The very edge of the Brighton Pier.

Brighton Pier and its fairground rides.

A view of seaside Brighton from the pier.

Market goodies.

I liked how the beach was different to what we have back home.

The Royal Pavilion.

More cute squirrels!

We stopped at the Royal Pavilion but didn’t go inside.

Cute!

Strolling around Brighton town.

A good way to start the day.

Night time Brighton.

I still can’t believe we were there.

Stonehenge looking as mysterious as ever.

Hello readers! I hope you are enjoying the lead-up to the festive season. I am still recounting my trip to Europe. Last post we left off in Bath. This post we continue on to Brighton via Stonehenge. Can you believe it? Stonehenge! I’ve only ever read about this place in books but now we were going to stop and see it for ourselves! I know that it might seem like just a pile of big rocks but the history is overwhelming and standing in front of it surrounded by hills and hills of green landscape made me appreciate its significance all the more. It was freezing when we stopped by but luckily for me I remembered my gloves. Another first on our journey to Brighton was a stopover to Little Chef which I can only describe as England’s answer to IHOP in the USA. Greasy food but satisfying and relatively cheap.

By the time we arrived in Brighton it was already evening and the Saturday night party people were out in full force. For dinner we went to an Indian restaurant across the road from our hotel which luckily for us was situated on the seaside. I was excited to be able to try some Indian food while visiting England since I’ve heard that Indian food is one of the things that the country’s famous for these days.

After dinner we ventured out into the cold towards Brighton Pier which was lit up across the sea. I think that this is the time for me to confess that I’m a total wuss when it comes to water. I mean, I can swim but I really don’t like being out near big volumes of water at night and the pier was right out there. So we ended up just wondering to the edge before turning back thanks to my wussy-ness. We came back to the pier the next morning when the sun was out and the sky very blue. It was amazing to be standing on the very edge of the pier looking out to sea. We also wondered around town for a bit and stopped briefly at the Royal Pavilion grounds which was full of squirrels. I’ll never get used to seeing those cute little critters! More wondering around brought us to a few old-timey pubs, a Quaker’s House and some high street shopping. No I didn’t get to do any because they were closed and plus I had to save myself for London!

So readers, that was our short stopover in Brighton. It was a worthwhile visit and I’d definitely like to go back to the seaside.

Y xo

Meat pies seem complicated, but I thought I could handle fish and chips.  On my trip, I had fish and chips for lunch one day at The Black Lion.  First picture, here’s the pub:

It’s a great old place that dates back to the 1700s.  It’s on Bayswater Road, across the street from the Black Lion Gate, which opens onto the Broad Walk in Kensington Gardens.  I like to think J. M. Barrie may have eaten here, considering he lived just a few blocks away.

Here’s The Black Lion’s fish and chips:

The book, incidentally, is Temptation of the Night Jasmine by Lauren Willig, and very good.  So was the food!

And here’s my version of fish and chips–which also turned out tasty.

Check out At Home with Books for more Saturday Snapshots!

I love capturing the character of people in and the vibe of happenings in photography. Taking photos at Kino’s Women in Shorts event the other night allowed me to do just that. This was one of our busiest nights in the last few months and it was great to see so many women getting the opportunity to showcase their film making talent. This was a night where I was very proud to be part of Kino.

On the night we enjoyed works from Agnieska Lucya, Aurora Fearnley & Nia Wakeman, Soile Mottisenkangas, Aimee Powell, Adele Myers and Kate Murphy. Jane McConnell did a wonderful job of hosting the evening and leading the Q & A’s too.

If you’re wondering what on earth that means, you were clearly not born within the sound of the Bow Bells (neither was I by the way – I am a ‘Mockney’). For those of you who understand Cockney Rhyming Slang, you will know I just asked if you would like a pint of ale (“Ship full sail” or just “ship”) at the Pub (“rub-a-dub” or just “rubber”).

London has some great pubs and your best chance of meeting authentic Cockneys (other than in Essex where many of them seem to have escaped to) is in one of the old school boozers in the East End. Here are three examples I visited last night:

The Black Lion, Plaistow

If you want authentic, you won’t get much better than The Black Lion. My drinking buddy, above, is posing against one of London’s oldest and best preserved coaching taverns in London.

The pub is nearly 600 years old and boasts many claims to fame in its long history, including that the notorious highwayman, Dick Turpin, used to stable his horse, Black Bess, in what is now the function room just a few years before he was finally caught in Yorkshire and hanged in 1739.

The clientèle seem to be genuine locals in the main. The bar staff come from a limited pedigree as well with only a few landlords running the pub across the span of the last 100 years. In fact, from 1929 until 1997 (a staggering 68 years) a lady called Milly Morris worked as a bar maid and was happy to recount the many  stories she had accumulated over the years including during the war where she would continue serving pints as bombs dropped destroying her neighbourhood around them.

The pub is rare in that it still houses its own boxing club and gym, “the West Ham Boys”, which produced Olympic Gold medallist, Terry Spinks, and has also been used as a training gym for Barry McGuigan and Nigel Benn.

The Gun, Docklands

Whilst a relative youngster compared to the Black Lion – a mere 250 years old – the Gun can boast some pretty impressive history of its own. Most significantly, Britain’s greatest Admiral, Lord Nelson, used to frequent the pub and use the upstairs rooms to get up to mischief with his mistress.

