwa mu kubika no gushusha infungurwa
Gushusha ibifungurwa bishobora kugira ingaruka ku mamagara. Gukururikira izi nama bishoboira kugufasha kugabanya ivyago vyp gufatwa n'ingara ziturutse ku bifungurwa Ng'uku uko ushobora kwirinda: Ico gukora Ntugumize infungurwa zawe hanze Ntugumize infugnurwa zawe zikanye umwanya munini hanze ya firigo, nturenze amasaha abiri. Iyo ari umuceri hoho ntiukwiye kurenza isaha imwe, kubera umugera witwa bacillus cereus spores urwira. Ntushuhuruze umuceri watumyeko (waguze) hanze uhiye Burya umuceri watumyeko hanze uba wabanje gushushwa kuko bene urudandazwa baba babanje kuwuteka uri ngaho urindiriye abakiriya, bagaheza bakawushusha imbere yo kuwugurisha, bisobanura ko gusubiramwo kuwushusha irya kabiri bitera vya vyago vyo kwanduriramwo imigera yihisha mu bifungurwa. Ni vyiza kuwufungura ubwo nyene ukigushikira. Ntugumize infungurwa zitetse igihe kinini muri firigo Gerageza ivyo waraje, ibinfugure bukeye, nturenze hagati y'amasaha 24 -48 , canke ubishire mu kibanza gikonje cane bicike ibarafu (muri freezer/ congelateur) mu gihe ata mugambi ufise wo kubifungura vuba. Ntukuremwo ibarafu mu nkoko wabitse, ukoresheje amazi asusurutse Ibi bishobora gutuma impande zose zitaviramwo ibarafu icarimwe, aho usanga ibice bimwe vy' inyama yawe bigera aho bishobora guterwa n'imigera mu gihe ibindi navyo bitaba biravamwo ibifarafu neza. Ivyizza ni ukubanza ugakagabanya ubukonje bw'inyama yawe mu kuyikuramwo ibarafu, kandi mu guteka uyihishe neza. Campylobacter bacteria ni umugera ubineka mu nkoko ukunze gutera ibibazo mumushshito( igifu) harimwo kudahwa, mbere ushobora no gutuma umutnu aja mu bitaro. Don't reheat takeaway rice Takeaway rice is often pre-cooked and reheated by food businesses before it's sold, making it risky to reheat yet again. It's best eaten shortly after purchase or delivery. Don't keep home-cooked food in the fridge for too long Consume leftovers within 24-48 hours or freeze them if you don't plan to eat them soon. Don't defrost chicken with warm water This can lead to uneven thawing, where parts of the meat enter the 'danger zone' before being fully defrosted. Always defrost chicken in the fridge and cook it thoroughly. Campylobacter bacteria in poultry can lead to severe stomach issues, vomiting, and even hospitalisation. What you should do Always store food in the fridge before reheating it. Research shows that keeping food refrigerated (at 5°C or below) limits the growth of harmful pathogens. Cool your food before putting it in the fridge Putting hot food straight in to the fridge can push your fridge's temperature up, compromising other foods and allowing bacteria to grow. Ideally, let your food cool at room temperature and refrigerate it as soon as it's cooled. In warmer climates, the less time food spends outside, the safer it will be. Understand the 'danger zone' Between 8°C and 63°C, bacteria can multiply rapidly. Keeping your fridge below 5°C helps prevent food poisoning, while freezing food at -18°C pauses bacterial activity. However, bacteria are not killed during freezing - they can revive once food defrosts. Put cooled food in the freezer to defrost later You can freeze food up until its use-by date, including products like bread, which defrosts well and lasts longer in the freezer. Defrost frozen food fully before reheating Defrost food in the fridge for up to 24 hours, depending on the item. Larger items like a whole chicken will take longer, while smaller portions defrost faster. Some foods can be defrosted in the microwave, but it's best to follow manufacturer instructions. Defrosting in the fridge ensures food stays out of the 'danger zone.' Make sure food is fully thawed before cooking Partially defrosted food may cook unevenly, allowing harmful bacteria to survive. Reheat and consume any leftover rice within 24 hours Rice can contain bacillus cereus spores that survive cooking. Cooling and refrigerating rice promptly reduces the risk, but reheating should only be done once. Freezing cooked rice can pause spore growth. Be extra careful when reheating food for vulnerable people People with weakened immune systems, underlying conditions, pregnant women, young children, and older adults are at higher risk of foodborne illnesses. Reheat food until it's steaming hot throughout If defrosting food in the microwave, stir it halfway through to ensure even heating.
