Anthony Hopkins is Sir Nicholas Winton

 Sir Anthony Hopkins on telling story of 'hero' Sir Nicholas Winton in One Life

A British stockbroker who helped save 669 children from the Nazis in World War Two didn't think of himself as a hero. Actor Sir Anthony Hopkins, who plays him in a new film, disagrees - as do those he helped.

Sir Anthony Hopkins joins our Zoom interview drinking a cup of English breakfast tea.

He's at his home in Los Angeles and, for him, it's the morning. The double Oscar winner regularly posts to his 4.8 million Instagram followers from this house. "Americans can't make tea," he confides. I tend to agree.

The 85-year-old screen legend has joined to discuss his new film, One Life, and his role as Sir Nicholas Winton. Sir Anthony (or Tony, as he says I must call him) doesn't want to "take credit" for the movie because Winton is "the hero of the piece".

Sir Nicholas was behind the Kindertransport trains that brought mainly Jewish children out of the former Czechoslovakia before the start of World War Two. "He didn't want to be regarded as a hero. He just hoped that we would learn from it."

Yet about 6,000 people are thought to be alive today because of what he, and other volunteers in Prague, pulled off - against the odds.

Some descendants of the Kindertransport children were in the audience when the One Life film recreated the memorable That's Life scene.

"It was really quite an emotional moment," Sir Anthony tells me. "But I think this whole story has affected me and has actually stayed with me throughout the whole of my life."

The Welsh actor was born in 1937 and was 18 months old when war was declared. He remembers "the bombing of Swansea and the air raids".

He also recalls going to London with his parents in 1945 when "the whole of Europe was in rubble". His father went to an exhibition of the shocking first photographs to emerge from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp after it was liberated by British troops in April 1945. ( By Katie Razzal and Fram Martins)

"Quel posto nel tempo"de Giuseppe Alessio Nuzzo

 "Quel posto nel tempo"de Giuseppe Alessio Nuzzo 

 

Ha finalizado el rodaje en Nápoles de “Quel posto nel tempo”, película dirigida por Giuseppe Alessio Nuzzo que firma el guión con Eitan Pitigliani. 

Producido por Eduardo y Giuseppe Angeloni para An.tra.cine., En asociación con Ferone Pietro Srl, el largometraje está protagonizado por Leo Gullotta, flanqueado por las actrices italianas Giovanna Rei y Beatrice Arnera. 

Inspirada en el galardonado cortometraje "Cartas a mi hija", ganador de más de 120 premios en todo el mundo, incluidos el Nastri d'Argento, el Festival de Cine de Giffoni y el Premio Ettore Scola en la Casa del Cinema de Roma, la obra cuenta la historia de Mario. (Leo Gullotta), director de orquesta jubilado que ha decidido vivir su vejez en un resort de lujo en Inglaterra. Desde hace algún tiempo empieza a padecer Alzheimer y muchas veces es asaltado por recuerdos repentinos que luego de repente olvida, y que lo dejan solo con el temor de que la enfermedad pueda borrar todo su pasado, compuesto de éxitos y fama, pero sobre todo de el amor de su esposa Amelia (Giovanna Rei), fallecida hace muchos años, y de su hija Michela (Beatrice Arnera), con quien nunca ha tenido una relación real, y con quien espera volver a encontrar algún día.

“Contar una enfermedad, el Alzheimer, a través de la poesía del tiempo que pasa, de los recuerdos que se borran y los que resurgen, inconsistentes e irracionales. La enfermedad como metáfora de un viaje en el tiempo y la imaginación del protagonista. A través de esta película, en lugar de declinar, como suele ocurrir, la enfermedad a través de la mirada del cuidador, el que atiende a los enfermos, dejo que se recite el avance de la misma a través del altavoz del protagonista que cuenta sus miedos a través de un carta larga quizás escrita desde hace años”, dice Giuseppe Alessio Nuzzo.

Un trabajo para Nuzzo que surge después del primer largometraje "Le Verità" con Francesco Montanari, y cortometrajes como "The Choice" presentado en el concurso de Jóvenes Autores Italianos durante el 72º Festival Internacional de Cine de Venecia, "The room" con Michele Placido rodada en Vr 360, la obra vertical “El nombre que siempre me puso” con Mariano Rigillo.

Gracias al apoyo de la Campania Film Commission y la Oficina de Cine del Municipio de Nápoles, el tiroteo se llevó a cabo entre las ciudades de Nápoles y Caserta, con la ubicación de Piazza Plebiscito y el Palácio Real de Caserta.

(Foto 1: Giovanna Rei e Leo Gullota) - (Foto: 2: Beatrice Arnera e Leo Gullota). 