The pub was also an important meeting place for smugglers and it still has a secret staircase complete with spy-hole to make sure the Cold Chill weren’t coming (sorry – I mean the Old Bill or Police – I just can’t help my mockney ways).

Much of the interior of The Gun was destroyed by fire in 2001. Since then, the pub has gone upmarket and is largely used as a drinking hole for the suits from Canary Wharf (including me – you can see The Gun from my office). The beer garden overlooks the Thames with the view dominated by the O2, as you can see below with me enjoying a Pig’s Ear (you surely don’t need me to translate that?)

The Isle of Dogs may have been partly gentrified by the money from Canary Wharf, but the Borough of  Tower Hamlets still has some the highest levels of poverty in the country. You do not have to travel far from the steeples of Mammon to see signs of both poverty as well as relics from the area’s past as a major industrial dock.

The Blind Beggar, Whitechapel

On 9th March 1966, a man walked into The Blind Beggar and approached another man sitting at the bar. The seated man sneered “Look who’s here” but was then shot in the head just above his right eye by the man who had entered the pub. The murderer calmly walked out again in full view of everyone else in the pub.

The dead man was George Cornell, a member of the notorious Richardson’s gang. The murderer was Ronnie Kray, half of the even more notorious Kray Twins. Despite a large number of eye witnesses, including Cornell’s friend Albie Woods sitting right next to him, not a single person would testify against the most feared man in London. Nevertheless, Ronnie Kray was eventually found guilty of the murder and spent the rest of his life in prison (he died in 1995). His brother, Reggie, would later join him after murdering Jack ‘the Hat’ McVitie (brutally stabbing him in the face and chest after his gun jammed) in Stoke Newington.

The Blind Beggar is named after Henry de Montford, the son of one of the most powerful men in England, Simon de Montford. Legend has it that Henry was blinded in battle in 1265. Despite being nursed back to health by a baroness who would become his wife, the high-born Henry fell on hard times and became a beggar at the Bethnal Green crossroads.

Despite its dark history and its chandeliers, unfortunately The Blind Beggar today shares neither the authenticity of The Black Lion, nor the sophistication of The Gun. However, all three pubs are fantastic extant reminders of London’s rich and often dark history that can be found just while having a pint.

Filmmakers from outside the region can also submit films but you must be able to attend the event to be considered and if you have any suggestions for who you think should be on the bill please get in touch. The address for all suggestions and queries is info@kinofilm.org.uk

The event will be taking place at the Black Lion on Wed 11th July , 7.30 doors for 7.50 start.

Our events encourage debate and discussion thoughout with Q&A sessions after each film followed by an opportunity for networking, both in the intermission and after the show. Each short film, where possible, will be followed by a discussion with the director / producer / writer of the film (and cast members when available).

You don’t have to be a woman to attend the screening, audience members of all genders are accepted : )

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR PROGRAMME DETAILS

TICKETS:
£4.00 full price
£3.00 concessions (students / unemployed)
Advance reservations recommended by emailing John or turn up and pay on the door.

Venue: The Black Lion, 65 Chapel Street, Salford M3 5BZ
The venue is just 12 minutes walk from Piccadilly Gardens, 5 minutes from Victoria train station or just 2 minutes walk down Blackfriars Street, off Deansgate (across from the bottom of Market Street/St Mary’s Gate).

Black Lion facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/blacklionsalford

Black Lion location map and directions.
http://tinyurl.com/5r4soa5

KINO SHORTS is this month dedicating the whole night to Salford film makers or films set in or made about Salford.

We are looking for short films now so filmmakers out there who have a short film made in or about Salford, get in touch with us now, you have until 6th June to get us details of your short.

SUBMISSION DETAILS:
Films must have been made in the last month and be no longer than 20 mins max. Fiction, doc, animation, experimental, music video, whatever it is we want to see it now. For a chance to be involved in this great showcase of Salford talent, you know what to do. Drop an email to jonkino at johnw@kinofilm.org.uk. Our nights promote the work of emerging filmmakers and take place in the cinema lounge at the Black Lion – a really cool place and creative hub for Manchester creatives.

Our events encourage debate and discussion thoughout with Q&A sessions after each film (when the directors and producers are available) – but if you are a filmmaker who doesn’t like to speak in from of an audience don’t worry, they are really infomal relaxed interviews). The screenings are followed by an oportunity for networking and there’s a late bar until midnight.

Kino is the longeest running short film nights in Manchester and the North West, we’ve been running these nights for over fifteeen years in an assorment of venues, and our latest venue the Black Lion is centrally located and walkable from the centre of Manchester.

SCREENING DETAILS:

DATE and TIME: Weds 13th June at 7:30pm

TICKETS:
£4.00 full price

£3.00 concessions (students / unemployed)
Advance reservations recommended by emailing John or turn up and pay on the door.

VENUE: The Black Lion, 65 Chapel Street, Salford M3 5BZ
The venue is just 12 minutes walk from Piccadilly Gardens, 5 minutes from Victoria train station or just 2 minutes walk down Blackfriars Street, off Deansgate (across from the bottom of Market Street/St Mary’s Gate).

Doors 7.30 for 7.45pm start.

