St Albans’ first ever Film Festival hopes to reel in the next Kubrick

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St Albans’ first ever Film Festival hopes to reel in the next Kubrick
St Albans will be hosting its first annual film festival from 8th– 10th March 2013.
The Festival programme will feature talks, workshops, parties and a short-film competition, with thousands of pounds up for grabs. The festival is already attracting interest from around the globe. Filmmakers from as far as Australia, Singapore,
Greece & USA have submitted their work along with entries from around the UK.
The festival is currently OPEN for submissions until the end of December 2012 and Filmmakers of any age
(including children filmmakers) can enter their short film into one or more of six categories:
Main Short Film – Top quality, slick shorts.
Student Film – Made by a student of any age from 5 to 95. We will be splitting this award in 2 and giving a prize
to the best child filmmaker and one to the best over age 16 filmmaker.
Music Video – Any Music Genre accepted.
Documentary – inspiring short docs
Children’s Film – U Certificate films for family audiences. Eg: Animations!
Over 18s Films – Something for the grown-ups! Horror, Erotica, War etc..
The city’s Roman heritage has made St Albans a popular location with film-makers, directors and actors. It is
just 20mins by train from London and close to some of the most prestigious film studios in the
world: Pinewood (Superman, James Bond); Elstree (Star Wars, Indiana Jones); and also Leavesden (Harry
Potter). Tom Cruise is currently filming his new movie with Emily Blunt, All You Need is Kill, in the area, and,
as was widely reported, Cruise is so at home in St Albans he recently took his entourage with him when he
popped out for a curry at a local Indian restaurant!
St Albans’ rich film-making history goes way back. Arthur Melbourne-Cooper – the pioneer of moving pictures
– was born in the City, and the much celebrated film director Stanley Kubrick came to settle in the area, where
he created some of his most famous work. Kubrick’s manor was used as a nerve centre for his film
productions. The Shining was finished there, and Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut were started and
completed there.
Interested filmmakers can submit their work via the festival websitewww.stalbansfilmfestival.com and each
entry costs £20. Selected films will be showcased in the festival and the best film in each category will win a
cash prize of £500. There will also be a cash prize for the best performance by an actor or actress in the
festival, sponsored by Top Talent Acting Agency.
Festival Director, Leoni Kibbey, says: “I really want this festival to demonstrate how important St Albans has
been and is, in the UK film industry. It will encourage talented filmmakers in the area to make films and show
them to a live audience and will contribute to the cultural consciousness of this historic city. Both local
residents and visitors alike will get the chance to sample some exciting, original films, and we may even find
our new Kubrick! The Festival will put St Albans on the filmmaking map.”
More information regarding venues and judges will be announced in the coming weeks.
“The best thing that young filmmakers should do is to get hold of a camera and some film and
make a movie of any kind at all.” STANLEY KUBRICK

 

Shell Film Review

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Shell is a gripping and lonely film which follows the life of a father, Pete (Joseph Mawle), and his teenage daughter, Shell (Chloe Pirrie), who live in a remote petrol station in the Scottish Highlands. They spend their time doing chores and tending to the needs of rare passing motorists.

Pete is a battered wreck who has never recovered from losing his wife who left when Shell was a baby. Shell is wild and timid. Both Shell and her father feel trapped. Shell loves her father and she won’t break his heart by leaving him like her mother did. Too further complicate matters her father also suffers from epilepsy and relies on her support.

This is a film about being trapped and lonely. The director (Scott Graham) and actors do a great job of getting these feelings across to the audience. The atmosphere is set perfectly by the haunting desolate landscape and the excellent sound and camera work. This is not the most enthralling or uplifting film but it does achieve its objectives. The film is gripping and flows well. It is definitely worth seeing.

6.5/10

Key Features of a Custom-Designed Bathroom & How It Can Benefit Those With Mobility Difficulties

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So, you’re looking for a custom-designed bathroom. But as much as you want one with a contemporary design to match your preferences, a bathroom that’s practical is top of your agenda.

As the bathroom is one of the most used rooms in the household, it’s important that everyone can use it with ease. Imagine not being able to get ready in the morning without the help of a family member. For many, this is a reality.

It’s because of this that custom-designed bathrooms are often the perfect solution for those with mobility difficulties. Their custom features can make all the difference when it comes to carrying out the everyday tasks with independence and comfort.

