Latest news with #KillMe
The Guardian
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘I was sure salvation lay in art': Marina Otero on death, dance and mental illness
Long ago, Marina Otero decided she would film her life until she dies, as part of an attempt to understand her pain and her preoccupation with death. 'I was sure that salvation lay in art,' she says. So when she suffered a mental breakdown in 2022, the Argentinian choreographer decided to keep recording. 'It seemed interesting to me, recording the darkest parts of a person,' Otero tells Guardian over Zoom from Madrid, where she is based. Her breakdown had several causes, she says: 'The cliche of the midlife crisis, coupled with unstable travel and a relationship with a narcissistic man, which exacerbated my longstanding dependence on men and fear of loneliness.' Afterwards, she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Otero drew on her breakdown footage to create Kill Me, her show about 'madness for love' (or, as she puts it, 'locura por amor'), coming to Australia in June as part of Melbourne's Rising festival. In it, she and four female dancers – each with their own experiences of mental illness – share stories and re-enact painful experiences, in what Otero describes as an 'attempt to poetise mental disorder'. Otero has also incorporated biographical details about love and mental illness from other women she knows. It's more playful than it sounds: there's nude dance numbers, rollerskating and an eclectic soundtrack that ranges from Bach to Miley Cyrus. In one sequence, the four dancers strut the stage nude except for white boots and knee pads, wielding plastic pistols: on a mission to kill romantic love before it kills them. Otero says the decision to cast four women was an ironic comment on the 'mad woman' cultural trope. Each woman was required to have a 'relationship' with a personality disorder in real life; some have their own psychiatric diagnoses. In the show, Otero jokes that she and the dancers together embody the DSM (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association). Meanwhile, a male dancer channels the spirit of the Russian ballet virtuoso Vaslav Nijinsky, who had schizophrenia. 'His megalomania, which has to do with someone who believes they're special, who is God and speaks to God, that relationship fascinated me,' Otero says. 'I reinvent Nijinsky in the play, that his problem was an excess of love, and excess led to death.' Kill Me, which premiered in France in 2024, is part of Otero's ongoing autobiographical art project Recordar para vivir (Remember to Live), which she has described as 'an endless work about my life in which I am my own object of research'. Kicking off in 2012 with Andrea, the story of a woman who 'danced her whole life to avoid talking about certain things', the body of work has often drawn on Otero's personal archive of footage, as the dancer worked out her traumas and neuroses on stage. Within the Remember to Live cycle, Kill Me is the final instalment of a trilogy of works exploring personal transformation, following Fuck Me (2020) and Love Me (2022). 'Each work somehow confronts me with a way of self-destruction,' Otero says. In Fuck Me, Otero delved into the connection between her family history and Argentina's military dictatorship in the 70s and 80s. Otero's grandfather, who died when she was 15, had been a naval intelligence officer during that era. 'He had told me that there are 'secrets that are kept until death', a phrase he repeated to me many times, and that phrase was the seed of the play,' she says. While she was developing Fuck Me, Otero underwent spinal surgery that left her unable to move, leading her to cast five male dancers to take her place – all playing military seamen and completely nude. The experience inflected the work in more profound ways, too: '[In the show] I make a link between my grandfather's secrets, what was hidden in my family, and the paralysis of the body,' she says. In her solo work Love Me, which premiered in Buenos Aires 'as a farewell to the country', Otero returned to the stage, speaking about the impact of the spinal operation on her sex and love life. In Kill Me, the dancer turned choreographer and director cuts a middle path, appearing on stage but also enlisting the help of other dancers. Having struggled to walk just a few years ago, Otero, now 41, says she is feeling fit again; while she can't yet dance again, she is doing boxing training each day in preparation for her next 'very ambitious and very complex project' (under wraps for now). Unsure at this stage whether she will be able to dance in the work, she says, 'I will be putting my body to work in some way'. Having left Argentina to seek new adventures and meet new people, she is also unsure if she will ever return, given attacks on freedom of speech by far-right president Javier Milei. '[He's] a horror … he's destroying everything,' she says. In the meantime, Otero continues to embrace the artistic possibilities of doubt: 'Whatever happens to me, I'm going to question everything,' she says. 'The most important thing for me is that the pieces transform me and take me to another place, to another life experience.' Kill Me is playing at the Sumner Southbank theatre, Melbourne, from 5-8 June as part of the Rising festival
