The 54th BFI London Film Festival Vodcast Day 3
On Day 3 of the 54th BFI London Film Festival we attended the inaugural filmmakers tea, where we spoke to Derek Cianfrance about his acclaimed film Blue Valentine. In the West End Lucy Walker, the director of Waste Land, told us about her latest documentary, which explores the lives of garbage pickers in Rio through an art project developed by artist Vik Muniz. Blue Valentine also had its UK premiere that evening, with star Michelle Williams in attendance. The third day of the festival closed wi
The 54th BFI London Film Festival Vodcast Day 4
On Day 4 of The 54th BFI London Film Festival, producer Mark Lipson presented Tabloid, his latest collaboration with acclaimed documentarian Errol Morris. At BFI Southbank, artist and filmmaker John Akomfrah discussed his latest film The Nine Muses, a lyrical set of tone poems looking at mass migration to post war Britain. On the red carpet Anton Corbijn presented his latest film The American starring George Clooney - with co-stars Violante Placido and Thekla Reuten in attendance. Finally Artis
The 54th BFI London Film Festival Vodcast Day 5
Day 5 of the 54th BFI London Film Festival brought us the European premiere presentation of Africa United, an uplifting and eye-opening story about two Rwandan children who travel to South Africa to pursue their world cup dreams, and on the red carpet we spoke to director Debs Gardner-Paterson and the young stars of the film. At the second filmmaker's tea we spoke to Geoff Marslett about his rotoscope animated film Mars, and legendary American indie director John Sayles (Amigo). Finally, the Sig
The 54th BFI London Film Festival Vodcast Day 9
Day 9 of the 54th London Film Festival saw another set of interviews with filmmakers at The May Fair Hotel, including Imani Director Caroline Kamya and Amir Bar-Lev Director of The Tillman Story. At BFI Southbank, Scottish actor and director Peter Mullan gave a masterclass on his career in film to an enthralled audience. We also spoke to the creative team behind Patagonia, which explores the connection between Wales and this South American region. The evening ended with the European premiere of
54th BFI London Film Festival Vodcast Day 11
Day 11 of the 54th BFI London Film Festival saw Colin Firth's organisation Brightwide hold their second annual event at BFI Southbank. The featured film was Christy Turlington Burns' documentary No Woman No Cry which investigates maternal mortality and pregnancy care worldwide. Darren Aronofsky gave an American Express Screen Talk, discussing a life in pictures. At the filmmaker tea we caught up with a number of international directors, including Jamie Thraves (Treacle Jr) and Kim Longinotto (Pi
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Put this video in full-screen mode so students can see the words of Beatrix Potter's story and her illustrations. Narrated by an American male, this can be used as a read-along. (6:03)
The 54th BFI London Film Festival Vodcast Day 15
On Day 15 the BFI London Film Festival held its second annual Awards ceremony.
The Best British Newcomer Award, in partnership with Swarovski, was presented by Andy Serkis and went to Clio Barnard, for The Arbor. The Sutherland Award for the most original feature debut was presented by Michael Winterbottom and Olivia Williams and also went to Clio Barnard for the Arbor. The Grierson Award for best documentary was presented by Jon Snow and went to Janus Metz for Armadillo. The Best Film Award, in
Authors@Google: Matt Ridley
In this clear-sighted book, Matt Ridley demonstrates that the world is getting better, and at an accelerating rate: food, income and lifespan are up; disease, child mortality and violence are down?all across the globe. Necessities and luxuries alike are getting cheaper; population growth is slowing down; Africa is following Asia out of poverty; the internet and the mobile phone are enriching people's lives as never before. The pessimists who dominate public discourse insist that we will soon rea
Filmmakers@Google: Vicki Abeles
Director Vicki Abeles turns the personal political, igniting a national conversation in her new documentary about the pressures faced by American schoolchildren and their teachers in our achievement obsessed public and private education system and culture. Featuring the heartbreaking stories of young people across the country who have been pushed to the brink, educators who are burned out and worried students aren't developing the skills they need, and parents who are trying to do what's best fo
Candidates@Google: Kamala Harris
In December 2003, Kamala Harris was elected as the first woman District Attorney in San Francisco's history, and as the first African American woman and South Asian American woman in California to hold the office. She was overwhelmingly reelected to a second term in November 2007.