Black Lion facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/blacklionsalford

Black Lion location map and directions.
http://tinyurl.com/5r4soa5

CONFIRMED PROGRAMME DETAILS:

I MARRIED A CULT FIGURE FROM SALFORD
Dir/Prod/Writ; John Crumpton, 5m 30s (Salford, 2011)

A short music video featuring John Cooper-Clarke watching on TV the story of his thwarted relationship with Cathy La Crème. It’s the recurrent tale of what happens when fame, fortune and fifteen minutes extract their price. Q&A follows with director following the screening.

SISTA’s OF MERCY (Documentary) (Salford 2012)
Documentary from regular at Kino, the award winning Jason Wingard. Details to follow.

THE RAT THIEF
Dir/Prod; Sanna Karvonen, Writ; KivaLarmola 3m 40s (Salford 2011)

Experimental short shot on classic pinhole technique in black and white on the sunny Victorian back alley among real rats and thieves in Salford. The Rat Thief captures the period feeling of Chaplin classic, the Keystone Cops and Harold Lloyd, with a soundtrack that you would think was from a Guy Madden silent short. Part of Into Productions’ Short Film Series ’11.

CLENCH
Dir/Writ; Riffat Ahmed, Prods; Shane Davey/Courtnery Edwards, 15m 39s (MCR and Salford 2011)

Clench – What are you fighting for? Made as part of the Generations 3.0 project, which looks at how racism can be ended in a generation, this short tells the story of Ash, a mixed-race girl from Old Trafford. On a youth referral scheme, we see Ash travel to the iconic Salford Lads Club where she takes up boxing as a way of dealing with her troubled past. By portraying Ash’s experience of the sport, the film highlights how the boxing ring can be a neutral space where race and neighbourhood politics are left outside.

ITCH
Dir/Prod/Writ; Daniel Kenyon 9m 36s (Salford 2012)

Mitchell is 10 years old. He wants to be just like is hero, older sister’s boyfriend, Alex. He tries to look like him, act like him and do things that he does… but badly. However, Mitchell has severe eczema on his arm which he believes holds him back from being as cool as his idol, and cool people aren’t like him, are they?

WAITING
Dir; Charlie Leek (Salford 2012)

Details to follow

Short by Sophie Broadgate made also in Salford (details to follow)

A fabulous 60s triple bill on the big screen: “A Taste of Honey”, “Charlie Bubbles”, and “The White Bus”. There will also be an opportunity to access tickets to see Ken Russell’s “Shelagh Delaney’s Salford”

On Sunday 17th June Kino are delighted to present as part of the SALFORD SECRET GARDENS FESTIVAL, at the Black Lion a double bill of two great 60s British films written and adapted for screen by Salford screenwriter Shelagh Delaney, both shot and featuring scenes in Salford and Manchester.

The legendary 1960 film “A TASTE OF HONEY” directed by Tony Richardson is a 1961 British film adaptation of the play of the same name. Delaney adapted the screenplay herself, aided by director Tony Richardson, who had previously directed the first production of the play. It is an exemplar of a gritty genre of British film that has come to be called kitchen sink realism.

Showing with “Honey” is “CHARLIE BUBBLES”, the British film of 1967 starring Billie Whitelaw and Albert Finney, and also featuring a young Liza Minnelli.

Salford actor Albert Finney starred in and directed the film (his only directorial role) and Billy Whitelaw won a Bafta in 1968 for Best Supporting Actress. The film makes great use of its Manchester and Salford settings and even includes footage of a Manchester United match at Old Trafford with scenes of Bobby Charlton and Dennis Law.

The lead character (Bubbles), played by Finney, returns to his home city after achieving success as a writer in London. Bubbles is bored with his success and his privileged position, which allows him to indulge himself in most ways he wishes. One of these is a relationship with his secretary Eliza, played by Minnelli (in one notable scene it is apparent, though not shown, that she gets a good look at him). Bubbles glides around in a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III convertible, contrasted with the working class life and the poverty of post war Salford.

Both films will play in a fantastic double bill with supporting Pathe News reels (on 16mm) from the period. It’s a great and unique chance to see these ground-breaking films of the 60s on the big screen.

But not only that, we have acquired the rights to hold one screening of the cult legendary ‘Free Cinema Movement’ film by Lyndsey Anderson, “THE WHITE BUS”.

The White Bus is a 1967 , running at 60 minutes, by British director Lindsay Anderson. The screenplay was jointly adapted with Shelagh Delaney from a short story in her 1963 collection Sweetly Sings the Donkey.

The tour starts of in Manchester City Centre predominantly around Manchester Town Hall, Central Library and Piccadilly Gardens, although Cross Street is featured in one shot. Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Central Stations are also shown. The ‘model estate’ of high-rise flats was shot on the Kersal Flats estate, home to the notorious Moors murderers, Myra Hindley and Ian Brady, while the factory sequences were shot in Trafford Park. It also featured scenes on Cheetham Hill Road and inside Cheetham College (now demolished). Both the exterior and interior shots of the school were taken in the former Pendleton High School for Girls

Using local people, Anderson also staged parodies of paintings by Manet, Fragonard and Goya in Buile Hill Park in Salford.

NOTE: in one scene the main character in the film walks past the Aaben Cinema in Hulme (then the York Cinema) as a cleaner mops the steps of the cinema.

