Culture Agenda: The best things to do, hear, see or watch in Europe this week

As August approaches, cultural events across the continent continue to heat up.

One of the most exciting announcements last week was Venice Film Festival's 2025 line-up, with its competition highlights including Yorgos Lanthimos's Bugonia, Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly and Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein - to name just a few! In the meantime for cinephiles, there's a traumatic time to be had with Bring Her Back, the sophomore horror release from the directing duo behind celebrated 2023 horror Talk To Me.

If, on the other hand, you'd rather chill out from the seemingly relentless terrors of this life, there's new American sitcom Leanne on Netflix and Reneé Rapp's second collection of bouncing-on-bed bops.

Finally, Euronews Culture had the privilege of interviewing British artist George the Poet about his new multi-sensory project in London, which we'd also strongly recommend adding to your visit list.

Until next time, here are this week's highlights.

Exhibitions

Virtual Beauty 

Where: Somerset House (London, UK)

When: 23 July – 28 September 2025

From filters to AI avatars to the dehumanisation of dating apps, technology has completely distorted the ways in which we perceive and present ourselves to the world. Featuring over 20 works from visionary international artists like ORLAN and Amalia Ulman, Somerset House's latest exhibition explores concepts of beauty in a post-internet age, where aesthetics are redefined at speed and our carefully curated online selves exist in perpetual tension with the IRL. Genuinely thought-provoking - and might make you think twice about taking any gallery selfies.

50DE25 exhibition by Luiz Carvalho

Where: Sociedade Nacional de Belas Artes (Lisbon, Portugal)

When: Until 23 August 2025

When the Carnation Revolution began in Portugal in 1974, a 19-year-old student named Luiz Carvalho began photo-documenting one of the country's most momentous transformations. Carvalho would go on to become a lauded photojournalist, forging a powerful career over nearly two decades. 50 years on from the tumultuous events that started it all, Carvalho has curated his earliest images for a new book and accompanying exhibition. Visceral, emotive and deeply personal, they capture the still points amidst a restless world on the verge of great change.

Bonus: Gianni Versace Exhibition at Arches London Bridge until 1 March 2026

Movies

Bring Her Back 

Where: European cinemas 

When: 1 August 

The highly-anticipated sophomore feature from Australian directors Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou (Talk to Me), Bring Her Back is a dark, demented and deeply haunting exploration of grief, trauma and the desperate measures loss can drive us to. After two young siblings (Billy Barratt, Sora Wong) arrive in the care of grieving foster mother Laura (Sally Hawkins), they find themselves a part of her sinister ritualistic plans. The film featured in our best movies of 2025 so far, with Euronews critic David Mouriquand calling it a “nauseatingly textured tale” that “truly gets under the skin”. In other words, prepare to be freaked out! 

Bonus highlight: Liam Neeson picks up Leslie Nielsen's cop badge in the reboot of The Naked Gun from 1 August (good for balancing out the aforementioned suggestion) 

TV series

Leanne

Where: Netflix

When: 31 July 

If you’re looking for something lighthearted and escapist, Netflix’s new comedy Leanne should do the trick. Co-created by and starring American stand-up comedian Leanne Morgan - who rose to fame as a door-to-door jewellery saleswoman that made customers laugh so much they started booking her for living room gigs - it follows the societal absurdities of starting over in your 50s after divorce. From menopause to jello salad (don’t look it up), this sitcom is pure mood-sweetener with its laughter tracks and southern American charm. 

Bonus highlight: Jason Momoa stars in US historical drama Chief of War (Apple TV+) from 1 August

Music

Reneé Rapp: Bite Me

Following recent new releases from Lorde, Addison Rae and Justin Bieber, it's feeling like a big summer for the pop heads. While fans await Sabrina Carpenter's new album next month, Reneé Rapp is here to fill the gap for fizzy, feisty anthems possessed with summer sass. Best known for her breakout role as Regina George in the Mean Girls musical (both Broadway and movie versions), she released her debut album 'Snow Angel' in 2023. Having come out as a lesbian in 2024, 'Bite Me' is centred around Rapp's experiences of self-acceptance and unashamed self-expression. It's giving us Regina George energy, basically.

Bonus highlights: Alice Cooper: The Revenge of Alice Cooper and Madonna: Veronica Electronica