Author Archives: Frostie

Celebrities, Royalty and Olympians Gather at Exclusive Launch of New Range Rover

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Iconic British car-maker Land Rover reveals their new model to the world via a dramatic event in London.

A star-studded guest list of rock stars, royalty, celebrities & Olympians gathered in West London to celebrate the global debut of the All-New Range Rover – the fourth generation of the iconic Range Rover line.

Rock legend Mark Knopfler entertained an audience of almost 500 VIP guests – including Olympians Zara Phillips and Greg Rutherford, as well as Sir Ranulph Fiennes, model David Gandy, and comedian Jimmy Carr – at the exclusive launch event held at The Royal Ballet School in Richmond, London.

The world’s first SUV with a lightweight all-aluminium body structure, the All-New Range Rover is the ultimate luxury SUV, following the innovative spirit of the original design from over 40 years ago.

With order books now officially open and sales scheduled to start in late 2012, the all-new Range Rover will be introduced in 170 markets worldwide.

Designed and engineered at Land Rover’s development centres in the UK, the new Range Rover will be produced in a state-of-the-art new low-energy manufacturing facility at Solihull, UK. Over £370million has been invested in the Solihull plant to create the world’s largest aluminium body shop.

Shackleton Epic Offers Antarctic “Adventure of a Lifetime” For Ten Explorers

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SHACKLETON EPIC OFFERS ANTARCTIC ‘ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME’ FOR TEN INTREPID EXPLORERS – BERTHS ON SALE FRI 7 SEPT

Ten travellers with an insatiable thirst for adventure – and £19,025 to spend – are being offered the chance to follow in the footsteps of legendary British explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton by joining an epic 56-day Antarctic expedition to mark the centenary of his remarkable 1916 polar voyage.

The Shackleton Epic, which will be led by veteran British/Australian explorer Tim Jarvis, aims to be the first expedition to authentically recreate Shackleton’s incredible 800-mile nautical voyage across the Southern Ocean from Elephant Island to South Georgia, and his subsequent crossing of the island’s mountains, using a replica lifeboat and only the equipment that was available to Shackleton at the time.

Global adventure and sustainable travel company, Intrepid Travel is the presenting partner for the expedition and is offering ten fearless explorers the adventure of a lifetime as crew on the TS Pelican, a tall ship similar to Shackleton’s Endurance which will be the official support vessel for the voyage.

The expedition sets sail from Punta Arenas, Chile on January 3, 2013 and is expected to reach its final destination of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil late in February. The lucky few that secure a berth on the TS Pelican will have the opportunity to help sail the vessel, gain navigational skills, learn about the Antarctic’s geography and wildlife, assist with environmental monitoring and follow the internationally recognised Shackleton’s Way leadership programme.

Just ten berths are available to the public and they will go on sale at www.shackletonepic.com at 12:00 British Summer Time on Friday, September 7. Interested explorers can contact Intrepid on shackleton@intrepidtravel.com or 0800 781 1660 for more information, or contact their travel agent*.

The voyage is taking place to honour Shackleton’s remarkable survival feat against the odds and to raise awareness of environmental changes and the need to protect the Antarctic. The expedition will raise funds for Flora and Fauna International to support its biodiversity conservation programmes.

Intrepid Travel’s Co-founder and Managing Director, Geoff Manchester said, “Intrepid Travel is proud to be the presenting partner for the Shackleton Epic, as it brings together two things we firmly believe in: a spirit of fearless exploration and a commitment to protecting our natural environment.

“Antarctica has attracted its fair share of explorers, but the heroic accomplishment of Shackleton and his crew stands out, not for flag-planting but for the endurance and hope that they showed in the face of obstacles that seemed insurmountable,” he added.

Tim Jarvis, leader of the Shackleton Epic expedition said: “A berth on the TS Pelican as part of the Shackleton Epic is absolutely the stuff of childhood dreams. We are thrilled that members of the public will be able to participate in this historic re-enactment voyage.”

Join celebrity hair stylist Errol Douglas at nutritional wellbeing event, beat hair loss

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Join celebrity hair stylist Errol Douglas at nutritional wellbeing event and beat hair loss blues. Frost Magazine has nine tickets to giveaway! Just follow us on Twitter and Tweet: “I want to go to Alive2Life wellness event with @Frostmag”

Black and Brown is hosting an Alive2Life wellness event in advance of October’s Lupus Awareness Month

Nutrition and what goes into the body often has an impact on what comes out, including hair growth. Food Doctor’s Anne-France Rix and award winning hairstylist Errol Douglas will be appearing on Saturday 15th September at the Alive2Life event, offering helpful advice about styling options for people experiencing hair loss caused by illnesses such as Lupus. Taking place at the De Vere conference centre, in Canary Wharf, the holistic event will promote healthy wellbeing and is the brainchild of Stephanie Jarrett, 26, who developed extreme reactions to her usual body products, after being diagnosed with Lupus in 2008.