LATEST NEWS:
We were hoping to screen Ken Russell’s Shelagh Delaney’s Salford made for the BBC Monitor series in 1960 as a fine complement to the films but we couldn’t get the licence to screen the film. HOWEVER, the BBC who hold a copy of the film in their archives have granted special permission for us to hold a screening of the film at the Secret Gardens Closing showcase to be held in the Morcambe and Wise suite suite at the BBC Building at Media City. There will be two screenings of this remarkable film at 2pm and 3pm and you can only get tickets for this screening (invitation only) by purchasing a ticket for the Delaney double bill at Black Lion. There are only 40 tickets available so first come first served. TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO BOOK ON EVENT BRITE SHORTLY.

Screenings take place at The Black Lion, with double bill performances at 2pm (matinee starting promptly at 2.00PM) and 6.30pm (for 6.45 start). Charlie bubbles will be screened first followed by A Taste of Honey. PLEASE NOTE, for those that want to see it THERE WILL ONLY BE ONE SCREENING OF “THE WHITE BUS” AT 5.30pm.

STOP PRESS: Subject to demand, we may put on an extra screening of White Bus at 1pm for those wishing to see only that film. Details to be announced for tickets to this screening on this page shortly.

Prices:
Matinee £4/£3/(£2) Evening show £5/£4/(£3) (prices in brackets are for Salford Residents with ID).
The price for the THE WHITE BUS ONLY is £2 (£1 Salford Residents with ID)

Please Note: Those wanting to see The White Bus we will hold a special screening of the film at 1pm but you must register your interest by dropping an email to info@kinofilm.org.uk as we will only hold this screening subject to demand.

For more info contact johnw@kinofilm.org.uk

Venue: The Black Lion, 65 Chapel Street, Salford M3 5BZ
The venue is just 12 minutes walk from Piccadilly Gardens, 5 minutes from Victoria train station or just 2 minutes walk down Blackfriars Street, off Deansgate (across from the bottom of Market Street/St Mary’s Gate).

Doors 7.30 for 7.45pm start.

Black Lion facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/blacklionsalford

Black Lion location map and directions.
http://tinyurl.com/5r4soa5

The legendary 1960 film “A Taste of Honey” directed by Tony Richardson. A Taste of Honey is a 1961 British film adaptation of the play of the same name  by Shelagh Delaney who adapted the screenplay herself, aided by director Tony Richardson, who had previously directed the first production of the play. It is an exemplar of a gritty genre of British film that has come to be called kitchen sink realism.

Showing with  Charlie Bubbles the British film of 1967 starring Billie Whitelaw and Albert Finney, and also featuring a young Liza Minnelli. Salford actor Albert Finney starred in and directed the film (his only directorial role) and Billy Whitelaw won a Bafta in 1968 for Best Supporting Actress. The fim makes great use of its Manchester and Salford settings and even includes footage of a Manchester United match at Old Trafford with scenes of Bobby Charlton and Dennis Law.

We are now pleased to report that we have now secured the screening rights for Lyndsey Anderson’s The White Bus (also written by Delaney) and this will be screened on the night before Taste of Honey

We are hoping to confirm a screening of Ken Russell’s Shelagh Delaney’s Salford made for the BBC Monitor series in 1960 as a fine complement to the films. The BBC are kindly providing a copy of the film but please note, it will only be available to screen at the BBC showcase at Media City. Details of how to get exclusive tickets for the screening to be announced soon or available at the above screening only (TBC).

We wlll also be screening a couple of Pathe Newsreels from the period to get you in the 60s mood.

Screenings take place at The Black Lion, with doulbe bill performances at 2pm (matinee) and 6pm.

One film & supporting programme: £4.00 (£3. cons) £2 (Salford residents)
Two films & supporting programme: £6.00 (£4. cons) £3 (Salford residents

For full programme details see here: http://www.secretgardensfestival.net/secretkino/2012/05/20/kino-presents-shelagh-delaney-and-the-cinema-of-60s-british-social-realism/

As usual, we’ll be showing a selection of Short films from Manchester, Salford and the North West but not entirely in this session. We’re adding fantastic little animation by London director/animator Steven Spencer called BEST, about the life, fame and fall of Man Utd’s former superstar GEORGE BEST. This just has to be seen, please do not MISS IT!

Our nights promote the work of emerging filmmakers essentially from the North West giving the audience and local creatives a chance to see films they would not see anywhere else, on the biggest screen in a non-cinematic venue anywhere in Manchester. Our events encourage debate and discussion thoughout with Q&A sessions after each film (when the directors and producers are available) followed by an oportunity for networking, both in the intermission and after the shjow. Each short film, where possible, will be followed by a discussion with the director / producer / writer of the film (and cast members when available). Interviewers this month are the award winning Jason Wingard and producer Phil Meachem.

Kino is the longeest running short film nights in Manchester and the North West, we’ve been running these nights for over fifteeen years in an assorment of venues, and our latest venue the Black Lion is centrally located and walkable from the centre of Manchester.

SO, IF YOU NOT BEEN TO ONE OF OUR NIGHTS IN THE NEW VENUE YET, THEN IT’S ABOUT TIME YOU GOT DOWN TO THE PREMIER AND BEST SHORT FILM NIGHT IN MANCHESTER. WE’VE BEEN PROMOTING SHORT FILM SINCE 1995, THAT HAS TO TELL YOU SOMETHING! !!

