domingo, 18 de fevereiro de 2007
Carnival in Recife and Olinda
Carnival! The first time I went to Brazil was in 2002, with my eldest daughter who was 18, and we got taken to Carnival- to watch carnival, to be in the carnival, to dance in the streets, listen to the music in Recife and in Olinda. And it was wonderful.... so I really miss that experience! Anyway, I found this link to some really neat cartoons by ACAPE (the association of Pernambucan Cartoonists) on Carnaval 2007 - Frevendo no traco! Pernambuco - falando para o mundo!
Film, Recife and Rotterdam
I am writing a dissertation. Actually I am re-writing a dissertation. About a wonderful place in Brazil called Recife. Actually about a film called Amarelo Manga (2002) which is set in the city and was made by Claudio Assis. And the reason I am writing about this, is because I have spent a bit of time in Brazil and studying its culture here in London, and I am interested in the most striking thing for any European visitor to the North East of Brazil in particular, and that is the great gap between rich and poor that you see there. And also what can be done.... Anyway, Claudio Assis, and the scriptwriter Hilton Lacerda, and the wonderful cameraman Walter Caravelho, have now made a second film, which is called Bog of Beasts, and which had its 'world premiere' in Rotterdam, where it also got a Tiger Award. And such is the way of film distribution that it may never be shown in London, and my finances don't stretch to Brazil at the moment - so I had to go to Rotterdam really didn't I?! Was that selfish? Necessary?. Yes, yes and yes!
Any way if you are curious - be warned - this is a film for maturity. I mean it. But not a film to take at 'face value'. So next post will be my considered review. Which I have taken time off my dissertation to write. Because bad, ignorant film reviews are all over the internet. But remember - maturity only!
Any way if you are curious - be warned - this is a film for maturity. I mean it. But not a film to take at 'face value'. So next post will be my considered review. Which I have taken time off my dissertation to write. Because bad, ignorant film reviews are all over the internet. But remember - maturity only!
International Film Festival Rotterdam 24 Jan - 4 Feb 2007
Web site: www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com
Actually I only went for 1 film (yes one film!). But it was academic work, truely!
This film festival shows all sorts of films from all over the world, most of which don't get any where near the mainstream 'hollywood' cinema near you. And it gives financial awards to encourage the directors and filmakers to keep producing things that question the fictional 'truths' of cinema.
Actually Holland is pretty close to where I live in the UK. I was able to drive to Norwich, leave my car there, fly to Amsterdam (45 minutes) take a train to Rotterdam and get a ticket to see my film at 1.15 pm on Saturday 4th February. Then I got a place to sleep at a very good hostel on the old harbour area there (www.roomrotterdam.nl) for 22 euros, including sheets. Very nice self service kitchen where I met some great travellers from Canada, Hungary (who were in the film industry), Spain, and Brazil ... ah Brazil. Brazil is why I did this trip, more in a minute...
Also a 64 year old lady from the UK who helped me chew the fat over my next life move - thank you Christina! The next day I took the train to the Hook of Holland, and used the last of my money, and my unstamped train ticket to get the ferry back to Harwich. Luckily the trip included food! I had a real interesting time speaking to an australian digital graphics film maker and a british serviceman (who had been in Afghanistan and Iraq). I got in at 8pm and called my husband to pick me up - no money for the train, and needed to get the car out of car park at Norwich airport! Weather - thick fog and predicted snow. And it turned out - bird flu at Bernard Matthews just along the road to Norwich. Anyway, husband was so incensed at my activities that he accidently filled the car with petrol instead of Diesel, and had to call the RAC to drain it all out - 3 hours later came to get me, with nephew in tow. (Nephew told me all this!) So to Norwich in freezing fog, husband has to use credit card for my parking, leaves me and nephew to find car, defrost it, and then find petrol is on 'yellow'. I drove in the freezing fog at less than 40 miles an hour in the middle of the night 50 miles down the A11, and made it home!!!!!. So - in fairness - my interesting life at the expense of others???
Actually I only went for 1 film (yes one film!). But it was academic work, truely!
This film festival shows all sorts of films from all over the world, most of which don't get any where near the mainstream 'hollywood' cinema near you. And it gives financial awards to encourage the directors and filmakers to keep producing things that question the fictional 'truths' of cinema.
Actually Holland is pretty close to where I live in the UK. I was able to drive to Norwich, leave my car there, fly to Amsterdam (45 minutes) take a train to Rotterdam and get a ticket to see my film at 1.15 pm on Saturday 4th February. Then I got a place to sleep at a very good hostel on the old harbour area there (www.roomrotterdam.nl) for 22 euros, including sheets. Very nice self service kitchen where I met some great travellers from Canada, Hungary (who were in the film industry), Spain, and Brazil ... ah Brazil. Brazil is why I did this trip, more in a minute...
Also a 64 year old lady from the UK who helped me chew the fat over my next life move - thank you Christina! The next day I took the train to the Hook of Holland, and used the last of my money, and my unstamped train ticket to get the ferry back to Harwich. Luckily the trip included food! I had a real interesting time speaking to an australian digital graphics film maker and a british serviceman (who had been in Afghanistan and Iraq). I got in at 8pm and called my husband to pick me up - no money for the train, and needed to get the car out of car park at Norwich airport! Weather - thick fog and predicted snow. And it turned out - bird flu at Bernard Matthews just along the road to Norwich. Anyway, husband was so incensed at my activities that he accidently filled the car with petrol instead of Diesel, and had to call the RAC to drain it all out - 3 hours later came to get me, with nephew in tow. (Nephew told me all this!) So to Norwich in freezing fog, husband has to use credit card for my parking, leaves me and nephew to find car, defrost it, and then find petrol is on 'yellow'. I drove in the freezing fog at less than 40 miles an hour in the middle of the night 50 miles down the A11, and made it home!!!!!. So - in fairness - my interesting life at the expense of others???
Procrastination and the mature student
Mature students: capable, knowing their strengths and weaknesses, hard working, 'sorted', even solvent ----- ?
Family of mature student. Supportive, forgiving, helpful, proud.
This mature student? In meltdown. In debt. Undermined. Fed up.
Feeble minded female?? Yes. Due to demands of 'do something, useful, get a job!', I actually spent precious time being interviewed for temporary work in my 'profession' as a librarian.
see Youtube- March of the Librarians for reasons not! Job suggested: cataloguing medical stuff at the University my younger daughter attends. Who is so anti-mum studying instead of paying for her accomodation that she has refused to let me visit her! Simple choice really. So why the guilt?? Nature wires us mothers to care for helpless little ones. Does selflessness have to be a prison sentence ?
Reason for punishing myself. Wonderful trip to Rotterdam (using the rent money from my nephew !). See next post.
Family of mature student. Supportive, forgiving, helpful, proud.
This mature student? In meltdown. In debt. Undermined. Fed up.
Feeble minded female?? Yes. Due to demands of 'do something, useful, get a job!', I actually spent precious time being interviewed for temporary work in my 'profession' as a librarian.
see Youtube- March of the Librarians for reasons not! Job suggested: cataloguing medical stuff at the University my younger daughter attends. Who is so anti-mum studying instead of paying for her accomodation that she has refused to let me visit her! Simple choice really. So why the guilt?? Nature wires us mothers to care for helpless little ones. Does selflessness have to be a prison sentence ?
Reason for punishing myself. Wonderful trip to Rotterdam (using the rent money from my nephew !). See next post.
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