Errol Douglas, hair stylist says, ‘I’m passionate about the role my industry plays in contributing to confidence in both men and women through the right cut, style and look for the individual. Everybody has their own look, and I love being part of my clients discovering what works for them…and rocking it!’

Stephanie Jarrett, organiser of the Alive2Life event reveals, ‘At it’s worst, I found that my skin and scalp were suddenly so sensitive to products that I’d been using for years, and the resulting soreness and hair loss were really devastating. This led me to found Black and Brown, sourcing natural and organic products, free of harmful ingredients to help others in the same position.’

Errol Douglas will host a Q&A session and encourages readers to submit their hair loss styling questions via Facebook or online, for a chance to win free tickets.

The specialists will be in good company, as an outstanding panel of experts will also be on hand to impart their collective wisdom at theAlive2Life event. Speakers from a multitude of industries ranging from skin care’s Lucy O’Brien to trichology with the Philip Kingsley Clinic’s Glenn Lyons, who will also be in attendance.

For more information about the event visit www.alive2life.co.uk

56th BFI London Film Festival: What’s On

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The programme for the 56th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express launched today under the new creative leadership of BFI’s Head of Exhibition and Festival Director, Clare Stewart, bringing a rich and diverse programme of international films and events from both established and upcoming talent over a 12 day celebration of cinema. The Festival will screen a total of 225 fiction and documentary features, including 14 World Premieres, 15 International Premieres and 34 European Premieres. There will also be screenings of 111 live action and animated shorts. A stellar line-up of directors, cast and crew are expected to take part in career interviews, master classes, and other special events. The 56th BFI London Film Festival will run from 10-21 October 2012.

This year sees the introduction of several changes to the Festival’s format. Now taking place over 12 days, the Festival expands further from its traditional Leicester Square cinemas – Odeon West End, Vue West End, Odeon Leicester Square and Empire – and the BFI Southbank to include four additional new venues – Hackney Picturehouse, Renoir, Everyman Screen on the Green and Rich Mix, which join existing London venues the ICA, Curzon Mayfair, Ritzy Brixton and Ciné Lumière.

GALAS

The Festival opens with the European Premiere of Tim Burton’s 3D animation FRANKENWEENIE, whilst Mike Newell’s visually stunning adaptation of GREAT EXPECTATIONS, starring Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes will close the Festival, with key talent from both films expected to attend. Among the highly anticipated Galas is the American Express Gala World Premiere of CROSSFIRE HURRICANE, a documentary celebrating 50 years of rock legendsThe Rolling Stones who are also expected to attend the Festival. For the first time this year both the Opening Night Gala and the American Express Gala red carpet events and screenings will be screened simultaneously to cinemas across the UK. Other Galas include the American Airlines Gala of Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut, QUARTET, featuring an outstanding British cast including Dame Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly and Michael Gambon; and Ben Affleck directs and stars in the Accenture Gala presentation of political thriller ARGO which he also produced with George Clooney. British film directors making their mark this year include Paul Andrew Williams with London-based comedy drama, SONG FOR MARION, which screens as The Mayfair Hotel Gala and features a sterling cast headed by Vanessa Redgrave, Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton and Christopher Eccleston; and Roger Michell, whose HYDE PARK ON HUDSON is the Centrepiece Gala supported by the Mayor of London, stars Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Colman and Olivia Williams and is set on the eve of WWII when the King and Queen of England make a visit to see Franklin D Roosevelt in upstate New York. Nintendo Gala THE SAPPHIRES, is an inspirational Australian musical comedy set in the 60s starring comic man of the moment Chris O’Dowd, who appears alongside Australian Idol star Jessica Mauboy; and THE SESSIONS, is a moving drama, based on a true story with superb performances from John Hawkes, Helen Hunt and William H. Macy.

AWARDS AND COMPETITIONS

The BFI London Film Festival Awards have undergone a significant change this year by introducing competitive sections that are given much more prominence in the Festival campaign and programme. The Best Film Award in partnership with American Express; the Sutherland Award for Best First Feature and the Grierson Award for Best Documentary will now be presented to the winning films from three programme sections: Official Competition, First Feature Competition and Documentary Competition. Each section is open to international and British films and 12 films have been shortlisted for each Competition.

