All content by Alexandra Bentzien
![A group of incarcerated men sit in an auditorium. All of them are wearing light blue denim collared shirts and dark blue jeans. Two of the men are smoking cigarettes.](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/GreatFreedom_Still_2-900x486.jpg)
Review: ‘Great Freedom’ exposes hope on trial in the face of institutionalized cruelty
Sebastian Meise’s film is a moving portrait of a gay man in a country that criminalized his identity. “Great Freedom” is playing in select theaters.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer
• March 7, 2022
![Persian artist Shahzia Sikander’s work is on display at the Morgan Library. The exhibition will be available to view until September 26.
(Photo by Alexandra Christina Bentzien)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/arts-visual-shahzia-900x675.jpeg)
Sikander’s ‘Extraordinary Realities’ explores migration and identity formation
Pakistani artist Shahzia Sikander’s key works are on display at the Morgan Library until Sept. 26.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer
• September 24, 2021
![Nomadland is a drama film written, edited, produced, and directed by Chloé Zhao. This best picture winner film follows a woman who leaves her hometown, after her husband dies and she loses her job, to be "houseless" and travel around the United States. (Staff Photo by Manasa Gudavalli, Staff Illustration by Manasa Gudavalli)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/arts-film-nomadland-manasagudavalli2-900x675.jpg)
‘Nomadland’s’ contemporary vision of the American dream
NYU alumna and best picture winner Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” interrogates the nature of coming of age in modern America.
Alexandra Bentzien, Staff Writer
• April 26, 2021
![The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Image-from-iOS-4.png)
Weekly Radio Roundup: Final Edition of the Semester
The most exciting tunes as you get ready to let loose in the summertime.
Vanessa Handy, Alexandra Bentzien, Alexandra Chan, Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer and Ethan Zack
• May 6, 2020
![Corpus Christi is a 2019 Polish drama film directed by Jan Komasa and written by Mateusz Pacewicz. While the film, nominated for Best International Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, is not a thriller, it is an intensely vigorous investigation of what true faith really means without pages of scripture or layers of uniform to hide behind. (Staff Photo by Alex Tran)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/IMG_5830-900x675.jpg)
Reinventing the Face of Faith in ‘Corpus Christi’
Academy Award-nominated “Corpus Christi,” by Polish director Jan Komasa, examines the complicated boundaries of true faith in a story about an ex-convict masquerading as a parish priest.
Alexandra Bentzien, Staff Writer
• May 5, 2020
![The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/radioroundup-4_16.png)
Weekly Radio Roundup: April 10 – April 16
The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.
Ian Reid, Claire Jones, Alexandra Bentzien and Ana Cubas
• April 16, 2020
![The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/weeklyradioroundup4.9-900x675.jpg)
Weekly Radio Roundup: April 3 – April 9
The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.
Izzy Salas, Henry Carr, Isabella Armus, Ana Cubas, Alexandra Bentzien and Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer
• April 9, 2020
![The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week. (Staff Illustration by Charlie Dodge)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/radioroundup-charlie-900x675.jpg)
Weekly Radio Roundup: March 27 – April 2
The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer and Alexandra Bentzien
• April 2, 2020
![The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/arts-singles-900x748.jpg)
Weekly Radio Roundup: March 7 – March 13
The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.
Ethan Zack, Izzy Salas, Isabella Armus, Ana Cubas, Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Charles Smith and Alexandra Bentzien
• March 12, 2020
![Ai Weiwei’s piece, Two Figures, is a life-size work of a plaster-cast man and wife lying on a mattress, with a pile of red seeds surrounding the man’s head. This was used as a reference to the Tang Dynasty poem, Love Seeds, which inspired the title of the exhibit. (Photo by Alexandra Bentzien)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IMG_3854-900x675.jpg)
Faurschou Foundation Fosters Global Connection
The newest Faurschou expansion in New York features a fascinating new group exhibition.
Alexandra Bentzien, Staff Writer
• March 8, 2020
![The lyrical styles of King Krule mix machinery with acoustic lyrics. King Krule’s third studio album, “Man Alive!” is an encapsulation of the range of his musical inspirations and talents.(Staff Photo by Alex Tran)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/New-Project-900x600.jpg)
King Krule Falls Into Space on the Subway
King Krule’s “Man Alive!” searches for a cure to loneliness on an album simmering with agony and fantastical astrological vibes
Alexandra Bentzien, Staff Writer
• March 2, 2020
![The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/arts-singles-900x748.jpg)
Weekly Radio Roundup: Feb. 22 – Feb. 28
The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.
Ashley Wu, Ian Reid, Alexandra Bentzien, Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer and Destine Manson
• February 28, 2020
![The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/arts-singles-900x748.jpg)
Weekly Radio Roundup: Feb. 14 – Feb. 21
The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.