So, if you’re considering a custom designed bathroom, such as an Oak Healthcare disabled bathroom, for your household or for a loved one, here’s a list of key features and how they contribute to suiting all of your required needs.

Railings

A key component of a custom-designed bathroom is the inclusion of grab rails fitted at various heights around the bath, shower, toilet and sink. They offer extra grip and support to make sure those with reduced mobility can move around and operate independently.

Walk in Shower/Wet Room

Fully walk or wheel-in showers are also central features of custom-designed bathrooms, and are particularly useful for those who require more room. Many designs also offer non-slip floor surfaces to help those who aren’t too stable on their feet, so they can shower with ease.

Showerheads installed in customised bathrooms are also designed to be adjustable and flexible, so users don’t have to stretch and strain to operate the facilities.

Benches

The inclusion of shower benches or bathing-boards are also important features of customised bathrooms for those with mobility difficulties. Placed for the users convenience, they can help make the process of cleaning less of a burden. For many families, they also give peace of mind knowing that the individual is both comfortable and safe when washing.

Customised Tapware

Many customised bathrooms also take the tiniest of bathroom components into consideration. From taps with grip materials, to lowered mirrors and shelves, personalised bathrooms help to make sure that even the smallest of tasks are easy to carry out – so that whatever your requirements, you’re catered for in every way possible.

The Hunt | Film Review

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Watching a film about a kindergarden teacher who is falsely accused of child abuse may not be seen as the most enjoyable way to spend your time, but this film by Thomas Vinterberg is an absolutely stunning piece of cinema. I was emotionally involved all the way through the film.

Working from a brilliant script – which he co-wrote- Thomas Vinterberg has created a riveting film. They say a lie can get all the way around the world by the time the truth has put its shoes on, and this film proves the point. It is a film of consequence and lies. Mads Mikkelsen – the Bond villain in Casino Royale- shows his full range as an actor, in a performance that deserves an Oscar nomination. In fact, the entire film has “Oscar’ written all over it. This film might signify the start of a wave of Danish films.

Mikkelsen plays Lucas, a kindergarden teacher who is falsely accused of child abuse after rejecting a little girl’s advances. Mass hysteria ensues even though there is no evidence. Lucas losses everything, but will the truth will out?

This film is called The Hunt for two reasons: one, it has hunting in it. The hunting and gun use is shown responsibly (or so my companion, who knows about guns, told me) and two, the witchhunt that ruins an innocent man’s life.

Beautifully shot with a film that has laughs in it despite the subject matter, The Hunt is one of the best foreign film I have ever seen.

Director:

Thomas Vinterberg
Writers:
Thomas Vinterberg, Tobias Lindholm

Stars:
Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen and Annika Wedderkopp

 

Daisy Lowe & Alexa Chung dance the night away at Belvedere Kenzo party

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An abundance of famous faces and industry greats turned up at the Belvedere Kenzo Party to launch the Kenzo Fall Winter collection at Liberty of London.

Celebrities included Daisy Lowe, Alexa Chung, Henry Holland, Gizzi Erskine, Sophie Sumner and many others. Guests were treated to a set by up and coming act Blood Orange who got the crowd dancing and saw Alexa Chung and Daisy Lowe strut their moves during his cover of Prince’s ‘I Wanna Be Your Lover’.


 

What Happened to Kerouac? | Film Review

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WHAT HAPPENED TO KEROUAC?

A unique insight into the King of the Beat Generation

Out Now.

 

I read On The Road years ago and a biography on Jack Kerouac. He was definitely a talented writer and I have found it depressing lately that some people don’t know who Kerouac was. That should all change soon when the ‘unfilmable’ On The Road hits our screens this month.
This documentary has access to all of the main people who surrounded Kerouac and were themselves part of the Beat movement. In fact,, one of the reasons this documentary is a success is the amount of access the filmmaker got to the people in Kerouac’s life, including his daughter and ex-wife. It paint a full, comprehensive and entertaining insight in Jack Kerouac’s life.
There is also home movie footage and Kerouac’s appearances on the Steve Allen show. This documentary is a brilliant insight into the historical and artistic time of the beat generation. A great snapshot of history and a must-see.
Jack Kerouac is a cultural icon whose influence is still felt around the world 42 years after his death, not least
with the upcoming film adaptation of his most famous book, ‘On The Road’ starring Sam Riley and Kristen
Stewart. The key protagonists of the Beat Generation are also the subject ‘Kill Your Darlings’, due for release
in 2013, in which Kerouac is played by Jack Huston and Daniel Radcliffe stars as Allen Ginsberg.
Those wishing to know more about this iconic writer need look no further than What Happened To Kerouac?,
an illuminating tribute to the King of the Beat Generation as told by the writer’s contemporaries, friends and
family and by Kerouac himself. This new double disc DVD edition offers a re-mastered version of the original
film and also contains over two hours of additional material including never before seen interviews. What
Happened to Kerouac? is released by 3DD Productions.

