London River will be released on DVD 11 October

London’s 7/7 suicide bombings wracked the city five years ago this July. London River, a film produced by the Franco-Algerian writer-director Rachid Bouchareb, revisits these atrocities, which killed 52 people and injured 700 during the morning rush hour.

London River documents two parents’ struggles to find their lost children in the aftermath of the explosions. But it’s more than your typical search-and-rescue story. London River is about how people can overcome cultural and religious divides in times of distress.

London River tells the story of a friendship which develops between two seemingly unconnected people. Elizabeth (Brenda Bleythn) and Ousnmane (the late Sotigui Kouyate). Although they come from different backgrounds — Ousmane is an African Muslim living in France and Elizabeth is a white Christian living in Guernsey — they share the hope of finding their children alive. Putting aside their cultural differences, they give each other strength to continue the search and maintain faith in humanity.

Watch the trailer here:

London River – Trailer from London River on Vimeo.

So, do you want to win the DVD that the Evening Standard has called “a film no Londoner should miss”?

We think that London is a city that is uniquely placed as a catalyst for these cultural breakthroughs, even during relatively more peaceful times. That’s why we want you to send in your best London photo that shows off this multicultural harmony. The First Pint will send the top two photographers a copy of London River and the top ten photos will be displayed on the site in a slideshow.

Please email your submissions to editorial@thefirstpint.co.uk
Contest ends at 12pm GMT on 11 October.

EXTENSION: By popular demand, the Contest has been extended one whole week!
The Contest now ends at 11.59pm on 18 October.

Sounds like a pretty good deal? We think so too, so get snapping!

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Well, then have we got a well-kept secret for you.

The Night Shift takes the best of London’s classical music scene and combines it with a casual atmosphere in which you may come and go with your drinks and – gasp – even applaud the musicians.

What’s even better (no, not BETTER!) is that tickets are only four quid for students, but 12-15 for the rest of society.

Students also reap the benefits of a free beer and some chocolates before the gig.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get ANY better, we can reveal that there is a performance coming up this Friday (13 August) so you can see what the fuss is for yourself.

Kicking off at 8pm, at Wilton’s Music Hall (the oldest music hall in the world) Nathan ‘Flutebox’ Lee – the flute-playing beat-boxer – will take the stage. Afterward, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment will begin playing the best of Handel and Purcell, MCd by the BBC’s Alistair Appleton, at 9pm. Afterward, DJ Nick Luscombe will spin some mad bad beats until midnight. Get the full details here.

See you Friday at the show!

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Happy Canada Day everybody! Photo credit: Ian Muttoo

Canadians! Yeah, all you ex-pat Canucks (and friends)… remember epic Molson commercial from a few years back?
Best beer commercial ever composed, that is. Enough to bring a tear to the eye and pull the heart strings toward the True North Strong and Free, isn’t it?

From my chats and travels about London town, it seems to be fairly common for expats to exhibit an above-average level of national pride when away from home. If you’re a Canadian and made it down to Covent Garden’s Maple Leaf pub for the gold medal men’s Olympic hockey game this February, you’d know what this feels like. It was chaos – some uncharacteristic and unabashed national pride, all concentrated in one tiny booze hub. It was grand.

Well, compatriots – and friends – have I got news for you;  there’s more where that came from!

If you’re lucky enough to be away from our Home and Native Land for our Great Dominion’s 143rd birthday, fear not.  There is set to be an igloo-load of fun activities going on in London for Canada Day.

Trot yourself – preferably by dogsled or canoe – down to Trafalgar Square ’round about 10:30am.  We’ll be singing Oh Canada, drinking some Tim Horton’s – yes, that’s right TIM HORTON’S COFFEE, and chillin’ with a bunch of Mounties.  Sleeman’s beer. Bison Burgers. Iced capps and Okanagan wine.  Naturally, a large amount of poutine will round out this quintessential national fare.

The puck will be dropped at 1030 by the Canadian High Commissioner himself, kickstarting a day-long street hockey tournament. Bring your spirit and your red-and-whites.

Want more info? Check here.  Suffice it to say, though, that in the evening, such Canadian super stars as Sarah Harmer, Hawksley Workman and Jully Black will be taking the stage for a show that is set to put everyone south of the 49th parallel to shame.

Hope to see you there.

In the mean time, get warmed up with this:

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As the sun shines brightly over the sleepy town of Whitehaven, the dark cloud of yesterday’s brutal attacks still hangs heavy over these residents.

Most have never experienced anything like taxi driver Derrick Bird’s raging rampage through the winding picturesque roads of the favourite holiday spot.

Ever since he mercilessly bore down on his unsuspecting victims, shooting many of them at point-blank range with both a .44 caliber rifle and a shotgun, these townspeeople have been reeling with disbelief.

Housewife Amery Johnson, 39, a mother of three boys who lives in nearby Parton, said that the events of the last 24 hours are unbelievable.

