Halloween for All

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 16 October 2025 > Celebrate

A man in Austin, Texas, has made it his personal mission that every child can have a Halloween costume. In 2016, Christopher Waggoner moved into a house rather than an apartment and so trick or treaters came to his door on Halloween. He saw some kids watching the elaborate costumes other kids had ruefully. Now … Continue reading “Halloween for All”

Margaret Atwood and Stephen King Defend the Freedom to Read

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 16 October 2025 > In the News

The New Age of Book Banning Over the past two years, North America has witnessed a resurgence of book censorship in public and school libraries. From Alberta in Canada to Florida and Utah in the United States, hundreds of books have been removed under the banner of “protecting minors” from content deemed “explicit” or “inappropriate.” … Continue reading “Margaret Atwood and Stephen King Defend the Freedom to Read”

Mystery House

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 14 October 2025 > Celebrate

Tradition says that ghosts have fun at Halloween. But in San Jose, California, they have fun all year in a 160-room eccentric house built for them. The house’s creator was Sarah Winchester, who inherited the vast fortune of the Winchester rifle company. The rifles were very popular in the Wild West. When Sarah’s baby and … Continue reading “Mystery House”

Save the Date: British Short Films Festival All Around France

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 13 October 2025 > Pedagogy

The “This is England” festival of British short films based in Rouen and the surrounding region is back. The 2025 edition  will take place from 15 to 23 November. A team of teachers has put together a special programme of screenings and teaching materials for primary, collège and lycée classes. And this year, it will … Continue reading “Save the Date: British Short Films Festival All Around France”

First Australian Art

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 10 October 2025 > Shine Bright Collège Shine Bright Lycée What's On

The rooms of the Tate Modern are filled with the monumental art of Emily Kam Kngwarry, who depicted the life and beliefs of her Indigenous community in Australia’s Northern Territory. Kngwarry came late to art and spent the last eight years of her long life producing giant paintings which are now considered the forefront of … Continue reading “First Australian Art”

Jane Goodall: Into the Heart of the Wild

Posted by Speakeasy News > Friday 10 October 2025 > In the News

On October 1, 2025, the Jane Goodall Institute announced the passing of its founder, Dame Jane Goodall, at the age of 91.  Ethologist, primatologist, and United Nations Messenger of Peace, she devoted more than six decades to studying chimpanzees and promoting a sustainable relationship between humanity and the natural world. Early Life and the Making … Continue reading “Jane Goodall: Into the Heart of the Wild”

Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2025

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 09 October 2025 > In the News Shine Bright Collège

The Commonwealth Youth Awards honour young people from around the world for their work trying to advance one or more of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. This year’s winner, Stanley Chidubem Anigbogu from Nigeria, founded an organisation to transform waste into solar energy for people who have limited access to energy. The Commonwealth is a … Continue reading “Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2025”

Dinard British and Irish Film Festival 2025

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 01 October 2025 > What's On

The Dinard British and Irish Film Festival takes place from 1 to 5 October. There are five films in competition as well as a short-film section, documentaries and lots of special showings. The opening film of the festival is one of several first  films directed by actors.  My Mother’s Wedding was written and directed by Kristen … Continue reading “Dinard British and Irish Film Festival 2025”

Robert Redford: A Star Among the Stars

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 17 September 2025 > In the News

Robert Redford died on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89, in his Sundance (Utah) home. A charming actor, Oscar-winning director, and founder of the world’s most important independent film festival, he spanned six decades of American cinema by combining seduction and rigor, star power and political conscience, Hollywood heritage and a desire for … Continue reading “Robert Redford: A Star Among the Stars”