Official Competition

The inaugural Official Competition line-up, recognising inspiring, inventive and distinctive filmmaking, includes four European premieres:

· Michael Winterbottom’s EVERYDAY

· Sally Potter’s Ginger and Rosa

· Deepa Mehta’s Midnight’s Children

· Martin McDonagh’s Seven Psychopaths

Together with UK premieres of

· Michel Franco’s After Lucia

· David Ayer’s End of Watch

· Rama Burshtein’s Fill the Void

· Daniele Ciprì’s It Was the Son

· François Ozon’s In the House

· Cate Shortland’s Lore

· Pablo Larraín’s No

· Jacques Audiard’s Rust and Bone

Titles in consideration for the First Feature Competition recognising an original and imaginative directorial debut are:

3 European premieres

· Masaaki Akahori’s The Samurai that Night

· Anand Gandhi’s Ship of Theseus

· Barry Berk’s Sleeper’s Wake

and 9 UK premieres

· Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild

· Tom Shkolnik’s The Comedian

· Maja Miloš’ Clip

· Gabriela Pichler’s Eat Sleep Die

· Sally El Hosaini’s My Brother the Devil

· Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Neighbouring Sounds

· Scott Graham’s Shell

· Andrey Gryazev’s Tomorrow

· Haifaa Al Mansour’s Wadjda

In the Documentary Competition category, in partnership with the Grierson Trust, recognising documentaries with integrity, originality, and social or cultural significance, the Festival is screening:

4 World Premieres

· Charlie Paul’s For No Good Reason

· Nick Ryan’s The Summit

· Sarah Gavron’s Village at the End of the World

· Greg Olliver’s Turned Towards the Sun

1 International Premiere

· Sébastien Lifshitz’s Les Invisibles

4 European Premieres

· Jay Bulger’s Beware of Mr Baker

· Shola Lynch’s Free Angela and All Political Prisoners

· Alex Gibney’s Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God

· Amy Berg’s West of Memphis

3 UK Premieres

· Katja Gauriloff’s Canned Dreams

· Ken Burns, David McMahon and Sarah Burns’ The Central Park Five

· Ulises Rosell’s The Ethnographer

Closing the Awards section is the prize for Best British Newcomer, in partnership with Swarovski, which highlights new British talent and is presented to an emerging writer, actor, producer or director. The recipient of this prize will also receive a £5,000 bursary, courtesy of Swarovski.

This year’s nominees are:

1. Rowan Athale – director/screenwriter Wasteland

2. Sally El Hosaini – director/screenwriter My Brother the Devil

3. Fady Elsayed – actor My Brother the Devil

4. Scott Graham – director/screenwriter Shell

5. Eloise Laurence – actor Broken

6. Rufus Norris – director Broken

7. Chloe Pirrie actor Shell

8. Tom Shkolnik – director/screenwriter The Comedian

STRANDS / PATHWAYS

This year significant changes have been made to the structure of the Festival programme with new focused categories that are clustered around the themes of Love, Debate, Dare, Laugh, Thrill, Cult, Journey, Sonic and Family. With over 200 features screened during the Festival this new approach is designed to help Festival goers find the films that mean the most to them and to open up entry points for new audiences.

LOVE

Sweet, passionate, tough – LOVE is a complex and many splendoured thing.

The Love Gala is Michael Haneke’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner AMOUR, with Haneke making a welcome return to the Festival this year.

Other titles in this section include: BROKEN starring Tim Roth and Cillian Murphy; Ira Sachs’ KEEP THE LIGHTS ON; Xavier Dolan’s LAURENCE ANYWAYS; Liz Garbus’ documentary tribute to Marilyn Monroe LOVE, MARILYN; ROBOT AND FRANK starring Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon, and Ursula Meier’s SISTER with Léa Seydoux and Gillian Anderson.

DEBATE

Riveting films that amplify, scrutinise, argue and surprise screen in the DEBATE section and this year’s Gala is the European Premiere of THE PERVERT’S GUIDE TO IDEOLOGY an absorbing documentary sequel to THE PERVERT’S GUIDE TO CINEMA from Sophie Fiennes featuring renegade philosopher and bionic cineaste Slavoj Žižek who also takes part in an ‘In Conversation’ event during the Festival.

Other highlights in this section include Marco Bellocchio’s DORMANT BEAUTY featuring Toni Servillo and Isabelle Huppert, Thomas Vinterberg’s THE HUNT featuring Mads Mikkelsen’s Cannes award-winning performance, and the European Premiere of ZAYTOUN.