“It’s just devastating, really. It’s a very quiet area. You wouldn’t think it would happen.”

Stewart Pratt, 40, worked with Bird as a freelance taxi driver for years.

“How do I feel about it? Diabolical,” he said.

But as the residents of Cumbria try to get back to a sense of normality, picking up the pieces of their broken trust in their safety, Cumbria police have launched an unprecedented inquiry into Derrick Bird’s killing spree. His carnage wound its way through the coastal towns of Whitehaven, Egermont and Seascale on Wednesday, taking 12 lives before taking his own in a wooded area near the hamlet of Boot.

Cumbria Police announced they have finished scouring the Copeland region and believe they have found all the casualties in Bird’s brutal slaying.

Investigation will go on

“We have now concluded a 225 km land and air search of the known and possible routes he could have used and as a result we are not expecting to find any further victims,” police said.

Among the victims are taxi driver Darren Rewcastle, 43, Bird’s solicitor Kevin Commons, 60, and Garry Purdham, 31, brother of the English rugby league star Rob Purdham.

Seven injured people remain in hospital in Cumbria and one person is being treated at hospital in Newcastle. Police say officers are now working to establish exact timings of the shootings and piecing together the precise sequence of events.

“Our priority is now on formally identifying the people who have died, informing family members and supporting them alongside those who are injured. Helping and supporting the many families effected by this tragedy is of the utmost importance,” a spokesperson said.

Jamie Reed, Labour MP for Copeland, said this event of “profound grief” is unprecedented in the community.

Speaking to The First Pint, Reed said: “It’s a very strong community which has had a lot of tragedy with our roots in coal mining, but never anything like this. This kind of event is entirely beyond our experience.”

Reed said that once the spotlight has been lifted from Whitehaven, it will be time to find out precisely what triggered Bird to embark on his apparently random massacre.

“We need to return to normality. We don’t know why [it happened]. This needs to be examined and understood.”

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Photo Credit: flickr/Pink Sherbet

Nothing about the idyllic setting or perfect weather belied the horrific happenings that the town had witnessed yesterday. Fifty-two-year-old taxi driver Derrick Bird opened fire in West Cumbria at 10.35am killing 12 people at random.

Whitehaven today is a portrait of shock and mourning. The residents of the once-sleepy Cumbria town are at a loss for words to describe the carnage that took place barely 24-hours ago.

Two restaurant owners, eyewitnesses and other townsfolk spoke of the terrible events of Wednesday with sadness but displayed the the reslient spirit with which this region has become synonymous.

Two of the people The First Pint spoke to talked about the first man Derrick killed in Whitehaven, cab driver Darren Rewcastle. “He was my best friend,” said a Turkish kebab and chicken fast-food restaurant owner who has lived in Whitehaven for five years.

“I don’t understand what happened, he used to come here for drinks after work, and now…” he trailed off.

Duke Street, the site of the first reported Whitehaven shootings, swarms with the global media frenzy. Satellite television trucks and cameras line the streets with lenses and microphones prodding this Northern town into the spotlight – yet another scene to which they are not accustomed.

Most have repeated the message of shock and disbelief. Others refuse to speak, paying their respects and walking off.

Floral tributes line Duke Street, Whitehaven’s main thoroughfare, which is clogged with traffic and media. These tokens of respect are a painful memory of yesterday’s massacre.

Amery Johnson, 39, a housewife from Parton twenty minutes outside of town, says she laid flowers even though she knew none of the victims.

“It’s just devastating really. I didn’t know the fellow (Rewcastle) but it’s a mark of respect, it’s what we do around here.”

“We’re a very strong community that has had a lot of tragedy, but nothing like this,” local MP Jamie Reed told The First Pint.

“We need to look after those most in need, that’s our strength as a community.”

Amid the bustling street that had witnessed a blood bath unlike any other, the sun shines on.

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After checking out these tips, even this tiny child can now grow like a pro!

So, it’s May and it’s perfect weather for some digging, planting and growing.  Problem is,  you’re a city slicker, kickin’ it in the big smoke and you don’t know the difference between a rose and a garden hose.

Fear not, composting comrade! Our buddies over at Love the Garden have filmed and archived a gaggle of gardening tips straight from the planting pros to get you started on your path to greenified zen.  Whether you’re a wallflower and haven’t yet stretched your green thumbs or you’re a seasoned grow-pro, this excellent online tool promises to set you straight.  It’s like YouTube, but for the mulching-minded.  And without the Star Wars kid.

Don’t fancy interacting with a computer screen? Fair enough. Instead  try catching the experts filming their trellis-y tips live at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show From 25 to 29 May.  They’ll be seated firmly on the ‘throne of knowledge’, hidden within the Adventures in Gardening Exhibit, capturing tips from gardeners of all walks of loosetrife.