KINOFILM 1993 – 2012: 19 Years of Cinema and Short Film Exhibition

TICKETS:
£4.00 full price
£3.00 concessions (students / unemployed)
Advance reservations recommended by emailing John or turn up and pay on the door.

Venue: The Black Lion, 65 Chapel Street, Salford M3 5BZ
The venue is just 12 minutes walk from Piccadilly Gardens, 5 minutes from Victoria train station or just 2 minutes walk down Blackfriars Street, off Deansgate (across from the bottom of Market Street/St Mary’s Gate).

Doors 7.30 for 7.45pm start.

Black Lion facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/blacklionsalford

Black Lion location map and directions.

http://tinyurl.com/5r4soa5

———————————————————-____
PROGRAMME DETAILS AS FOLLOW – PROG STARTS AT 7.45 PROMPT;

ROOM 6
Dir/Prod/Writ; Robert Lonsdale, 4 mins (Stockton-on-Tees), 2012
Room 6 appears to be an unpopular place to visit, and it begs the question, “Why”?

THE ABDUCTION
Dir/Prod/Writ; Mariusz Cwynar, Co-Prod; Mouine Omari, Co-Writ; Kyrstian Bernacik, 3 mins, (Manchester), 2012.
The Abduction is a short film about a father taken hostage and forced to pay a ransom for the sake of his family, but not everything goes to plan.
Q&A follows with the director and producer following the screening.

I MARRIED A CULT FIGURE FROM SALFORD
Dir/Prod/Writ; John Crumpton, 5m 30s (Salford, 2011)
A short music video featuring John Cooper-Clarke watching on TV the story of his thwarted relationship with Cathy La Crème. It’s the recurrent tale of what happens when fame, fortune and fifteen minutes extract their price. .
Q&A follows with director following the screening.

Aneel Ahmad – latest short film CHECKPOST (test screening) – details to be added shortly.

BREAK apx 9.00 – 9.20

SPECTACLE MACABRE
Dir/Writ; Kasia Wisniowski, Prod; Petira Crawford, 2 mins (Manchester School of Art), 2012.
A short film that upon the subject of the state of mind of a murderer. It is a specific speculation and an attempt to imagine what the darkness hides. An experimental connection of reality in the killers’ inner world. Q&A follows with the director following the screening.

THE SHOT – winner of the Jessops “The Shot” competition.
Dir/Writ; David Schofield, Prod; Loran Dunn}, 8m 35s, (Ashton-under-Lyne / Peak District 2011).
Grahem is as photographer out in the wild. He meets Chelsea, a common as muck sandwich van worker. Chelsea shows Grahem the best places for photos and a whole lot more but has she badly misjudged Grahem?
Q&A follows with director following the screening.

SECRET TEST SCREENINGS
Two short films from regular at Kino, the award winning Jason Wingard, winner of this years Virgin shorts award. These two shorts shot for some corporate organisation (we aren’t allowed to say which for obvious reasons, all we can tell you is these are comedies and are their first public test screenings. All will be revealed on the night, be ready for some sharp wit Wingard style!
Q&A with the director following the screening.

BEST
Dir/Animator; Steven Spencer, Prod; Nice Monster Prods, 9 mins, (London), 2011 (Animation)
The rise, fame and fall of George Best. BEST is a wicked animated re-telling of the troubled life of footballs first superstar George Best (who we all know is Manchester United’s former superstar). George Best. Journeying through his childhood in Belfast before swinging into the glorious sixties; his silky skills on the Manchester United pitch soon catch the ever growing gaze of the British press. George, quite literally has the world at his feet, but with the paparazzi’s glaring lense firmly focused on his every move, things soon begin to spiral out of control…

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CALL FOR ENTRIES

WE HAVE OPENINGS FOR THE NEXT KINO SHORTS NIGHT AND WANT YOUR NEW SHORT FILMS NOW !

Women and Student Shorts Wanted Now.
We are looking for short films in all categories, the only restriction is the film must not be completed earlier than 2011 and no longer than 20 minutes. Occassionally we will accept longer films but it must be of acceptional quality and an award winning short film.

For our July event we are planning a Women In Film night and we would now like to encourage entries from women filmmakers or where the central character characters in the film are played by women. Contact us for more details get your films sent in asap.

WE are also planning a North West Student Showcase, so for those that are students, submit your films now, and spread the word. You can collect a submission form from the info / sign in desk or email

Red Heads

Later this year we are planning a short film event in support of National Red Head day. Any read headed filmmakers or films where the central character is a red head, you will want to be part of this. Please get in touch with us for more details

To submit your film, PLEASE EMAIL johnw@kinofilm.org.uk. You will be sent the application form which you should complete and send in with a dvd screener of your film.

Epitomizing the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality of the Greatest Generation, the denizens of Golden Age comic-books had little or no trouble embarking on super-heroic careers. Sure, there may be a slain loved one or two along the way but for the most part civic-minded citizens usually decided to don colorful uniforms and smash criminals in the puss because it was the right thing to do.

The Black Lion, one of Fox Feature Syndicate’s many answers to Batman (an illustrious list that includes Black Fury, The Moth and The Lynx), has a well-defined reason for seeking justice but no “on-panel” training or even rationale for his code-name. He presumably designed a costume, picked up a teen side-kick and got to work.

The following story – Black Lion’s first appearance, by the by – appeared in Wonderworld Comics #21 (Fox Feature Syndicate, January 1941). The art is by Charles A. Winter, a creator with several Golden Age credits who apparently left little biographical material behind.