DARE

In-your-face, up-front and arresting, the films in DARE will take audiences out of their comfort zone. The Dare Gala is Mira Nair’s Venice-opener THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST, starring Kate Hudson, Kiefer Sutherland, Riz Ahmed and Liev Schreiber.

Other highlights in this strand include: the European Premiere of HELTER SKELTER featuring Japanese supermodel Erika Sawajiri, the World Premiere of KELLY + VICTOR Kieran Evans’ adaptation of the acclaimed novel by Niall Griffiths, and the International Premiere of Antonio Campos’ SIMON KILLER, Carlos Reygadas’ Cannes-winner POST TENEBRAS LUX, Pablo Trapero’s gripping and intelligent drama, WHITE ELEPHANT, and Sergei Loznitsa’s critically celebrated IN THE FOG.


LAUGH

From laugh out loud through romantic comedy to dry and understated – humour in all its forms can be seen in the LAUGH section. A romantic caravan trip quickly descends into chaos when a young couple’s dream holiday takes a wrong turn in acclaimed British director Ben Wheatley’s dark comedy SIGHTSEERS which has its UK premiere as the Laugh Gala.

Other titles in this strand include the International Premiere of Bollywood-meets-Tollywood Amelie style AIYYA, the UK Premiere of romantic comedy CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER starring Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg and the European Premiere of Stephen Gyllenhaal’s GRASSROOTS, and the International Premiere of Australian cricketing ‘bro’mantic comedy SAVE YOUR LEGS!

THRILL

The films in THRILL are nerve shredders that will get the adrenalin pumping and keep audiences on the edge of their seat; The Gala presentation for this section is the World Premiere of Bollywood action epic CHAKRAVYUH, directed by Prakash Jha who will be attending the Festival.

Other highlights in this section include: controversial Sundance hit COMPLIANCE, Nordic Noir double bill of EASY MONEY and its sequel; the Berlin Golden Bear winner CAESAR MUST DIE and Korean box office smash NAMELESS GANGSTER: RULES OF THE TIME.


CULT

The CULT section features films from the mind-altering and unclassifiable, to fantasy, sci-fi and horror. The Cult Gala is the European Premiere of A LIAR’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY chronicling the life of Monty Python’s Graham Chapman through multiple animation styles and featuring Chapman’s fellow Pythons in the voice cast.

Other highlights in this section include: ANTIVIRAL, the feature film debut of Brandon Cronenberg; the International Premiere of Actress Katie Aselton’s directorial outing, the survival horror BLACK ROCK; Japanese maestro Takashi Miike’s FOR LOVE’S SAKE and Juan Carlos Medina’s fantasy horror PAINLESS, along with documentaries MY AMITYVILLE HORROR, THE JEFFREY DAHMER FILES, and ROOM 237.

JOURNEY

Whether it’s the journey or the destination, the films in JOURNEY will transport and shift perspectives.

Celebrated Romanian director Cristian Mungiu returns to the Festival with BEYOND THE HILLS screening as the Journey Gala . The film won Best Screenplay at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, where actresses Cristina Flutur and Cosmina Stratan also shared best actress award.

Other titles in this strand include: riveting Moroccan drama HORSES OF GOD, Raymond Depardon and Claudine Nougaret’s documentary JOURNAL DE FRANCE, Jem Cohen’s MUSEUM HOURS, Michel Gondry’s THE WE AND THE I and the World Premiere of Marc Isaac’s new documentary about the A5 –THE ROAD: A STORY OF LIFE AND DEATH

SONIC

Music inspired films and events that will have audiences dancing in the aisles can be discovered in SONIC.

Highlights in the Sonic screening programme include Mat Whitecross’ coming-of-age story SPIKE ISLAND about an Indie band of 1990 vintage, who are determined to see their heroes The Stone Roses; GOOD VIBRATIONS, the biopic of Terri Hooley, Belfast’s Godfather of Punk, which was declared the best Irish film at Galway Film Fleadh earlier this year; and world music is represented with films from Africa and Chile, KINSHASA KIDS and VIOLETA WENT TO HEAVEN.

The Festival is delighted to include two popular events from the year-round programme at BFI Southbank for the first time – BUG and Sonic Cinema, both celebrating the links between music and film. Sonic Cinema presentations include a focus on the Sigur Ros Valtari Mystery Film Experiment featuring premieres of new clips and, in celebration of Warp Films’ 10th Birthday, a special presentation of Shane Meadow’s THIS IS ENGLAND screening with a live score from composer Ludovico Einaudiand and musician Gavin Clark. Regular BUG host Adam Buxton will present a special artist focus with talent to be announced.

