The winner of the U.K.’s most prestigious literary prize, the Booker, will be announced on 12 November. The six authors on shortlist in the running for the prize are from the U.K., Australia, Canada, the U.S.A. and, for the first time, the Netherlands. Also for the first time, five out of six are women. Get … Continue reading “Watch the Short List for the 2024 Booker Prize”
Primary, collège and lycée classes can participate in the Sadlier Stokes Prize to create projects about Australia’s participation in World War I. Lieutenant Clifford Sadlier and Sergeant Charlie Stokes of the 5th Australia Division, were decorated for their bravery in the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, on 24 April, 1918. The town was strategic in the … Continue reading “1500 Euro Prize for a Class Project About Australia”
Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to the 2019 Oscar-winning film, was released in theaters October 2, 2024. Set outside the mainstream DC Universe, Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie à Deux continued the story of Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck, a troubled failed comedian who is loosely based on DC Comics’ Clown Prince of Crime. A Transformed Arthur Fleck Two … Continue reading “Joker: Folie à Deux – A Dance with Madness”
As the American presidential election approaches, the film The Apprentice, is set to debut in French theaters on October 9th. This feature film explores the early career of Donald Trump, the former U.S. President and current Republican candidate, in the ruthless world of New York real estate in the 1970s and 80s. A Remarkable Transformation … Continue reading “The Apprentice: A Controversial Biopic on Donald Trump”
Maggie Smith passed away on 27 September at the age of 89, after a long and distinguished career in theatre, TV and film. Her talents in both comedic and dramatic acting won her two Oscars and countless awards across the acting world. Smith started acting at just 18 in 1952, and honed her craft on … Continue reading “Maggie Smith’s Amazing Career”
2024 marks the centennial of the birth of James Baldwin, novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, civil-rights campaigner and social critic, as well as self-proclaimed American “Native Son”. Born in 1924 in Harlem, New York, Baldwin grew up in poverty, the eldest of nine children. Harlem was home to many black families who had moved from the … Continue reading “James Baldwin Centenary”
The annual Dinard Film Festival is expanding to become the British AND Irish film festival. The 35th edition takes place from 2 to 6 October. There are six films in competition as well as a short film section and special events such as a preview of Anthony Hopkins playing Sigmund Freud debating the existence of … Continue reading “Dinard British and Irish Film Festival”
Back at the beginning of 2024, it looked like this year’s presidential race was going to be very predictable, and somewhat boring, a replay of 2020. Boy, was that wrong! One candidate, Joe Biden, pulled out after a disastrous first TV debate, which was held untraditionally before the summer. Another, Donald Trump, has been the … Continue reading “The Rocky Road to the White House”
All U.S. states are not equal when it comes to time and budget lavished on them by presidential candidates and political parties. Most of the focus is on states which are variously referred to as swing states, battleground states or purple states. In the presidential election, it’s not the national popular vote that counts, but … Continue reading “Red, Blue or Purple States: a Colorful Guide to U.S. Elections”
Who will get out and vote, and for whom, in the U.S. Presidential elections? There has been a lot of interest recently in celebrities endorsing one or other of the tickets. Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Elon Musk’s endorsements of Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance respectively have made headlines. Celebrity endorsements of candidates are nothing new: Warren … Continue reading “Getting Out the Vote”