UPDATE – Maxine Peake will be taking questions in the Q&A session following the film and there will also be a skype interview with Carol Morley.

Wed 25th April, The Black Lion, Manchester (Salford) (7.30 for 8.00pm start).

Feature presentation of EDGE, Carol Morley’s impressionistic and sincere fiction feature debut, starring Maxine Peake, about a group of lost souls who gravitate towards a hotel that’s seen better days, is peppered with wry humour and astute character observations. The wintry Devon coastal setting provides a visually arresting backdrop for the affecting drama that unfolds between these desperate characters whose motives and intentions are gradually revealed. Features exceptional performances from its ensemble cast

Presented at the Black Lion by Kinofilm:
KINOFILM 1993 – 2012: 19 Years of Independent Cinema and Short Film Exhibition

EDGE
Dir; Carol Morley: Writer/Director, (UK 2010) 93 mins
Prod; Cairo Cannon
With; Maxine Peake, Marjorie Yates and Joe Dempsie
Production Companies; Cannon and Morley Productions
and Genesis Entertainment.

SYNOPSIS
A washed-up pop star (PAUL HILTON) arrives at the Cliff Edge Hotel looking for inspiration and meets a guilt-ridden woman (MAXINE PEAKE), who is desperate to recover her past. An older woman (MARJORIE YATES) checks into a room with dark intent, but encounters a chambermaid (ANIA WENDZIKOWSKA) who just won’t let her die. A blind date set up on the Internet between two teenagers (JOE DEMPSIE, NICHOLA BURLEY) fails to turn out like either of them expected.

Meanwhile, receptionist Linda (JULIE T. WALLACE) is absorbed in completing a jigsaw puzzle, while waitress Deb (KEELEY FORSYTH) can’t get enough of her self-help book.

Over the course of two days and one night, the hotel guests, frozen into the snowy landscape, begin to thaw- and to find a purpose that connects them all.

GENESIS ENTERTAINMENT and CANNON AND MORLEY PRODUCTIONS present their first feature film EDGE. The film is a unique collaboration between a London East End cinema owner, TYRONE WALKER-HEBBORN, and local award winning filmmakers CAIRO CANNON and CAROL MORLEY.

RELEASED IN CINEMAS 13TH APRIL 2012

PLUS ….

Supporting short film to be announced.

TICKETS:
£4.00 full price
£3.00 concessions (students / unemployed)
Advance reservations recommended by emailing John or turn up and pay on the door.

Venue: The Black Lion, 65 Chapel Street, Salford M3 5BZ
The venue is just 12 minutes walk from Piccadilly Gardens, 5 minutes from Victoria train station or just 2 minutes walk down Blackfriars Street, off Deansgate (across from the bottom of Market Street/St Mary’s Gate).

Doors 7.30 for 8.00 pm start.

Black Lion facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/blacklionsalford

Black Lion location map and directions.
http://tinyurl.com/5r4soa5

He was known as The Black Lion. He spoke the truth and spoke with a brutual directness and honesty. My favorite quote of Douglass was “The life of a nation is only secure, while that nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous.” He wanted America to stand up to the words in the Constitution before King told America about the insuufficent check written to some of her children. Maybe we have too much today. Maybe we need to have to fight for something to show our true ability. If that is true, then it sad– and a disrespect to those who laid the way for us to not to have to fight and be able to compete on equal ground, or at least a little more level playing field. And, for those who contnue to play the role of the oppressor (i.e., the 1%), please know the words Douglass spoke still holds true. Without honor and virtue, this nation’s standing is in possible peril from domestic and foreign powers.

It is so much in a name, but I am sure Frederick had no problem shedding the name and all it represented. More than a change name, we need a change in our conviction and dispositions.

Bottom Line: Roar like a lion in the face of discrimination anywhere!

Blessings and Prayers

The BLAQUESMITH

The Black Lion has been serving fine ales for over 130 years now. No doubt it’s seen and heard a fair few things over the decades…

But I like to think those sturdy brick walls will be happy to soak up a few more sounds still, at the opening Open All Ears event.

We’ve invited a number of audio professionals to share some of their favourite audio, radio, sound and music and we’d love you to come and have a listen – and sip a couple of fine ales too.

Details of the event will be posted here very shortly.

]]> http://thespectacularshotsclub.wordpress.com/2011/11/05/come-and-see-the-shot-3-workshop-on-november-12th/ Sat, 05 Nov 2011 14:41:42 +0000 thespectacularshotsclub http://thespectacularshotsclub.wordpress.com/2011/11/05/come-and-see-the-shot-3-workshop-on-november-12th/ Good afternoon dear reader!

There’s only one week to go until we’re presenting Shot #3 to the world and running a workshop on the whole production process. There’s going to be some serious midnight oil burned in the next few days to get it finished, and it would be really great if you could join us at ‘Bring The Noise’ - A Future Artists Live Creative Co-op day long event on Saturday 12th November at The Black Lion in Salford.

It’s going be a day long media feast with something for everyone, including:

• workshops on crowdfunding, direct action and creativity
• live music
• networking sessions
• tea and biscuits
• open mic session to finish the night off

I’ve stumbled across several news items in the past week which I wanted to share with you. I’ve posted a few of them on the Deals & Bargains and the Events pages – after all, those pages are the reason I started this blog.