As San Francisco DA, Harris - who has been a prosecutor for nearly twenty years - has focused intensively on fighting violent crime. She has increased conviction rates for serious and violent offenses, expanded servic
Authors@Google: Paul Ingrassia
The Authors@Google team welcomed Paul Ingrassia to Google's New York office to discuss his book, "Crash Course: The American Automobile Industry's Road from Glory to Disaster".
"Paul Ingrassia is the former Detroit bureau chief for The Wall Street
Journal. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 (with Joseph B. White)
for reporting on management crises at General Motors, Ingrassia has
chronicled the auto industry for more than twenty-five years. His
latest book, "Crash Course: the American Autom
Jane Smiley: 2010 National Book Festival (Teens)
National bestselling author Jane Smiley appears at the 2010 National Book Festival, Teens & Children tent.
Speaker Biography: Jane Smiley is the author of several critically acclaimed and popular novels, including "The Age of God," "The Greenlanders," "Ordinary Love and Good Will," "A Thousand Acres" (winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award), "Horse Heaven," "Good Faith" and the new young-adult novel "The Georges and the Jewels" (Knopf). She has also written for
Jeff Smith: 2010 National Book Festival
Graphic novelist Jeff Smith appears at the 2010 National Book Festival.
Speaker Biography: A co-founder of the 1990s self-publishing movement and an early adopter of the graphic novel format, Jeff Smith is best known as the writer and artist of "BONE," an award- winning adventure about three cartoon cousins lost in a world of myth and ancient mysteries. In 2008, Smith was the subject of a documentary called "The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, BONE, and the Changing Face of Comics." Besides "BONE" and
Phillip M. Hoose & Claudette Colvin: 2010 National Book Festival
Authors Phillip M. Hoose and Claudette Colvin appear at the 2010 National Book Festival.
Speaker Biography: Phillip M. Hoose is the widely acclaimed author of books, essays, stories, songs and articles, including the National Book Award-winning "Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" (Macmillan). (Colvin will appear with Hoose during his presentation.) Hoose is also the author of the multi-award winning "The Race to Save the Lord God Bird," the National Book Award finalist "We Were There Too!:
Jane Smiley: 2010 National Book Festival (Poetry)
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jane Smiley appears at the 2010 National Book Festival, poetry tent.
Speaker Biography: Jane Smiley is the author of several critically acclaimed and popular novels, including "The Age of God," "The Greenlanders," "Ordinary Love and Good Will," "A Thousand Acres" (winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award), "Horse Heaven," "Good Faith" and the new young-adult novel "The Georges and the Jewels" (Knopf). She has also written for The N
Lidia Matticchio Bastianich: 2010 National Book Festival
Chef Lidia Matticchio Bastianich appears at the 2010 National Book Festival.
Speaker Biography: Lidia Matticchio Bastianich is one of the best-loved chefs on television, a best-selling cookbook author, restaurateur and owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business. Her cookbooks include her most recent titles, "Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy" (Knopf) and "Nonna Tell Me a Story: Lidia's Christmas Kitchen" (Running Press Kids), as well as "Lidia's Italy," "Lidia's Family Table," "Li
Introduction to the topic of Antisemitism Today/New Antisemitism
Professor Dina Porat of Tel Aviv University discusses new forms of antisemitism and how they manifest in the 21st century, as an introduction to the International Task Force Chair Project of 2010.
8.4 Hinduism in eastern India: religion in Calcutta The Hinduism of Bengal, as in other regions of India with their own languages and distinctive historical traditions, has absorbed and retained many local elements which make it peculiarly the Hinduism of Bengal. The city of Calcutta has exerted its own considerable influence upon the surrounding region. Calcutta, the capital of West Bengal, was founded in 1690 originally as a British trading post on the Hugli, a stretch of the Ganges (or Ganga), a river sacred to Hindus (see Author(s):
5.1 ‘Religion’ and ‘the religions’: two new notions I want to begin our closer discussion of the question ‘what is religion?’ by looking briefly at the history of the use and meaning of the term. You may be surprised to find how recently the word ‘religion’ has taken on the meanings attached to it today. Contemporary scholars of religion emphasise not merely the cultural breadth but also the antiquity of religious activity. Yet, the term ‘religion’ as we understand it today is very much a Western concept.
4.3 The changing face of belief The religious life of post-war Britain has become more varied, although Christianity in different forms remains the most influential religion. Yet, the influence of Christianity over British institutions has declined greatly over the last century and a half, although both England and Scotland still retain Established Author(s):