FAMILY

The Festival showcases films for all ages in its FAMILY section and this year’s Family Gala is ERNEST & CELESTINE, the delightful animated story of an unlikely friendship between a bear and a mouse from the directors of A TOWN CALLED PANIC. In addition to Opening Night Gala FRANKENWEENIE, there are five other animated features screening in the Festival as well as an animated shorts programme. Three of the family features are hand-drawn films from France, and WOLF CHILDREN is the new hotly anticipated animated title from Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda.

SHORTS

An original and innovative line-up of short films and animation that will enthral audiences young and old make up this year’s SHORTS programme including a dedicated section for younger audiences. Animated shorts for children include THE SANDPIXIES: DA CAPO GEORGE, THE MISSING MEATBALLS and I WANT TO SEE DWARFS.

Short film compilation programmes include Crime & Punishment with films featuring criminals, their actions and the consequences; Blood is Thicker Than Water with films examining interactions and relationships between friends, lovers and families and Obsessive and Compulsive with films that examine far-from-healthy obsessions.

Once again the London Calling section features a selection of shorts from budding filmmakers from across the capital and this year student films from some of the UK’s best film schools will be showcased in Back to School

These short films feature a host of well known faces including: Alison Steadman, Ralf Little, Tom Hollander, Martin Freeman, Stephen Graham and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

EXPERIMENTA

This year’s the Festival will present its largest ever series of artists moving image programmes, culminating in the annual EXPERIMENTA Weekend from 19-21 October 2012. In collaboration with the ICA, the Festival will also present several screenings of artists’ films to coincide with the Frieze Art Fair, from 10-13 October 2012. Peter Kubelka’s new work ANTIPHON will screen with ARNULF RAINER in an expanded projection event – Monument Film. Both films will be physically installed on the walls of the BFI Southbank Atrium for the duration of the Festival. The extraordinary presentation of Monument Film in the NFT1 cinema forms the centrepiece of an Experimenta Weekend which is full of outstanding visions. Thom Andersen, Nathaniel Dorsky and Laida Lertxundi return with new films, whilst Mati Diop introduces her award-winning work in London for the first time, and Beatrice Gibson premieres THE TIGER’S MIND.

TREASURES

Treasures brings recently restored cinematic treasures from archives around the world to the Festival.

This year’s previously announced Archive Gala is the World Premiere of the restoration of Alfred Hitchcock’s THE MANXMAN at the Empire Leicester Square with a live accompaniment by Stephen Horne. The Gala marks the grand finale of the BFI’s The Genius of Hitchcock project which commenced in June 2012 and is currently screening at BFI Southbank.

Digital restoration can have spectacular results, as shown in, David Lean’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, the full length director’s cut of the brand new 4K digital restoration which will premiere at the NFT1 showcasing BFI Southbank’s new 4K projector for the first time. The screening will be accompanied by a presentation from Grover Crisp, who will give a talk about the restoration work. Sir Laurence Olivier’s iconic RICHARD III also benefits from a fully restored print which will be screened at the Festival. Other highlights include silent movie THE SPANISH DANCER, a lavish costume romp with a live piano accompaniment; the BFI-backed revival of Roman Polanski’s TESS; a newly made documentary BERGMAN & MAGNANI:THE WAR OF VOLCANOES screening alongside a restoration of Roberto Rossellini’s VIAGGIO IN ITALIA and the latest restoration by Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation, AFTER THE CURFEW which is a political commentary on what happened after Indonesia was liberated from Dutch occupation.

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS

The EVENTS programme features the highly anticipated Screen Talks and Masterclasses.

This year’s Screen Talks in partnership with American Express, includes celebrated author Salman Rushdie whose adaptation of his own novel MIDNIGHT’S CHILDREN screens in Official Competition and Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney who is at the Festival with his new film MEA MAXIMA CULPA: SILENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD in Documentary Competition.

The Masterclasses, presented in partnership with Swarovski, feature leading music supervisor Ian Neil (SPIKE ISLAND) and production design team David Wasco and Sandy Reynolds-Wasco who designed Martin McDonagh’s SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS. Time Out continues to support the free access ‘In Focus’ events, which this year sees four events with a focus on British Cinema.

The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition supported by American Express is taking place at the Festival Village, Southbank Centre. In addition, the Festival is proud to be working alongside the V&A’s major autumn exhibition Hollywood Costume with two events celebrating the role of costume on film and featuring the exhibition’s senior curator, the Academy Award- nominated costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis.