 {By Francesco Fusco - Press Office}

Eric Jerome Dickey: Best-selling US author dies at 59

Author Eric Jerome Dickey, whose novels of romance, mystery and adventure were best-selling page-turners over more than 20 years, has died aged 59. 

The US writer wrote 30 novels about breathless relationships and thrilling adventures involving young African American characters.

They included Friends & Lovers, Milk In My Coffee, Cheaters and Finding Gideon.

He also wrote a series of Marvel comics about a love story between Storm from the X-Men and the Black Panther.

"His work has become a cultural touchstone over the course of his multi-decade writing career, earning him millions of dedicated readers around the world," his publicist Becky Odell told USA Today in a statement. Writer Roxane Gay was among those paying tribute, describing him as "a great storyteller". (Fram Martins with BBC). 

Celeste wins BBC Music’s Sound of 2020

The British-Jamaican soul singer was chosen by a panel of 170 influential music experts, including alumni artists Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi 

BC Music Sound Of 2020 has revealed the top five artists who experts think are most hotly tipped for success this year. Around 170 music critics, musicians and DJs, including alumni artists like Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi, voted in this year’s poll, and the top five covers artists whose influences range from Arctic Monkeys to Billie Holliday to The Cure.

Topping the list this year is Celeste, the 25-year-old British-Jamaican singer from Brighton with her spine-tingling brand of neo-soul. “Celeste is a phenomenal talent, a voice that does not come around often and when you are exposed to it, is impossible to ignore,” says BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac. “I have received countless emotional texts from listeners who have had to sit in their car and lose themselves to her song Strange before carrying on with their evening.” The top five artists are listed below, we’ll be showing exclusive videos from the top three over the coming days.

Celeste adds the Sound of 2020 prize to a growing cabinet, including BBC Music Introducing's Artist of the Year 2019 and the BRITS Rising Star. The neo-soul singer has earned feverish comparisons with Amy Winehouse and Billie Holiday for her bluesy melancholic voice. Celeste started her journey with BBC Music in 2014 when she uploaded her track North Circular to the BBC Music Introducing website. Her heartbreaking single Strange put her on the map, and she has toured with label-mate Michael Kiwanuka, who topped the BBC’s Sound of 2012 poll. (By Fram Martins). 

ISOLATION INSPIRATION

New TV – Space Force 

Netflix’s newest cosmic comedy brings together a stellar cast. Space Force stars Steve Carrell as General Mark R Naird, Chief of Space Operations, John Malkovich as a Dr Strangelove-esque scientific advisor, and Ben Schwartz as Social Media Director. Naird is pulled between the responsibilities of putting “boots on the moon” and fathering a teenage daughter all alone while his wife, Lisa Kudrow, is in prison. Created by Carrell alongside Greg Daniels, writer of The Office, Space Force is one of the most astronomically good shows Netflix has released during lockdown. (LW)

The best TV shows you’ve never heard of 

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic left much of the world in lockdown at home, television has been a great source of solace for populations around the world. But while our first port of call may have been either trusted classics or splashy new launches, many of us are now finding ourselves running out of options for what to watch. So, if you are finding your viewing inspiration is flagging, here are 10 brilliant and lesser-known shows that will provide perfect binge-watching material. 

Missions

Set in the not-too-distant future, this tense French sci-fi drama series imagines the first ever manned mission to Mars, Ulysses 1, which launches with a billionaire on board alongside an all-European crew including psychiatrist Jeanne Renoir (Hélène Viviès), signed up to monitor her colleagues' mental health. The series begins with the ship just about to hit the red planet after a 10-month voyage – however  the crew first receive the disappointing news that they’ve been beaten by a rival US mission, then a distress message. And things only get more confused when they land and discover an unexpected survivor. Available on Shudder/Amazon Prime Video. (EM). 

Get Shorty

Anyone who dismisses TV adaptations of films would do well to seek out FX’s excellent Fargo, or TNT’s new small-screen version of Bong Joon-Ho’s Snowpiercer and reconsider their position. It can yield great results, as also seen in EPIX’s three-season riff on the 1995 John Travolta-starring gangster comedy Get Shorty, itself an adaptation of an Elmore Leonard novel. Here Chris O’Dowd takes on the lead role as Miles Daly, a now-Irish heavy working for a Las Vegas loan shark who seeks a career change when his family tell him he’s unsafe to be around. So he approaches film producer Rick Moreweather (Ray Romano), who has the means for him to get his good script – which Miles brings to him literally soaked in blood – off the ground. Available on EPIX/Amazon Prime Video in the US and Sky Atlantic/Now TV in the UK. (EM). 

