Birds, Bad Omens and Obsession: What to see, do or hear this week in Europe

As we head towards the midpoint of May, everything is beckoning us to come outside.

First and foremost, it’s festival season. From Cannes for cinephiles to the Venice Biennale for art lovers – there’s a whole host of wonderful (and sometimes weird – cheese rolling in the UK, anyone?) events starting to take place.

If you’re looking for smaller bursts of escapism, several new exhibitions have made our hearts flutter, including the Musée du quai Branly’s homage to birds-of-paradise and the artistic creations they’ve inspired.

This week’s movie pick deals with a far less desirable subject – obsessional love leading to bloody mayhem. But at least you can cool off after with Drake’s Iceman album (unless you’re a Kendrick fan, that is).

Here are this week’s recommendation.

Exhibitions

Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific

When: 16 May – 10 January 2027.

Where: V&A South Kensington (London, UK)

Australia, Asia and the Pacific are home to 60 per cent of the global population – and some of the world’s most diverse and boundary-pushing cultural output, too. Yet we rarely get to marvel at these works – especially as a vast collection – outside of the Asia Pacific region. London’s V&A sets this right with an exhaustive display of more than 70 sculptures, paintings, ceramics, weaving and more from over 40 different artists. Reflecting the unique perspectives and ever-evolving cultures of the Asia Pacific, it’s a breath-taking look at the creativity and lived experiences of a widely underrepresented region.

Plumes from Paradise

When: 12 May – 8 November 2026

Where: Musée du quai Branly (Paris, France)

Known for their vibrant colours and theatrical plumage, birds-of-paradise have long captivated humans and inspired culture. Representative of desire, freedom and glamour, the New Guinea natives are also at the heart of the Musée du quai Branly’s new exhibition, which soars with paintings, photography, fashion and ecology. There are nearly 190 works on display in total, all of which present pay tribute to the birds’ historical relevance – and our continued collective admiration of them.

Bonus highlight: Phantasmagoria: Folkloric Sculpture for the Digital Age opens at the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds, UK, on 15 May.

Movies

Obsession

Where: Cinemas

When: 15 May

As the saying goes: Be careful what you wish for. Especially if you’re in a horror movie… Obsession follows Bear (Michael Johnston), a young man infatuated with his childhood friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette). However, after he wishes on a novelty willow branch that she would love him more than anyone else in the world, things take a turn for the truly crazy. As Nikki becomes possessed with her new, all-consuming obsession, she will stop at nothing – including lots of bloody violence – to keep Bear all to herself. Following in the foot steps of Companion and Together, this is another movie to make you question codependency – and the benefits of being unlovable.

Bonus highlights: This month marks several movie anniversaries, including Shrek (25 years) and Top Gun (40 years), which will be re-released at select cinemas.

TV series

Good Omens

Where: Prime Video

When: 13 May

Brace for the Second Coming.

Based on the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, Good Omens is a fantastical comedy series about an angel (Michael Sheen) and a demon (David Tennant), who unexpectedly pair up to save Earth from an impending Armageddon. While the show’s finale will now only be one 90 minute long episode, many fans are surprised to have closure at all. After season 2 ended in 2023, sexual assault allegations against Gaiman came to light and led to the project being put on indefinite hold.

Bonus highlight: Dutton Ranch, a new spin-off within the prestigious Yellowstone TV series franchise, premieres on 15 May on Paramount+.

Music

Drake: Iceman

When: 15 May

Back to releasing albums after all that embarrassing feuding with Kendrick Lamar, Drake’s 9th studio release is upon us – and the past beef is ever present. Much of Iceman is reportedly centred around the Canadian rapper’s navigations of betrayal, loyalty, and his return to confidence following multiple controversies in recent years. It’s also set to mark a return to his earlier, high-production hip-hop/pop-rap sound. The album features collaborations from Julia Wolf, Central Cee, Cash Cobain and Yeat.

Bonus highlight: After a 14-year hiatus, The All-American Rejects will release their fifth studio album, ‘Sandbox’, on 15 May.