 

With contributions from fellow Beat writers including Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso and William Burroughs
and family members including Kerouac’s ex-wife Edie and his daughter Jan, What Happened To Kerouac?
offers an honest and engaging portrayal of an extraordinary talent through a series of vivid vignettes and
anecdotes that reveal what happened when fame and notoriety were thrust upon an essentially reticent man.
The new 2-disc edition of What Happened to Kerouac? also features ‘The Beat Goes On’, a collection of
interviews that delve deeper into Kerouac’s character including previously unreleased full length interviews
with Abbie Hoffman, Timothy Leary, Michael McClure and Paul Krassner.
Home movie footage and excerpts from Kerouac’s unforgettable appearances on the Steve Allen (1959) and
William Buckley (1968) TV shows are intermingled with captivating recordings of Kerouac reading from some
of his best loved works including On The Road, Mexico City Blues and Doctor Sax. The result is an enlightening
appreciation of Kerouac’s character and of his contribution to modern literature.
“99% pure genius
Kerouac”
Allen Ginsberg
“It brings us closer
to Kerouac than any
other film”
Los Angeles Times
“Abounds in insights
about a writer who
laboured a decade to
attain success and
then spent a decade
being ruined by it”
New York Times

 

Elizabeth Hurley, Van Morrison join other celebs for Cheltenham Fashion Week finale

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Cheltenham Fashion Week has welcomed high flyers, glitterati and celebrities to Cowley Manor VIP event ‘For One Night Only’.

Celebrity names such as actress and Hop, Skip and Jump President Elizabeth Hurley, singer
Van Morrisson, actress Lisa Maxwell, cricketer Shane Warne, designer Selina Blow and
Embarrassing Bodies’ Dawn Harper are just some of the high profile attendees that headed
down the red carpet of the glamorous event and watched a high fashion runway show.

Speaking ahead of the event Elizabeth Hurley, who is attending in her capacity of President of Hop, Skip and Jump, said: “The Cheltenham Fashion Week One Night Only event is being held in aid of Hop, Skip and Jump. This is a charity that gives a unique and vital service to the many families who have children with additional needs so it is absolutely right that we should be together gathering support for them during this special week for Cheltenham. Until I met up with Hop, Skip and Jump I had not realised the enormous need for a place which gives flexible day respite to the many families who have children and young adults with additional needs. The change in people’s lives through this unique provision is truly remarkable.”

On arrival at the luxury boutique hotel guests were greeted with a Champagne reception, followed by a sumptuous three course supper and wine. Guests also received a VIP goodie bag filled with lavish treats.

The event was a complete sell-out. The A-list event treated guests to an evening of fine dining, music and glamorous fashion showcasing new and established couture designers from all over the UK.

Winning pieces from the earlier Student Shows also featured alongside the Couture Show.

Photo credit: Spencer McPherson

Oddities on the Southbank

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When I am super busy I love to have snacks in my bag. Especially as I am one of those people who tend to get grumpy when I don’t eat. I am covering both the Raindance Film Festivals and the London Film Festival so there is not much time to eat or even relax at the moment.

So it was quite blissful today when I took some time out today on the Southbank and recharged with some Oddities. The weather might not be brilliant but the view still makes up for it.

Oddities are cool savoury baked snacks that come in odd, fun shapes. Oddities come in Smoky Bacon and Cheese flavour. They are a great alternative to other snack things that you can have on the go. They are also much healthier than crisps and cereal bars and don’t have any artificial flavours or colours, They also come in sharing bags if you are not on the go. To find out more go here: Oddities

Sponsored Post.