Loudermilk

Possessing both heart and a caustic humour that will appeal to fans of shows like Community and BoJack Horseman, this sitcom starring Office Space’s Ron Livingstone as a substance-abuse counsellor has the feel of a weird little web series: it is somewhat rough around the edges, much like the flawed characters it follows, but none the worse for that. Former music critic and recovering alcoholic Sam Loudermilk (Livingston) leads support group Sober Friends. But while Sam may be well-practised in advising those around him, he discovers that the person who needs the most work is himself. Supported by his best friend and sponsor, Ben (Will Sasso), he goes through relapses and has to face up to his bad behaviour. The result is an unusually honest portrayal of addiction that is also very funny. Available on Amazon Prime Video. (EM) (Credit: Alamy)

Modern Utopias - Spain

A semi-permanent exhibition at Malaga’s Pompidou Centre explores great utopias in art from the 20th and 21st Centuries. 

The show is divided into six sections: the great utopia, the end of illusions, set, the radiant city, imagining the future and golden age.

Pompidou, Centre - Malaga - Spain  - 15 Dec  to 3 Fev

Pasaje Doctor Carrillo Casaux, s/n, 29016 Málaga, Espanha

Full List of the 2019 Emmy Nominations

Full List of the 2019 Emmy Nominations in The 71st Emmy Awards will be handed out in September

“Game of Thrones” dominated the 2019 Emmy nominations, which were announced this morning. The awards ceremony will be held on Sept. 22. and will be broadcast on Fox from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Read our analysis of the nominations, and see what our television critics had to say about the snubs and surprises.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus received her seventh nomination for her role in “Veep.” The actress talked to us about her time on the show: “I was very, very proud of how we finished the series.”

“Russian Doll” received 13 nominations. We spoke to its star and co-creator, Natasha Lyonne, who said “this is a great moment for women.”

“When They See Us,” Ava DuVernay’s limited series about the 1989 Central Park jogger case, earned 16 nominations. Jharrel Jerome, who was nominated for portraying Korey Wise, discussed the show’s resonance and what he hopes viewers take away from it. (Fram Martins to NYT). 

Below is a list of the nominees:

Best Comedy

“Barry” (HBO)

“Fleabag” (Amazon)

“The Good Place” (NBC)

“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon)

“Russian Doll” (Netflix)

“Schitt’s Creek” (Netflix)

“Veep” (HBO)

Best Drama

Op Art in Focus

The main players of the 1960s Op art movement, including Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely, are featured in an exhibition at Tate Liverpool. 

Hypnotic works by more contemporary artists are also on show, among them Angela Bulloch and Jim Lambie, whose installation of psychedelic patterning, Zobop, is featured.

Op art – short for optical art – emerged in the 1960s. Its leading figures included Bridget Riley, Jesus Rafael Soto and Victor Vasarely. They combined lines, geometric shapes and eye popping colour to create artworks that fool the eye. 

Images could be subtle or disorientating, giving the illusion of movement. Op art in Focus is a part of Tate Liverpool’s in Focus series – displays of the Tate collection dedicated to significant modern and contemporary artists or movements.

16 JUN TO 21 JUL

Tate Liverpool, Liverpool - United Kingdom 

Woodstock 50, the festival

Called Woodstock 50, the festival "will give generations of fans the opportunity to join together 

Fifty years after Woodstock helped define a generation, one of its original organizers is planning an anniversary to remember. After months of teasing, Woodstock co-founder Michael Lang has officially announced a 50th anniversary concert is coming to Watkins Glen, New York, this summer. The three-day festival will take place Aug. 16-18, to celebrate the legendary "3 Days of Peace & Music." 

"The original festival in '69 was a reaction by the youth of the time to the causes we felt compelled to fight for – civil rights, women's rights, and the antiwar movement, and it gave way to our mission to share peace, love and music," Lang said. "Today, we're experiencing similar disconnects in our country, and one thing we've learned is that music has the power to bring people together."

Article in portuguese 

Chennai Dance & Music Festival - Indian

A showcase of south Indian classical music and dance, particularly Carnatic music, is held in the city of Chennai annually, from mid-December until mid-January. With more than 300 concerts and recitals held in various venues across the city, from temples to traditional bungalows, musical artists from across India gather to participate. Previously called the Margazhi festival, the event was first established in 1927, and has since become a major cultural draw.

03/01/2019 - 22/01/2019

Chennai

Cristiano Ronaldo has "firmly" denied raping a woman

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has "firmly" denied raping a woman in a US hotel room almost a decade ago.

The Juventus forward, 33, said he was calm over "any and all investigations" as he had a "clear" conscience over the allegation he attacked Kathryn Mayorga in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009.

He spoke out ahead of her lawyers giving a press conference on Wednesday. He had previously said the allegation, first reported in German magazine Der Spiegel, was "fake news". On Wednesday, he issued a statement through his Twitter account:  

The Prague Spring International Music Festival

The Prague Spring International Music Festival

Prague - Smetana Hall

The Prague Spring International Music Festival is the biggest and most established classical music event in the Czech Republic with many concerts and performances on offer, from traditional to experimental. The festival takes place at various venues, including Smetana Hall at the Municipal House and Dvořák Hall at the Rudolfinum.