Zawya
09-05-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Safeguarding the health of mothers and newborns in Burundi
Burundi had never seen anything like it before: on a Saturday in December 2022, 35-year-old Johari gave birth to six babies. She had been transferred from the southern town of Rumonge to the Kamenge Military Hospital in Bujumbura for specialized care. 'Everyone was astonished that day; it was unbelievable,' she recalled. 'But I was the most amazed of all, seeing all my babies born alive. I thanked God for keeping me alive through it all.' In recent years, Burundi has made steady progress towards improving maternal and child health. The percentage of pregnant women seeking antenatal care rose from 35.9% to 41.7% between 2021 and 2023. This improvement is due, in part, to increased awareness of the importance of antenatal consultations and skilled birth attendance. World Health Organization (WHO) also supported the development of a self-care guide to help communities recognize danger signs, understand when to seek medical care, and know how to respond in the event of an emergency. Further progress has been made to reduce maternal mortality. The number of women who lost their lives due to pregnancy-related complications fell from 334 to 299 per 100 000 live births between 2017 and 2023. As part of its ongoing support to the government, particularly in the area of maternal and newborn health, WHO has also helped to upskill health personnel, provided essential supplies and equipment, and supported the development of key strategic documents. 'Interventions such as upgrading provider skills and supplying equipment have had a clear impact on the quality of care for mothers, pregnant women and children,' says Dr Ananie Ndacayisaba, Director of the National Reproductive Health Programme at Burundi's Ministry of Public Health and AIDS Control. 'We are seeing a real difference on the ground.' Kamenge Military Hospital is one of the facilities that has directly benefited from this support. In 2023, WHO supplied the hospital with neonatal resuscitation kits, electric suction devices, incubators, children's beds and mattresses, resuscitation beds, and a modern hybrid incinerator. This equipment was distributed across the neonatology, intensive care and gynaecology departments. The incinerator has also significantly improved the hospital's medical waste management, contributing to greater patient safety. In the neonatology department, unit head Dr Félicien Bivahagumye was part of the medical team that safely delivered Johari's sextuplets. He expresses his gratitude for the new equipment, which he says has transformed care: 'Between October 2024 and April 2025, we were able to successfully treat over 1200 newborns suffering from various birth complications.' To further strengthen his expertise, Bivahagumye and a nurse from his team were awarded a one-month WHO-funded scholarship, supported by Japan. The training focused on the organization of neonatal care and the resuscitation of newborns, with a particular emphasis on non-invasive ventilation techniques. 'We learned a great deal that will enable us to better manage the challenges we face. While difficulties remain, we are now equipped to care for very premature babies,' he notes. In normal circumstances, babies are born at term, between 37 and 42 weeks. Premature births are classified based on gestational age: extremely preterm (before 28 weeks), very preterm (28 to 32 weeks), and moderately preterm (32 to 37 weeks). Philomène, a 35-year-old mother of six, was also referred to Kamenge Military Hospital after giving birth to a premature baby at just 31 weeks. Her newborn weighed only 1.2 kilograms. 'When we arrived at the hospital, I had no hope my son would survive,' she recalls. 'But I was warmly received, and the doctors took exceptional care of him.' More broadly, as part of efforts to strengthen primary health care, WHO has also equipped about 10 priority health districts across the country with essential materials to support maternal and newborn care. These include suction devices, resuscitation and anaesthesia equipment, ventilation tools and neonatal care kits. 'Our aim is to support Burundi's efforts to ensure equitable access to quality maternal and child health services, as part of the drive toward universal health coverage,' explains Dr Xavier Crespin, WHO Representative in Burundi. To sustain progress, he emphasizes the need for ongoing investment: 'We must continue strengthening hospital capacity by investing in skilled and motivated health personnel, ensuring access to appropriate equipment, securing greater funding for essential infrastructure, and putting in place systems for supervision and quality assurance of hospital care.' Of Johari's six babies, four survived beyond their first year of life. She remains deeply grateful for their safe arrival, and for the care she received. 'The medical team was extraordinary. They were skilled and they fought for us,' she says. 'We received all the necessary treatment and medication for the babies. We are thankful for the ones who made it.' Philomène shares a similar sense of gratitude. 'Every day my baby gains weight, and now I truly believe he will survive,' she says. 'I'm especially thankful for the incubator – it has made it possible for my child to get the care he needs to grow.' For Bivahagumye, who works closely with newborns and their mothers every day, his commitment to improving neonatal care remains personal and passionate. 'Neonatal care will always be my calling. Nothing gives me more joy than seeing a baby born weighing one kilogram or less not only survive, but thrive.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - Burundi.