India Today
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
It's Okay to Not be Okay to Doctor Slump: Evolution of mental health portrayal
"Crazy" might be a term that we throw around casually now. A decade or two back, however, there was a stigma attached to it. Discussions about mental health were sparse, and every mental illness was blanketed as "madness". And we are not just talking about the Indian the early 2000s, K-dramas, like their Indian counterparts, often avoided discussions of mental illness. When it did appear, it was to heighten tragedy or justify the villainy of a character. The portrayal of mental health shifted by the mid-2010s, with writers portraying psychological struggles within characters without the today's K-fix, let's look at how the portrayal of mental health has evolved over the years in K-drama. From 'Kill Me, Heal Me' to 'Love Next Door', there has been a tectonic shift (a good one, obviously) with makers delving into the nuances of the human psyche rather than generalising mental health issues. Kill Me, Heal Me - the beginning of the shiftThe 2015 drama 'Kill Me, Heal Me' began the much-needed shift in how K-dramas portrayed the issue of mental health. Cha Do-hyun, a wealthy man battling Dissociative Identity Disorder, carries the weight of childhood trauma in the form of seven distinct personalities. His journey toward healing, with psychiatrist Oh Ri-jin by his side, is heart-wrenching, chaotic, and unforgettable. This drama was one of the first to show that mental illness isn't a weakness but a human struggle worth Fairy Kim Bok-joo' and the concept of 'slump' Who could forget Kim Bok-joo's charm in this coming-of-age story gave us more than just campus romance? It highlighted emotional 'slumps' aka burnouts, body image issues, and the invisible pressure of chasing Joon-hyung's battle with anxiety and panic attacks added another layer of emotional truth. Through the quiet moments and strong friendships, 'Weightlifting Fairy' reminded us that true strength means loving yourself — even when the world tries to make you feel small.'It's Okay to Not Be Okay' - bold yet trueYes, Kim Soo-hyun and Seo Ye-ji are both good-looking and the chemistry was crackling, but the messaging was deeper than what met the eye. Moon Gang-tae (Soo-hyun) feels the exhaustion of being a constant caregiver. Ko Moon-young (Ye-ji) deals with antisocial personality traits. Sang-tae lives with autism. Together, their stories explore trauma, recovery, and how healing begins when you stop pretending to be okay.'Beyond Evil' - beyond typical dramaThis one isn't your typical tearjerker. It's dark, gripping, and dives deep into the effects of unresolved trauma and guilt. Lee Dong-sik isn't just trying to solve a mystery; he's unravelling his own mental show focused on mental health, trauma, guilt, and unresolved grief, highlighting how these issues leave a lasting effect. It draws the fine line between sanity and obsession, showing how emotional scars, if ignored, can twist even the best intentions. Creepy? Yes. Honest? Next Door' and 'Doctor Slump' - burnout gets too real2024 gave us two gems that quietly, but powerfully, spoke about burnout and depression. 'Love Next Door' follows Seok-ryu, who leaves behind a high-pressure job post-cancer surgery to find peace and purpose. It's gentle, soothing, and hits close to home for came 'Doctor Slump', where two former med school stars reunite at their rock bottom. This one packs a heavier emotional punch while tackling anxiety, shame, and the fear of not being 'enough.' Together, they rediscover the beauty of rest, reflection, and human connection. This also brings out another important aspect - how therapy and support systems are key to the healing journey.'Daily Dose of Sunshine'- literally what the title promisesFinally, a show with a psychiatric nurse as the lead! Jung Da-eun walks us through her life in a psychiatric ward, and it's anything but easy. The show takes on everything - from depression and anxiety to schizophrenia - with heart, honesty, and zero than anything, it shows how one needs to care for themselves while caring for others. And yes, Da-eun's growth will make you laugh, cry, and want to hug every nurse you've ever K-dramas are done with outdated stereotypes and tropes. Instead, we're getting a nuanced, empathetic portrayal of mental health. These K-dramas are not just entertaining us — they're starting global conversations and making people feel seen. Whether it's childhood trauma, social anxiety, or burnout from trying to be perfect, these shows say it loud and clear - it's okay to not be by Pratyusha RoyTrending Reel
