It's amazing how far around the world you can travel from a cinema seat in Nyons.
A couple of films for you to track down. Golden Door is about a group of Sicilians making the move to the US and going through the immigration procedures at Ellis Island, New York. Ellis Island really moved me when I was there 6 years ago ... good to see the whole process shown in such a film.
And then it was to modern Scandinivia, and the comedy The Managing Director, by Lars von Thiers (also directed Dancer in the Dark with Bjork in it). I found it highly amusing, but got into quite an animated debate with Olivier - a film critic - who while appreciating the technical side of the film, felt that it was overly manipulative of the audience... I didn't feel that at all.. Obviously I quite like games!
Wednesday, 28 March 2007
Tuesday, 23 January 2007
Mongolian Ping-Pong and Little Red Flowers
The weather has turned overnight from great sunshine, blue skies and early summer temperatures to cold, rain and snow across a lot of France.
So I took myself off to the cinema this afternoon to transport myself to Mongolia and China.
Mongolian Ping-Pong (director Ning Hao) is charming and funny. I'm always amazed at the creativity of film directors and writers - who would have thought of a film about a ping pong ball in the depths of the Mongolian steppes ...
Quick cup of coffee and ready for the next trip to China. This was Little Red Flowers (director Zhang Yuan). It's a chronicle of Qiang's experience (at not yet aged 4)of being thrown into "boarding nursery school" 24/7 ... Even in a strictly controlled Maoist institution, Qiang's character - his highs and his lows - play themselves out in this beautiful film.
A great way pass a winter's afternoon.
So I took myself off to the cinema this afternoon to transport myself to Mongolia and China.
Mongolian Ping-Pong (director Ning Hao) is charming and funny. I'm always amazed at the creativity of film directors and writers - who would have thought of a film about a ping pong ball in the depths of the Mongolian steppes ...
Quick cup of coffee and ready for the next trip to China. This was Little Red Flowers (director Zhang Yuan). It's a chronicle of Qiang's experience (at not yet aged 4)of being thrown into "boarding nursery school" 24/7 ... Even in a strictly controlled Maoist institution, Qiang's character - his highs and his lows - play themselves out in this beautiful film.
A great way pass a winter's afternoon.
Tuesday, 9 January 2007
waxing lyrical - or should that be limerical?
Big sister came from the UK
And went walking almost every day.
Good food and good wine
And lots of sunshine
Made it a most delightful stay.
Each morning she took all her pills
To cope with her various ills,
Then she put on her boots
And enjoyed the routes
Especially if they were downhills.
She's coming again in the spring
When Mum her friends is to bring.
The itinerary is fixed
It's a little more mixed
With both walks and some sightseeing.
And went walking almost every day.
Good food and good wine
And lots of sunshine
Made it a most delightful stay.
Each morning she took all her pills
To cope with her various ills,
Then she put on her boots
And enjoyed the routes
Especially if they were downhills.
She's coming again in the spring
When Mum her friends is to bring.
The itinerary is fixed
It's a little more mixed
With both walks and some sightseeing.
Tuesday, 2 January 2007
Phew .... home alone
The fact that I haven't blogged since 23 December is not because nothing has being going on (sorry, a few too many negatives happening); but because there has been too much happening in terms of The Chatelaine's duties.
The final house guests leave tomorrow - the airport run is scheduled for 9.00am - to leave us time to do a quick visit of the Pont du Gard enroute to Nimes.
And then - bliss - I'll just have myself to look after. The book is waiting; the wine is chilling, the fire is laid.
... but it's been good, the weather has been great.
Best moment? Apart from my superb Christmas dinner? Probably Margereta and Nellie (from Gothenburg)'s Swedish drinking songs around the piano!
The final house guests leave tomorrow - the airport run is scheduled for 9.00am - to leave us time to do a quick visit of the Pont du Gard enroute to Nimes.
And then - bliss - I'll just have myself to look after. The book is waiting; the wine is chilling, the fire is laid.
... but it's been good, the weather has been great.
Best moment? Apart from my superb Christmas dinner? Probably Margereta and Nellie (from Gothenburg)'s Swedish drinking songs around the piano!
Saturday, 23 December 2006
No fog here
As the UK is covered with a thick blanket of fog, we have clear blue skies and sunshine. Luckily the Christmas house guests are getting through: Lancashire and Cambridgeshire arrived on time on Wednesday; Berkshire changed plans and drove on Thursday; Gothenburg arrived with only an hours delay in the end yesterday. Just the London contingent to arrive tonight. Here's hoping they get through.
Back to work on the reserves of Vitamin D; and then off to Nyons this afternoon to do some shopping. And sit in a cafe and rejoice that we're not battling the crowds (and the fog) on Oxford Street.
And the weather forecast is set fair for at least the next three days. So we'll be able to do aperitifs on the terrace on Christmas Day.
Back to work on the reserves of Vitamin D; and then off to Nyons this afternoon to do some shopping. And sit in a cafe and rejoice that we're not battling the crowds (and the fog) on Oxford Street.
And the weather forecast is set fair for at least the next three days. So we'll be able to do aperitifs on the terrace on Christmas Day.
Saturday, 9 December 2006
In the moment or by the clock?