In case you don’t subscribe to those pages here are some snippets that caught my eye:

ENTERTAINMENT

Simple Street Party: American Funfair

If you’re looking for something to do this Sunday how about joining Simple as they celebrate 10 years in the Northern Quarter? From noon until 8pm, Tib Street will be closing for a 50s style American Funfair with cheerleaders, carnival stalls, fairground rides and Pink Ladies. (It’s on my doorstep so it would be rude not to go…)

They will be taking donations on the gate for local charities and giving away prizes for the best 50s dressed guest. Read more here.

Black Lion to Re-open with its own Cinema

The Black Lion pub on Chapel Street is frequently opening and closing and opening and closing. It’s a great little pub but it never seems to stay open for very long. My friends and I toyed with the idea of buying it ourselves and making better use of the upstairs. It appears someone else had the same idea:

The Black Lion will reopen shortly [they're not sure when] and hopes to draw in the coffee-drinking lap-top crowd [rather than the ale drinking punters?]. Upstairs is being turned into a cinema which will focus on screening the latest in British cinema, to rival the Cornerhouse’s European Cinema.

The concept sounds interesting. I’ve no doubt my friends and I will be there to drink them along. Read more here.

Albert Square Oktoberfest

The Manchester Food and Drink Festival is nearly upon us and this year it’s kicking off with Oktoberfest. From Friday 7th to Wednesday 12th October Albert Square will house a pop-up Bier Keller with steins of Veltin’s Bavarian beers and traditional Bavarian and German sharing platters. The festival is free but the beer and food isn’t.

I’m going. How about you? Read more here.

MISCELLANEOUS

Relish Greater Manchester Cookbook

New to the bookshelves is Relish: Greater Manchester and Cheshire: a collection of 60 recipes to celebrate some of the top restaurants and some of the regions most high profile chefs including; Andrew Nutter from Nutters Restaurant in Rochdale, Harvey Nichols Second Floor Manchester Restaurant and Room Restaurant in Manchester. Along with the recipes the book contains wine recommendations and a hand-picked Larder Guide of the region’s best local suppliers.

I probably haven’t eaten in half of the restaurants listed in the cookbook – I suppose I could settle for trying their recipes at home instead. Read more here.

Be Proud, Love Manchester

“The Be Proud Awards are a celebration of Manchester’s heroes, rewarding volunteering excellence and outstanding spirit in our communities. This is your opportunity to recognise those who have worked hard to change and improve the lives of others.” If you would like to nominate anyone for the Be Proud Awards check out the website here.

Meditating Flash Mob

‘Participate in a Flash Mob’ is on my 101/1001 list, so imagine how disappointed I was to learn that I missed one in my home town yesterday. Mancunian blogger Minusonemoose wandered around the city centre taking photographs of people meditating for International Day of Peace.

I’m very sorry I missed it. If anyone hears any rumours of any Flash Mobs in Manchester or in the North West please will you give me a heads up? (sulk)

Halloween Walking Weekend

Large Outdoors are a friendly outdoor pursuits and social group with offices on Port Street in Manchester. (It’s opposite Port Street Beer House. Have I mentioned it? It’s a great little new pub!)

As part of their walking / hiking club they have arranged an alternative Halloween weekend at the ruined Barden Tower just outside Skipton. (Fri 28th – Sun 30th Oct).

For £65 you get two days of fully guided walks in the Yorkshire Dales, two nights bunk house accommodation, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday and an evening meal on Saturday night. One of my Day Zero Challenges is to do a hike with this bunch. Now I just need to persuade someone to come with me…

DOWN RIGHT WEIRD

Do It Yourself Taxidermy, LIVE in Stockport

I had to scrape my jaw off the desk when Tillybud mentioned this on her blog earlier this week. If the post about Charles Darwin’s Gourmet Club didn’t turn you to vegetarianism then this will:

On the Arts Council website it reads:

“This time we’re going to town with lazers, smoke machines and wall to wall projectors… not forgetting the all important stuffing.”

…“Delivered in a ‘shopping channel’ style” [ed -WHAT ON EARTH?] “She gives you handy hints & tips… where to source animal parts legally & personal preservation methods, giving a unique insight into this seemingly dark art and mind of an artist.”

I don’t know about you but I’m speechless.

Any plans for the weekend? All comments welcome.

Many of the great stories have a moment that arrives that changes everything within the story. It may come down to a single line, a few paragraphs or a few pages, or even a specific theme.

This change is what I would call – The Crux of the Story.  Think about your story, the one you are writing…or reading. Have you identified the Crux yet?

The Crux is when a few words solidify the story and move it in the direction, past the breaking point.

That is the point that I reached last week while working on my own manuscript. By no means does it mean that I am finished – trust me…there is a long way to go.  Remember, the crux in your story may or may not also be the climax of the story.  Sometimes it is hard to decipher which is which.

Writing in third person allows an outside sources to tell part of the story such as a news report, a newspaper, or a letter. My crux is a fable that is found in a lost diary. Other things are also revealed within the diary, but its the fable that synches everything.  It bridges the gap with where my story has been and where needs to go.

Writing the crux of the story has been some of my favorite writing all time.   My main character Jet, a member of the group The Echoes,  received the diary from a family member who had publicly been known as a lunatic. This family member was killed by a mob.  But the diary was hidden, along with several other items in a hidden storage unit.