Ian Reid, Ana Cubas, Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Izzy Salas and Alexandra Bentzien
• February 21, 2020
![The arts desk is back with some recommendations of singles you may have missed this week.(Illustration by Rachel Buigas-Lopez)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/arts-singles-900x748.jpg)
Weekly Radio Roundup: Feb. 7 – Feb. 12
The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.
Alexandra Bentzien, Abby Hofstetter, Angela Cai, Ana Cubas, Destine Manson and Ashley Wu
• February 13, 2020
![A student walks to school with a sinister plot against their teacher. The Dardenne brothers' film “Young Ahmed” was the recipient of the Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival. (Staff Photo by Jake Capriotti)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ahmedmovie-900x600.jpg)
Extremism Burns Slowly in the Mind of ‘Young Ahmed’
The Dardenne brothers’ “Young Ahmed” is a complex and unsettling portrait of radicalization.
Alexandra Bentzien, Staff Writer
• February 10, 2020
![Weekly Radio Roundup: Jan. 31 - Feb. 3](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/arts_playlist_music_01-900x748.jpg)
Weekly Radio Roundup: Jan. 31 – Feb. 3
The most exciting singles that came out over the course of the week.
Ethan Zack, Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Alexandra Bentzien and Ashley Wu
• February 6, 2020
![Waves is a drama film released by A24 on November 15. (Via Twitter @wavesmovie)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/EJcD7k7XUAMmw9q.jpg-large.jpeg)
‘Waves’ Verges on Cinematic Sensory Overload
“Waves” is a gripping family drama that captivates with experimental sound design and visual components.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer
• November 17, 2019
!["Marriage Story" is a coming-of-age film about adults struggling to balance a relationship between their own ambitions. (Via Twitter)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/marriage-story-900x541.jpeg)
‘Marriage Story’ Is Noah Baumbach in Top Form
Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson deliver enthralling performances as a couple fallen out of love.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer
• November 12, 2019
![Tokyo Twilight, a Japanese drama film, was originally released in 1957. (Via Wikimedia)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Tokyo_Twilight_1957_movie_poster.jpg)
‘Tokyo Twilight’: Ozu’s Metaphorical Landscape of Heartbreak and Change
Master Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu illustrates a complex narrative of transformation through the breaking of a family and the evolution of Tokyo.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer
• October 27, 2019
![Shura performed at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Wednesday Oct 23 for her “forevher” album tour. Her dynamic performance reflected both optimism and love through her personal story. (via Secretly Canadian)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/fit_crop-50-50-id_666806-width_678-height_399.jpg)
Shura Celebrates All Kinds of Love at Music Hall of Williamsburg
The singer swapped between upbeat bops and slow romantic spells from her latest album.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer
• October 24, 2019
![Wendell Pierce as a preacher "Burning Cane" (via Susan Norget Film Promotion)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Wendell-Pierce-as-a-preacher-in-_Burning-cane_-1-900x486.png)
‘Burning Cane’: NYU Sophomore’s Film to Premiere on Netflix
Phillip Youmans’s directorial debut captivates with breathtaking cinematography despite slow pacing.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer
• October 24, 2019
![Parasite is a Korean movie that was released in the U.S. on October 11, 2019.
(Via Twitter)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/EBOJ8x-UEBAlrOg.jpg-large-631x900.jpeg)
‘Parasite’: The Movie Experience of the Year
The Korean candidate for best foreign-language film and winner of the Palme d’Or is a landmark of cinematic achievement.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer
• October 15, 2019
![Promotional poster for Zombi Child. (via Twitter)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/zombichild-900x508.png)
‘Zombi Child’: Equal Parts Horror and Coming-of-Age Story
French director Bertrand Bonello’s experimental horror film dazzles through unconventional storytelling and an electrifying score.
Alexandra Bentzien, Contributing Writer
• September 25, 2019
![(Lauren Sanchez for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/news-titlevi-1200x800.jpg)
Graylin Lucas, Contributing Writer • February 11, 2025
![(Alex Woodworth for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ops-politicalstereotyping-1200x800.jpg)
Jake Christy, Contributing Writer • February 11, 2025
![(Kiran Komanduri for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/sports-coach-barber-feature-1200x800.jpg)
Brian Sanchez, Contributing Writer • February 11, 2025
![(Ray Qian for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/news-nyuad6g-1200x801.jpg)
Vaishnavi Girish, Contributing Writer • February 11, 2025
![(Ivy Chan for WSN)](https://nyunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/arts-visual-framing-fashion-1200x800.jpg)
Skylar Boilard, Staff Writer • February 11, 2025