Category Archives: Films and TV

On censorship in Australia and elsewhere

Posted on August 24, 2021 by Paul Frijters

What do you do as an Australian parliament when a foreign company censors mainstream media content in Australia, undermining free speech? Do you organise an inquiry to hold those foreign companies to account and to see how you might prevent … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Cultural Critique, Democracy, Films and TV, IT and Internet, Journalism, Media, Politics - international, Politics - national, Print media, Society | 12 Comments

Covid and the lessons of the Dreyfus affair

Posted on September 18, 2020 by Paul Frijters

One can tell many stories of how current times resemble some earlier historical period. The conflict between nationalism and internationalism, as personified by the controversies surrounding Brexit and Trump, has been seen as somewhat of a re-run of the conflict … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Education, Films and TV, History, Humour, Information, Life, Social | 94 Comments

A review of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”, the prequel to “The Hunger Games”.

Posted on August 13, 2020 by Paul Frijters

[spoiler alert!] As a fan of the “Hunger Games”, a dystopian trilogy where teenagers are thrown into gladiatorial games to fight till the last survivor in a world that is a blend of ancient Rome and modern America, I eagerly … Continue reading →

Posted in Art and Architecture, Cultural Critique, Democracy, Films and TV, Geeky Musings, History, Literature, Media, Social Policy, Society | 3 Comments

French Film Festival

Posted on March 10, 2020 by Nicholas Gruen

  Festival Website | Films | Schedule Top Picks The Extraordinary (Opening Night) The Extraordinary is based on the real-life figure of Stéphane Benhamou who runs an informal shelter in Paris for autistic youth who have fallen through the cracks … Continue reading →

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The British Film Festival

Posted on November 1, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

Festival Website | Films | Schedule Top Picks Military Wives (Opening Night) The life of a military wife can be thankless. Separated from loved ones, their suffering and sacrifice go unnoticed while they live with the dread of a fateful … Continue reading →

Posted in Films and TV | 2 Comments

Greek film festival

Posted on October 6, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

Festival Website | Films | Schedule Top Picks 1968 (Opening Night) April 4th, 1968: Greece is under right-wing military rule. In Athens, 80,000 people have gathered at the stadium, while millions are glued to their radios — like the tram … Continue reading →

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The Italian Vilm Vestabule

Posted on September 19, 2019 by Nicholas Gruen

  Festival Website | Films | Schedule Top Picks The Champion (Opening Night) Christian Ferro is a young superstar striker for Roma. Growing up in a rough area is a far cry from the millionaire lifestyle he is now living, … Continue reading →

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