After years of family deception, Jet learns that the family member was not a lunatic, but rather a sorcerer…and that’s why he was killed. But more importantly, Jet has now inherited the responsibility to protect the items he was given…and much more.

My crux is a story of 4 Kings:  The Black Lion, The Owl, The Falcon, and The Snake.  A battle between these forces, many years ago, is why Jet the sorcerer is needed today.  He discovers the importance of a hidden artifact.  He needs to find this artifact to survive.

I’m not a big outliner of my chapters or story. I generally have a mild thought process of where I want the story to go.  Call it, some high points or benchmarks.

The crux is a very important benchmark and I love the fact that I am here living it.  Much of the story still remains, but the fogginess that was so thick just a few days ago, is clearing quite nicely.

I m so excited about where things go from here. It won’t be smooth sailing but I am happy that I’ve reached this point. I was getting a little anxious about timing. It now seems to have worked itself out perfectly.

The one thing that I’ve been wondering…is a crux dependent on the reader. Could one persons crux be different than someone else.  An interesting thought??

Please share your crux writing with us in our comment section.

Luckily the Brighton Food Festival and all it’s tasty treats rescued my rumbling tummy when I awoke on Saturday (afternoon)… My guilty pleasure was the stall which supplied veggie Pakora with mango and chilli chutney… yum!

When it was time to re-group we met up in The Black Lion…

Where things got a little bit, well….silly.

Before the awesome Sunshine Underground were on at Coalition, we had time to play on the pier properly…

By Sunday, it was time for a roast dinner at The Lion and Lobster (the best roast in Brighton in my opinion) and a game of pool at the new bar opposite Waitrose, Rock ‘n’ Roller…

Can I have a night in now please?!!

S x

Business Directory for Brighton, East Sussex

Unusually we had a fair amount of snow since the Great Chesterford 

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Het succes van het boek, dat de bakermat kent in Sliedrecht, is ongekend in de schaakwereld. In de regel verkopen alleen boeken, die zijn geschreven door mensen met een schaaktitel. Leo Jansen en Jerry van Rekom behoren tot de groep sterke clubschakers. Zij spelen of speelden in de landelijke competitie van de schaakbond (KNSB). Misschien daarom spreken en schrijven zij ook wel de taal, die een breed publiek aanspreekt. Jerry van Rekom zegt daarover, dat het aan geeft aan dat “het mogelijk is dat amateurs een populair boek kunnen maken en dat dat wereldwijd een succes is.”

Schaakjournalist Lex Jongsma mocht op 22 februari 1997 de eerste druk van het schaakboek ‘De Leeuw, hét zwarte wapen’ presenteren. Daardoor werd jarenlange noeste arbeid zichtbaar van Leo Jansen en Jerry van Rekom en een team schaakvrienden. Het ruim 350 pagina’s tellende openingsboek werd een groot succes. Binnen een jaar was de eerste druk uitverkocht en de tweede druk een jaar daarna. In 2000 kwam de derde druk uit en een jaar later kwam er ook een Engelse versie op de markt. Ook deze edities gingen als warme broodjes over de toonbank.

De roep om een nieuwe uitgave was groot en in 2007 gingen de auteurs overstag. In de internationale Schaakboekuitgeverij New In Chess (NIC) uit Alkmaar vonden de auteurs een befaamde uitgever. NIC gaf direct ook aan de nieuwe editie in het Engels uit te willen geven.

Leo Jansen, die inmiddels 80 jaar is, werd meer de motivator van de nieuwe uitgave en het echte werk moest worden gedaan door Van Rekom. De auteur: “Elk hoofdstuk is herschreven vanaf de eerste tot en met de laatste letter. Er zijn vele nieuwe (grootmeester)analyses toegevoegd als mede vele, vele nieuwe partijen. Kwalitatief gezien hebben we een flinke slag geslagen. En met nog nooit eerder getoonde varianten zullen wij onze aanhangers, maar ook onze tegenstanders zeker verrassen. Mooi daarbij is dat we gebruik hebben gemaakt van partijen en analyses die onze aanhangers van overal over de wereld ons hebben toegestuurd. Vooral het hoofdstuk, waarin wit zwart aanvalt via een snel g4, heeft een metamorfose ondergaan. De Shirov-aanval is populair bij Leeuwentemmers, maar we bewijzen in de nieuwe druk dat ook deze aanval opgevangen kan worden door het systeem.”

Nieuw in het boek is – naast de nieuwe analyses en partijen – het feit dat elk hoofdstuk wordt ingeleid door een belangrijke schaker, die iets met De Leeuw te maken heeft. Zo doen onder andere grootmeester Jan Timman en de Internationale meesters Johan van Mil en Gerard Welling een doekje open over De Leeuw. Ook de Amerikaanse meester Keith Hayward geeft zijn mening over het systeem. Clubschaker en Leeuw-promotor Hans van Steenis, zoon van de oud-voorzitter van de KNSB, geeft zijn oordeel over het systeem, dat hij zo graag in praktijk brengt.

Meer informatie over het boek en de opening kun je terug vinden op de site van Jerry van Rekom The Lion of op de site van New in Chess.

Bron : http://www.thelion.nl Jerry van Rekom

Neem zeker eens een kijkje op de Leeuwen website en speel de partijen eens na !