Various Venues - Czech Republic 

12 MAY to 03 JUNE

The Brighton Festival 

The Brighton Festival comes to the British seaside town in May with visual artist David Shrigley as the guest director. Known for his satirical drawings and humorous sculptures and installations, the Brighton-based artist also works in animation, painting, music and photography. The Festival is a large-scale multi-arts event, and draws a big crowd each year. 

5 May to 27 

Various Venues - The Brighton Festival - United Kingdom

Palm Springs International Film Festival

Screenings and other events such as talks and panels take place at the 2018 Palm Springs International Film Festival in January. 

Sonny Bono was the event’s biggest supporter from the start in the late 1980s, and now the main festival is accompanied by Shortfest, which happens every June.

02- jan to 15
Palm Springs, USA 

Telluride film festival

The mountain village of Telluride, Colorado is the location for this annual festival, taking place every Labor Day weekend. 

It is a celebration rather than a competition, with the programme revealed only on the opening day of the festival. Past premieres have included some gems, including Juno, Brokeback Mountain, The Crying Game and Blue Velvet.

Various venues Telluride United State

SEP - 01 to 04 

Seattle Film Festival is now in its 43rd year

Screening more than 450 films from 90 countries Seattle Film Festival is now in its 43rd year.

 Among the award winners at last year’s event was Captain Fantastic, directed by Matt Ross, which won the Golden Space Needle Award for best film. 

The Grand Jury Prize went to Girl Asleep, directed by Rosemary Myers.

Varius Venues - Seattle - United State

19 MAY 12 June

Rei Kawakubo, New York

Avant-garde fashion designer Rei Kawakubo is the subject of the Costume Institute’s spring 2017 exhibition. 

Featuring around 120 examples of her womenswear for Comme des Garçons, the exhibition explores how the Japanese designer has challenged orthodox ideas of femininity and elegance with her extraordinary, sculpted creations.

From 4 MAY to 4 SEP

New York - United State

Fifth Avenue

Ethel Leginska was a musical pioneer

Ethel Leginska was a musical pioneer and the first woman to conduct many of the world’s leading orchestras. 

A pianist, educator, composer and conductor, she was born in Hull in 1886 and studied music in Vienna. In Hull’s year as UK City of Culture a special concert pays tribute to Leginska and combines a selection of her piano roll recordings with her original recordings.

10 TO 12 MARCH

Ferens Studio, Hull - United Kinkdom

Don Carlo and Written on Skin

Don Carlo

conductor is Myung-Whun Chung

Guiseppe Verdi’s Don Carlo tells the dramatic story of Carlos, Prince of Asturias, whose betrothed is forced to marry the prince’s father as part of a peace treaty. The director is Peter Stein and the conductor is Myung-Whun Chung, acclaimed for his Verdi conducting. The role of Filippo is performed by Ferruccio Furlanetto.

Alla Scala 

Milan - Italy

17 JAN to 12 FEV

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Written on Skin 

Martin Crimp’s acclaimed opera comes to the Royal Opera House in the new year. Since its premiere in 2012 Written on Skin has been performed around the world. Inspired by the 12th-Century Occitan legend about a travelling musician Guillem de Cabestaing, the opera also has a contemporary element, with 21st-Century angels watching over as the action unfolds. The ROH production is conducted by George Benjamin.

Royal Opera House - London 

13 JAN TO 30 JAN 

Cecília Bartolli Opernhaus

Opernhaus, the acclaimed Italian mezzo-soprano performs in the title role of Alcina, the opera by Georg Fredreich Handel, at the Opernhaus in Zurich. 

Alcina is the enchantress who lures men to her magical island then discards them, until the arrival of crusader Ruggiero changes everything. The director is Christof Loy.  

Zurich, Switzerland

31 DEC TO 10 JAN 

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The Magic Flute

The Met’s family adaptation of Mozart’s mystical opera The Magic Flute has become something of a holiday tradition in Manhattan. An abridged, English-language version, it stars Layla Claire and Ben Bliss as the fairy-tale prince and princess, and is conducted by Antony Walker. Weekday matinees are available.

Metropolitan Opera, New York, United States

30 DEC TO 5 JAN 

Kamchatka opera by Daniel d’Adamo

Kamchatka, the contemporary opera by Daniel d’Adamo with libretto by Marcelo Figueras, comes to the Teatro Colón in November, conducted by Ezequiel Spucches. Buenos Aires’s historic music venue is among the top opera houses in the world, and attracts talent from all over the world. In 2010 it re-opened having undergone a major renovation.

10 – 15 NOV

Teatro Colón

Buenos Aires, Argentina