IOL News
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
The rise of ethical tourism: Confronting South Africa's captive lion industry
Bone trade is probably the most convenient way of disposing of lions that are no longer big earners as tourism or hunting attractions. Image: Linda Park Sustainable or ethical tourism is growing and, although South Africa relies heavily on Big 5 safari experiences, the sector will soon butt heads with travellers no longer prepared to countenance a captive lion breeding industry riddled with corruption, cruelty and exploitation. According to Coherent Market Insights, the global ethical tourism market is currently worth $273.8 billion and is set to grow at 5.9% to reach $409.28 billion by 2032. Millennials, in particular, spend on tourism experiences that make the world a better place and petting of days old cubs removed from their mothers, walking with captive lions and voluntourism which deceives people into believing they are helping to rehabilitate wild big cats will no longer pass muster. For several years, Blood Lions, Four Paws South Africa, Voice4Lions and other conservation organisations have actively campaigned against the horrors of South Africa's commercial captive lion industry. During the build up to Africa's Travel Indaba, a high profile event that showcases tourism products to international and local buyers, this crusade may ramp up with conservationists like British writer and film maker, Richard Peirce ,author of the book Cuddle Me, Kill Me, revisiting the horrors that continue to be swept under the eco-tourism mat. Four years after the award-winning documentary Lions Bones and Bullets premiered at the Monte Carlo Television Festival, he is back in South Africa investigating what progress, if any, has been made. British conservationist, writer and filmmaker, Richard Peirce, author of the book Cuddle Me, Kill Me, is in South Africa investigating what progress has been made in rooting out corruption, cruelty and exploitation in the captive lion breeding industry. Image: Jacqui Peirce Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ He shared conversations with breeders, hunters and conservationists as well as his own concerns about a burgeoning captive bred lion population that is now the largest in the world. In Lions Bones and Bullets, Peirce and his fellow film makers graphically showed how lions were housed in cramped and filthy cages and ultimately slaughtered for their bones which were sold for traditional medicine in South East Asia. Statistics are shaky at best, but the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has unwittingly documented the growth of the very industry that it promised to disband. In December 2022, then-Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, appointed a ministerial task team to recommend voluntary exits for the captive lion industry. Another next task followed in February 2024 with the Terms of Reference finally published on April 26, barely a month before the national general election. In 2023, Creecy's ministerial task team estimated that there were 7 400 captive lions in 519 facilities across South Africa. By November 2024, when replacement Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, called on the captive lion industry to voluntarily surrender stockpiles of lion bones and derivatives, this population had apparently grown to 8 000 – more than double the 3 500 wild lions that prop up safari tourism. Officially, an estimated 8 761 lion skeletons have been exported from South Africa since 2008 but there is evidence that bone sales have not only continued illegally but escalated. Image: Jacqui Peirce Lion industry economics As Peirce found during his recent discussions, the smoke and mirrors continue with a cash strapped government unlikely to compensate lion farmers. Already, the so-called captive lion industry has launched a court battle to re-instate the legal export of lion skeletons. This follows a 2019 High Court ruling that prohibited this. Officially, an estimated 8 761 lion skeletons have been exported from South Africa since 2008 