The Festival will announce its complete guest line-up in early October.

London Art Fair Returns

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London Art Fair, the UK’s largest art fair for Modern British and contemporary art will return to the Business Design Centre, Islington, between 16 and 20 January 2013. The 25th London Art Fair will feature galleries presenting the great names of the 20th century as well as exceptional recent works from established artists and emerging talent.

 

 

Highlights will include:

 

Main Fair

Galleries from across the UK and overseas will exhibit work by artists covering the period from the early 20th Century to the present day. Museum quality Modern British art will be presented alongside contemporary work from the best leading and emerging artists.

 

Art Projects

Established as one of the most exciting sections of the Fair, Art Projects captures a snapshot of the current practice and concerns of contemporary artists.

 

Art Projects is a curated showcase of the freshest contemporary art from across the globe and will feature large-scale installations, solo shows and group displays from selected galleries.

The Art Projects Film Programme will host a selection of experimental film and video work.

 

Photo50

A showcase for contemporary photography that highlights the richness and diversity of photography today, Photo50 will feature 50 works presented in an exhibition curated by Nick Hackworth of Paradise Row Gallery.

 

 

London Art Fair tickets will be on sale at £12 (plus £1.50 booking fee) in advance, including a copy of the 2013 Fair Guide (to be collected at the Fair). Tickets on the door are £16.

 

For a full list of galleries and the latest London Art Fair news visit: www.londonartfair.co.uk

The Hunger Games Live Reaping, Win Tickets To Premiere

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THE O2 ARENA HOSTS A FAN SCREENING OF THE 15 CERTIFICATE VERSION OF THE HUNGER GAMES AND LIVE REAPING ON TOP OF THE O2!

LET THE GAMES BEGIN…. Monday 3rd September sees the release of the phenomenally successful film, The Hunger Games on 2-disc DVD, 2-disc Blu-Ray, TVOD and digital download formats

To open the celebrations, last night London’s O2 Arena played host to a very exciting event to celebrate the release of Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games this coming Monday. Fans were treated to an exclusive screening of the 15 certificate version of the movie, previously not screened in the UK, hosted by friends of Panem and top UK entertainment site Digital Spy. To let fans get even closer to the action and really fill the shoes of Katniss Everdeen the screening was hosted at Cineworld at the O2’s D-Box theatre so attendees could feel every heart-wrenching moment of the games!

As well as the chance for fans to see the 15 certificate of the hit film, 12 lucky competition winners, our very own Tributes, also had the amazing opportunity to ascend the O2 to take part in a live reaping on top of the Arena itself. Our winning tribute Ryan Crane from Leytonstone, London, received a pair of tickets to the World Premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire for his bravery and courage in scaling the famous London structure! Our plucky winner said: “The event was brilliant, it was really windy when we got to the top and really dramatic. I’m so excited to be going to the world premier, it was so unexpected. I dorkily hugged the guy when I won, it was quite embarrassing!”

The Hunger Games super fans show their District respect at the exclusive screening of the 15 certificate version of the hit film at the O2 Arena last night. (picture of three fingered salute on top of the Arena)

 

FANS OF THE HUNGER GAMES URGED TO ‘CHECK-IN’ AT HMV STORES FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN BIG!
  • 12 HMV stores to host a ‘Live Reaping’ on Sunday 2nd September to celebrate the DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Download release of The Hunger Games.
  • Fans checking-in via Foursquare have a chance to win prizes and a pair of tickets to the UK premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
  • Culminating in national ‘Capitol’ live reaping at 3pm

To celebrate the release of the phenomenally successful film, The Hunger Games on 2-disc DVD, 2-disc Blu-Ray, TVOD and digital download formats

In tribute to the science fiction blockbuster, twelve HMV stores around the UK and Ireland have been selected to act as special regional ‘districts’ on Sunday, 2nd September – the day before release.

Fans of The Hunger Games who visit one of the 12 participating stores on Sunday 2nd between 2pm and 3pm can check into the applicable HMV store’s Foursquare account. They will then be automatically entered into a regional ‘Reaping’ whereby two names or ‘Tributes’ from each District will be put forward for a very special Reaping taking place in ‘The Capitol’ the same day – at HMV’s Flagship Oxford Street store.

In the Oxford Street store, a ‘Capitol Representative’ will conduct a live Reaping after 3pm. They will select names from two fish bowls, just like in the film. The first name will be taken from a bowl holding the names of the 24 Regional District winners.  The second name will be taken from a bowl holding all the names of attendees at Oxford Street branch. These two lucky Tributes will each win a pair or tickets to UK premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – the next instalment of the series.