I'm not sure whether this is city versus rural, or France versus England, but in the week I've been back in London I've been noticing some differences. In France, back at Le Colombier, everything helps you to be "in the moment" - whatever that moment is. It might be about the seasons, or the weather, or market day, or aperitif time, or coffee on the terrace. The moment is as long as it takes. If it's fine, you sit outside. If it's raining, you stay in.
There are a few things you need to be aware of in terms of time; shops close for lunch; lunch is served between 12.00 and 2.00 so if you want lunch out you to have to remember to be in time. But of course it's only city-basd foreigners who would ever want to eat outside of the main eating moments.
Whereas in London life is ruled by the clock, agendas, plans. You can shop and eat 24/7. The weather was really bad the other day - cold, windy, heavy rain; but everyone still carried on rushing from a to b, getting to work, coming back from work, rushing between meetings, going to the gym, getting to that class, going Christmas shopping, meeting up with friends, remembering the train schedules and the last tube home. And texts and phone calls on the ever present mobile to schedule, reschedule, plan and replan. All commuters hear the mobile phone "I'm on the train" refrain day in, day out.
Cafes proudly display there wi-fi zone notices; laptops jostle with the latte and americanos; and busy busy executives are grouped around the tables in earnest conversation, jostling files and papers, or on their phones.
Whereas sitting outside La Belle Epoque in Nyons, you just watch the world go by. It's a cafe moment. And probably in the sun.
There are a few things you need to be aware of in terms of time; shops close for lunch; lunch is served between 12.00 and 2.00 so if you want lunch out you to have to remember to be in time. But of course it's only city-basd foreigners who would ever want to eat outside of the main eating moments.
Whereas in London life is ruled by the clock, agendas, plans. You can shop and eat 24/7. The weather was really bad the other day - cold, windy, heavy rain; but everyone still carried on rushing from a to b, getting to work, coming back from work, rushing between meetings, going to the gym, getting to that class, going Christmas shopping, meeting up with friends, remembering the train schedules and the last tube home. And texts and phone calls on the ever present mobile to schedule, reschedule, plan and replan. All commuters hear the mobile phone "I'm on the train" refrain day in, day out.
Cafes proudly display there wi-fi zone notices; laptops jostle with the latte and americanos; and busy busy executives are grouped around the tables in earnest conversation, jostling files and papers, or on their phones.
Whereas sitting outside La Belle Epoque in Nyons, you just watch the world go by. It's a cafe moment. And probably in the sun.
Friday, 8 December 2006
Pan's Labyrinth
I'm in London at the moment, but decided to take advantage of a wet and windy afternoon (tornados in North London) to take myself off to the Ritzy cinema. This is a great art cinema in Brixton (just a short bus ride from me in Vauxhall), and usually has something "foreign" that's worth seeing. So yesterday's treat was Pan's Labyrinth:
Director: Guillermo Toro Origin: Spain Year: 2006 Duration: 119m Starring: Ariadna Gil, Maribel Verdu, Doug Jones, Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez
A fairy tale for adults inspired by the paintings of Francisco Goya and rooted, like THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE, in the context of war, this is del Toro's most accomplished work in his own opinion. In 1940s Spain, recently remarried Carmen (Gil) and daughter Ofelia (Baquero) move in with the cold and authoritarian new husband, Vidal (López), a captain in General Franco's army. Finding her new life difficult, Ofelia seeks refuge in a labyrinth she discovers next to the house. A magical creature named Pan, the guardian of the labyrinth, reveals that Ofelia is the long-lost princess of a magical kingdom. To discover the truth, she will have to accomplish three dangerous tasks. Del Toro's startling vision rests on a profoundly moving story with universal appeal.
It was slightly odd seeing it subtitled into English - I'm more used to seeing French subtitles! But well worth seeing.
One thing that I did notice was that in France, at the end of the film, most people sit through the music and the credits at the end - "respect" to the makers of the film. Here in London, people were putting on their coats and leaving as the first credits started to roll. And people were coming in for the next showing before the credits had finished.
Director: Guillermo Toro Origin: Spain Year: 2006 Duration: 119m Starring: Ariadna Gil, Maribel Verdu, Doug Jones, Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez
A fairy tale for adults inspired by the paintings of Francisco Goya and rooted, like THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE, in the context of war, this is del Toro's most accomplished work in his own opinion. In 1940s Spain, recently remarried Carmen (Gil) and daughter Ofelia (Baquero) move in with the cold and authoritarian new husband, Vidal (López), a captain in General Franco's army. Finding her new life difficult, Ofelia seeks refuge in a labyrinth she discovers next to the house. A magical creature named Pan, the guardian of the labyrinth, reveals that Ofelia is the long-lost princess of a magical kingdom. To discover the truth, she will have to accomplish three dangerous tasks. Del Toro's startling vision rests on a profoundly moving story with universal appeal.
It was slightly odd seeing it subtitled into English - I'm more used to seeing French subtitles! But well worth seeing.
One thing that I did notice was that in France, at the end of the film, most people sit through the music and the credits at the end - "respect" to the makers of the film. Here in London, people were putting on their coats and leaving as the first credits started to roll. And people were coming in for the next showing before the credits had finished.
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