but there is evidence that bone sales have not only continued illegally but escalated. Peirce shared how environmental economist and member of the Conservation Action Trust, Dr Ross Harvey, attempted to work out the value of the captive lion industry in 2018. This proved almost impossible given the unavailability of accurate statistics as well as the plethora of 'uses' for these big cats. Captive lions feeding on a carcass. The photo features in Richard Peirce's book Cuddle Me, Kill Me. Image: Richard Peirce He finally came up with an estimate of around $180 million, a figure that includes lion cub petting and voluntourism but excludes taxidermy, hunting and the sale of lion bones. A similar study conducted at the Northwest University put the value at a far more conservative $26 million a year, or R500 million. Sadly, Peirce comments, lion hunting is booming. During a conversation with president of the South African Predators Association (SAPA), he learnt that the hunting fraternity ran out of shootable males in 2024 making the hunting element – canned or otherwise – a significant part of this so-called industry. Peirce shared further comments from Harvey who agrees, based on the sheer volume of canned hunts being sold: 'You get an email advertising discounted hunts. Of course, they don't say that these are canned hunts because these same outfits ostensibly support the move away from this. Nonetheless, they say South Africa is about to shut down the trade, so you need to respond if you still want a shot at their inexpensive rate. Current prices are about $50 000 for a hunt plus shooting a lion which costs anywhere between $8 and $14 000 depending on the type of lion.' Harvey also tried to work out the average earnings per year from selling lion bones. Based on estimates of around 1100 skeletons sold each year for an average of $65 dollars per kilogram and each skeleton weighing about 15 kilograms, this comes to $2 475 per skeleton and $ 2.7 million dollars per year. Hence the bone trade is probably the most convenient way of disposing of lions that are no longer big earners as tourism or hunting attractions. Peirce says the flip side is that it costs very little to breed lions. However, he also believes that the value of the lion breeding industry - at just four to five percent of the value of entire tourism sector - is not worth the bad press that it gleans as conservationists ramp up their efforts to expose the cruelties of captive breeding. He suggests that Creecy's department had not fully thought through the ramifications of making lion breeding illegal. Peirce and Harvey say lion breeders can calculate an audited value for their businesses as part of a strong legal challenge against Creecy's legislation and George's attempted implementation. They point out that a cash strapped government cannot take on the court battle let alone compensate farmers for lost earnings or surrendered bones and body parts. Peirce warns that, should government be taken to court by breeders, the case would remain in court for a protracted period. He likens this to the British government trying to legitimise the slave trade. 'This could be in court for five, six, seven years. If pockets are deep enough to keep it there, the misery goes on, the trade goes on.' For most conservationists, the only solution is the complete eradication of captive lion breeding. However, some sort of compromise will probably be the eventual outcome. Instead of going the legal route, Peirce suggests that some of the bigger businesses are looking at cleaning up their acts and pushing out the smaller players who have given this so-called industry a bad name. 'What they're trying to do now is introduce better husbandry laws, stricter requirements, better licensing, better record keeping, and try to squeeze out the smaller people and the petting businesses.' Harvey agrees but does not necessarily see a positive outcome. 'We are talking about a government that has struggled to regulate this industry in the past. There's not a lot to suggest that it will do any better in the future, especially given that from province to province, operators seem to do whatever they like. Whenever we put in a request to find out how many breeding facilities are operating in the country, we are referred to the provincial authorities who don't have a clue what's going on.' Somewhat reluctantly, Peirce concedes that a solution could be based on supply and across what has evolved into an entire lion supply chain. 