Alice Guy was one of the first and pioneering filmmakers, working in France and the U.S.A. at the beginning of cinema. Her contributions seemed to have been forgotten but she finally being recognised, with a retrospective at the Deauville Film Festival, a role in the Paris 2024 opening ceremony and an upcoming TV series devoted … Continue reading “A Cinema Pioneer: Alice Guy”
The tenth Women’s Rugby World Cup will take place from 22 August to 27 September in eight cities across England. Sixteen teams will battle for the title, from New Zealand, who have won six times and are the current champions, to newbie Brazil. England is hosting the tournament for the second time. The Red Roses … Continue reading “Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025”
The first of September every year is celebrated as Back to Hogwarts Day by fans of the Harry Potter saga. That’s the day each year that the students of Hogwarts School go to the mysterious Platform Nine-and-three-quarters at King’s Cross Station in London to get on the Hogwarts Express steam train to school. In this … Continue reading “Back to Hogwarts!”
If Juneteenth (19 June) became a federal holiday in the U.S.A., it was partly in thanks to a remarkable retired schoolteacher and activist, Opal Lee, who is now 98. She petitioned Congress and the White House for five years to achieve her goal. Juneteenth marks the day when the most distant part of the United … Continue reading “The Grandmother of Juneteenth”
Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys’ songwriter, died on 12 June. The band symbolised a California dream of sun, surf and sand and rivalled the Beatles for the coolest band of the 1960s. Three of the band were brothers, with Brian, the eldest, born in 1942. They grew up in Hawthorn, California. Both parents were amateur … Continue reading “The Sound of Summer Fades Away”
Sir David Attenborough has spent almost seven decades making remarkable documentaries about the natural world which have been watched around our planet. At age 99, his latest film aims to show how our oceans have been impacted by human activity, and how innovative projects can successfully revive them. Sir David Attenborough has fascinated viewers around … Continue reading “Ocean with David Attenborough”
One of Britain’s favourite painters, JMW Turner, was born 250 years ago, but his art continues to inspire, just as it inspired the Impressionists in the 19th century. It has a modernity that stands in contrast to his contemporary rival John Constable. It’s hard not to believe Turner would have been proud of the iconoclastic … Continue reading “Turner: 250th Anniversary”
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is considered the quintessential depiction of the Roaring Twenties and a definite contender for the title of great American novel. On the 100th anniversary of its publication, readers return to the classic, and writers imagine new stories for its characters. Published on 10 April 1925, it was Fitzgerald’s third … Continue reading “The Great Gatsby Turns 100”
This slogan from 1939 symbolises British identity in 2025 . You can find it on T-shirts, mugs, postcards and posters. The simple white words appeared on a red poster prepared for World War Two. But the poster wasn’t distributed. In 1939, the British government was prepared for a major war, and possibly an invasion. It … Continue reading “Keep Calm and Carry On!”
Red Nose Day is back on Friday 21 March in the UK. And this is incredibly the charity Comic Relief’s 40th birthday. They’ve been encouraging people to don a clown’s red nose and “do something funny for money” since 1985. The charity was founded by comedian Lenny Henry and romcom scriptwriter and director Richard Curtis … Continue reading “Red Nose Day is Celebrating a Big Birthday”