Although only a select few can be chosen as Tributes to battle for the ultimate prize, 100 lucky attendees at each store will have the opportunity to purchase the HMV exclusive 3 disc double play steelbook a full day ahead of the national release. In additional the 24 regional tributes will each receive a The Hunger Games goody bag.

See list of participating stores, below.

Participating HMV ‘District’ stores:

1.    hmv Glasgow, 235 Buchanan Street
2.    hmv Edinburgh, 29 Princes Street
3.    hmv Newcastle, 59 Northumberland Street
4.    hmv Manchester, Trafford Centre
5.    hmv Birmingham, Bullring Centre
6.    hmv Leicester, 9/17 High Street
7.    hmv Norwich, 21 Gentlemans Walk
8.    hmv Cardiff, 53/57 Queen Street
9.    hmv Bristol, 24/26 Broadmead
10.  hmv Southampton, 56/58 Above Bar Street
11.  hmv Belfast, 3/6Donegall Arcade
12.  hmv Dublin, 65 Grafton Street
(13) Capitol City reaping: hmv 150 Oxford Street

Del Toro kicks off World Sinema Season on Horror Channel

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Horror Channel serves up three slices of sinful celluloid in its World SINema Season – three premieres that highlight taboo, terror and blasphemy

 

Fridays at 22:55 from 7 Sept, 2012

 

The season kicks off on Friday Sept 7, 22:55 with THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE (2001) from Spanish Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillermo Del Torro.  Beautifully shot and immensely creepy the film explores two different types of horror – the very real horror of war and the exploration of horror experienced through a child’s eyes (Carlos), one of ghost’s and the supernatural.

 

Guillermo has stated this is his favourite work so far, and was a 16 year labour of love. It was influenced by early memories of seeing his uncle come back as a ghost and the creepy spectre that appears to Carlos was based on the pale faced ghosts in Japanese horrors like The Ring.

 

 

Next up on Friday Sept 14, 22:55 is THE ANTICHRIST (1974), which delves dangerously deep into the blasphemous aspects of demonic possession.

 

Ippolita, a young woman wheelchair-bound and sexually frustrated, finds herself under the spell of Satan himself when she becomes victim to an ancestral curse of witchcraft and possession. She starts seducing local men, only to kill them and an exorcism seems to be the only solution to stop the madness

 

The controversial Satanic orgy scene will certainly have a few tongues wagging with its implication of bestiality

 

 

The last in the season on Fri Sept 21, 22:55, is one of the most absurd, gruesome French horrors ever made – BABY BLOOD (1990)

 

Yanka, a young circus performer, is pregnant but morning sickness and fat ankles are the least of her problems when a new leopard from Africa is delivered to the circus – a beautiful beast hiding a hideous creature within.

 

And as the months progress, Yanka suffers from an overpowering appetite… for blood. Or rather, her unborn baby is screaming for it. And she is forced to kill and kill again…

 

 

TV: Sky 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138

 www.horrorchannel.co.uk | twitter.com/horror_channel

Glass Ceiling “Is a Myth”, Age is the biggest hurdle

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The glass ceiling is dead as a concept for today’s modern career apparently. But women are still being held behind in the workplace. Here are the depressing facts why….

Ernst & Young poll of 1,000 UK working women says there are multiple barriers to career progression

The concept of a single glass ceiling is an outdated model and no longer reflects the realities of modern working life for women, according to the results of a poll released today by Ernst & Young.

The survey of 1,000 UK working women between the ages of 18 – 60, revealed that two thirds believe they faced multiple barriers throughout their careers, rather than just a single ceiling on entry to the boardroom.

Four key careers barriers throughout a woman’s career

Based on the results, Ernst & Young has identified four key barriers to career progression for today’s working women. These barriers are: age, lack of role models, motherhood, and qualifications and experience.

The professional services firm says that the barriers aren’t chronological and can be experienced at anytime; often several at once. And while they aren’t exclusive to women, it believes it is clear from the research that employers need to provide better support to help women overcome them.

British business losing best and brightest female talent

Liz Bingham, Ernst & Young’s managing partner for people, says, “The focus around gender diversity has increasingly been on representation in the boardroom and this is still very important – as members of the 30% Club we are committed to this.