'I think it may come back to scale. The big boys with large farms may consider getting involved in eco-tourism. If you close off smaller operators doing cub petting and lion walks, less lions need to be bred. Although many conservationists and animal welfare campaigners will not like this, I think they should consider going for what they can get as a start,' he suggests. Harvey is not convinced that highly regulated lion ranching where big cats could still be hunted under fair chase rules offers a long term solution. He says this would be bitter pill given that captive bred lions do not have the instincts of a wild lion and wouldn't naturally run away from a hunter, especially one with a powerful rifle and scope. Conservationist and former national inspector for the NSPCA, Karen Trendler, notes that authorities dragging their heels when they should have closed the industry years ago gave it time to strategize and fight back. Currently, there are no standards or regulation and lion farmers are required to pay as little as R50 to R100 for a permit to operate. 'They should be paying for the permit application, administration, a pre permitting inspection. It's little steps like that, that are going to enable us to push standards and costs up to make it too difficult and expensive for so many to operate. 'We all acknowledge that what is happening is appalling, disgusting. We know it's cruel. By bringing in high standards, you have something against which to measure someone in court. From a wellbeing perspective, cub petting, the removal of cubs, walking with lions will be easy cases to win. The intensive breeding of lions, where you've got large numbers in very small cages can be challenged,' she suggests. Trendler concedes that allowing regulated and pared down lion ranching may be the only chance to get a better deal for lions. 'This will require full time veterinarians and infrastructure, qualified trained managers and lion breeders. Breeders will have to ask themselves if their businesses are sustainable and if it is financially viable to continue,' she says. Linda Park, director and co-founder of Voice4lions Image: Supplied Linda Park, director and co-founder of Voice4lions says that while conservationists and the public world-wide want to put an end to the industry, there might be a need for compromise: 'We need to be pragmatic. Dithering around and futile arguing is getting us nowhere and certainly not helping the very animals for which we are fighting.' SUNDAY TRIBUNE
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
May 2025 happenings set at The Tailgate Midland
Apr. 29—MIDLAND — The Tailgate is calling, and May 2025 is loaded with shows set for a perfect night in West Texas, featuring country risers, rock legends, and high-energy parties. From gritty Texas country to hard-hitting metal tributes, here's what's coming up at Midland's home for live music. Tickets for all shows are available now at powered by the official partner Tixr. All events are 18+ unless otherwise noted. Kolby Cooper, May 1 — Kolby Cooper is bringing the heat to The Tailgate. With a sound that blends red dirt grit and Southern rock swagger, Cooper's tracks like "Excuses" and "Kill Me" are turning him into one of Texas music's fastest risers. Kick off May with a show that delivers all heart, all grit. Four Horsemen: The Metallica Tribute, May 9 — The Four Horsemen are bringing Metallica's legacy to life on The Tailgate stage. With a powerful tribute to one of metal's most iconic bands, this is a night of fast riffs, big sound, and loud energy. From "Enter Sandman" to "Seek & Destroy," get ready to relive the legends. William Beckmann, May 10 — With a velvet voice and a deep South Texas soul, William Beckmann blends traditional country with modern charm. Whether he's serenading the crowd with "Bourbon Whiskey" or diving into heartfelt ballads, Beckmann brings authenticity and style to every performance. Basin Brunch ft. Sommer Ray + the Montana Boyz, May 17 — Evening Basin Brunch featuring Sommer Ray, hosted by the Montana Boyz, May 17, ages 21+ event Sommer Ray hits the stage with a DJ set made for daytime energy, hosted by the high-energy Montana Boyz. Come for the drinks, stay for the music—it's a full-on West Texas day party you'll want to be part of. This event is 21+. Seether with P.O.D. and Nonpoint, May 27 — 18+ — Three powerhouses. One night. Seether returns with anthems like "Fake It" and "Broken," joined by alt-metal legends P.O.D. and Nonpoint. It's a heavy-hitting lineup that delivers pure rock under the West Texas sky. For more events, stay connected and follow @TheTailgateMidlandTX on Facebook and Instagram for announcements, artist drops, and event updates. Tickets and VIP tables and couches are available now at All tickets are sold through The Tailgate Midland's official ticket partner, Tixr. For tickets and event details, visit