“But the notion that there is a single glass-ceiling for women, as a working concept for today’s modern career, is dead. Professional working women have told us they face multiple barriers on their rise to the top. As a result, British business is losing its best and brightest female talent from the pipeline before they have even had a chance to smash the glass ceiling. We recognise that in our own business, and in others, and professional women clearly experience it – that’s what they have told us.”

Ernst & Young’s head of advisory, Harry Gaskell, agrees. He says that the barriers identified in the survey reinforce Ernst & Young’s belief that encouraging and supporting women into senior positions is a talent pipeline issue. As a result he believes that organisations need to ensure they are supporting women at every stage of their career lifecycle, not just as they are about to enter the boardroom.

Age is the biggest hurdle

Delving into the findings behind the barriers, the survey identified age – perceived as either too young or too old – as being the biggest obstacle that women face during their careers. 32% of women questioned said it had impacted on their career progression to date, with an additional 27% saying that they thought it would inhibit their progression in the future.

Most markedly it was women in the early stages of their career that seemed to be most acutely impacted – with half of all respondents between 18 and 23 saying age had been a barrier they’d already encountered in their career.

“Age is a very complex issue, especially when it’s linked to perception. It’s concerning to see that women seem to be most vulnerable during the formative stages of their careers, when they are working their way through the ranks,” says Liz.

She argues that businesses need to be aware of pervasive attitudes towards age as a barrier within organisational culture, and suggests that one way of managing this is to encourage diverse role models within an organisation, who can visibly demonstrate that age is not an inhibitor to opportunity and progression.

Exploring the experience and qualifications barrier

Barriers related to a lack of experience or qualifications also featured strongly in the survey. It was the second highest factor that had inhibited women’s careers to date (according to 22% of respondents), and the third highest factor cited as a future inhibitor (19%).

Reflecting on the results, Harry says, “Women, and men, often need to give themselves more credit for the experiences and expertise that they have, while businesses need to look past the piece of paper.

“There is acknowledgement that high academic performance is still part of selection criteria in some organisations, especially at graduate level – and there is a wider issue here about fostering social mobility. But much greater value is being placed today on non-academic achievement and on diversity of experience and perspectives.”

The impact the experience of motherhood can have…

The impact of becoming a mother on a career is well rehearsed and therefore it was unsurprising, if disappointing, that this was identified as a key barrier. Nearly one in five (19%) of those questioned said it had impacted on their career to date. While a further 25% said they thought it was the second biggest inhibitor to their future careers, after age.

Liz says, “I think the only way that organisations can really tackle this is through positive intervention. This includes the provision of supportive programmes that help women to transition back into work after maternity leave and empowers them to take control of their careers and make informed choices.”

Ernst & Young has trail blazed a number of initiatives for working mothers aimed at increasing retention levels and ensuring that women feel supported through-out their career life-cycles. This includes a maternity coaching scheme providing one-to-one counsel with a consultant before, during and after maternity leave.

“Coaching schemes are very valuable,” says Harry. “But I also think there’s an important part that can be played by women role modelling their success and demonstrating by example how they balance the demands of home and work life.”


The value of role models

Three out of four (75%) of those questioned said that they have few or no female role models within their organisations. With some respondents (8%) going as far to say that a lack of role models had had a detrimental impact on their career to date. And therefore role models were identified as one of the four barriers.

Liz says that a lack of role models was a consistent theme across all the age groups polled. “I was really surprised and concerned by these findings. From my own experience I have seen how good role models can have a transformational impact on an individual or team.

“I think one of the big problems is the misconception that you have to be perfect in order to be a role model. Whereas in reality we all have skills, attributes or experiences that would be valuable to share with others.”

But it’s not just down to business…

Ernst & Young says that managing these four barriers is about personal responsibility, appropriate and targeted support from business and positive government intervention.

When respondents were asked to identify what three things their organisations could do to remove these barriers, or better support women’s career progression, the top answers were:

* More support after returning to work from having children (32%)
* More support at every stage of my career lifecycle (24%)
* More visible female role models (19%)

When asked the same question in relation to what government could do, they said:

* Enforcing companies to reveal the ‘pay gap’ between men and women (45%)
* Affordable child-care/ tax relief for childcare (43%)
* Policy guidance on flexible working for UK businesses (28%)

Harry concludes, “Gender diversity transcends the responsibility of government, business and individuals. There is no quick fix or magic bullet; it will take a combined effort, but the focus has to be on the talent pipeline rather than just on the boardroom.

“Positive interventions can work. But we think one of the most fundamental aspects of managing barriers is role models – for people to actively demonstrate that barriers can be over-come. If we can get this right, then perhaps the other barriers will become more manageable and less marked over time.”