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Will and the People played an impromptu performance in Trafalgar Square awhile ago after trying (unsuccessfully) to commandeer a spot on the main stage during the square’s St George’s Day spectacular.

Not to be put out, the Brixton boys instead set up shop in front of the band shell, beside a group of druid-ically dressed folks and brought some great tunage to the sunny and patriotic day.  With a musical style probably best described as the cigarette smoking feral child of a ska-pop-reggae menage a trois, Will and the People deliver the toe taps on an respectable scale.

The band is made up of Will Rendle (vocals, guitar), Dan Lundholm (bass), Simon Hanson (drums), John Tilley (keyboards), and Alison Brown (keyboards, backing vocals). Take a listen:

And if that wasn’t enough to get you in the mood, here are the boys in action.  Catch them next in London on June 12 here.

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Is a world without plastic possible? Listen to Heather Christie's Plastic Diaries to find out! Photo: woodleywonderworks / Flckr

Can you imagine a world without plastic? As part of our environmental themed episode, producer Heather Christie gave up plastic for one week and recorded the daily trials and tribulations in her plastic diaries – we play the highlights and Heather talks about how difficult it actually is to survive plastic-free.

We also speak to Canadian postgraduate student Allya Davidson who explains the differences between Guerilla Gardening and Gorilla composting and we hear about the launch of The Slow Food Movement’s new university campaign.

Can’t view this audio player? Listen to Pint Sized via iTunes or RSS.

If you’re interested in learning about other ways of doing your part, check out how to do some plastic-free shopping in Islington at Unpackaged; this video might help convince you that it’s worth a shot.

Presented by Aoife Yourell; produced by Aoife Yourell and Heather Christie

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The Kensington Royal Apartments have been transformed into The Enchanted Palace—now fit for seven secretive princesses, a bevy of frocks stitched by Britain’s finest couturiers, and a feral child.

Sounds unorthodox? That’s because it is.  Loosely speaking, The Enchanted Palace is a gothic fashionista shadow show and curio installation guaranteed to thrill those questers looking for a little sass in their history. But if your Saturday’s free and you’re looking for a traditional, hushed-tone, palace walk-through, keep your tail feather intact and head for the hills–we don’t want you.

It was time for a shake-up, anyway.  While the Enchanted Palace is open for discovery, the rest of the palace is undergoing a £12 million reno and restoration.  And from the rubble and wreckage of this project, so the story goes, stories from seven of Kensington’s princesses have been unleashed.

And what juicy stories! Made juicier, as seems to be the case with princesses, by fab clothing. Each princess’ trials and tribulations are told throughout the palace’s rooms, and reinterpreted through fabric concoctions by Britain’s top designers. Vivienne Westwood, the grand dame of punk couture herself, illustrates the high-spirited Princess Charlotte’s wild life in her “Dress for a Rebellious Princess.” Rising star William Tempest, on the other hand, painstakingly created the “Dress for Dreaming of Freedom” from thousands of origami cranes the colour of robin’s eggs, bringing Queen Victoria’s restrictive Kensington childhood to life.

While it may sound a tad highbrow, the exhibit isn’t just about capital-F Fashion and capital-H History. There is also some capital-E Engagement with visitors, especially the youngsters.  Upon entry, guests to the Palace receive a map of the exhibit and told they are on a quest to discover the identities of the princesses whose stories the palace has kept secret.  A curious set of performance artists from the WildWorks collective parades around singing and miming various discovery actions.  These were an interesting addition, but need to be better road-marked because loads of visitors were baffled by their presence.

The Historical Royal Palaces deserves applause for choosing to showcase Kensington’s less famous female occupants, giving only a brief hat-tip to the late Princesses Margaret and Diana in the albeit spell-binding Room of Dancing Princesses.  Here, clothing and accessories from both princesses are positioned as if in mid dance within a dimly-lit room from which birch trees sprout from Aubusson rugs.  These famous dames, while celebrated, do not steal the show, a welcome change from the touristy cash-grabs that are often associated with “preserving the memory” of Diana and Margaret.  Insert sigh of relief here.

And I haven’t forgotten the feral child, but some things need to stay secret.  Suffice it to say, he’s probably the first one to have a website.  You’ll just have to visit the exhibit to learn more; it’s well worth it.

The Enchanted Palace runs at Kensington Palace, Hyde Park from 10-18h daily until January 2012.
Adults get in for £12, concessions for £11

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In honour of the upcoming elections, Pint Sized gets political. Photo: comedy_nose / Flckr

As the election draws closer and political party promises fly left, right and central, Pint Sized gets political.

We are joined in the studio by Young Labour‘s London secretary Daryn McCombe and Liberal Youth‘s federal executive member Nathan Khan who debate new UK legislation affecting students. Heather Christie hits the pubs of North London to find out what the public is thinking about the election and we round off our political special with an international panel, featuring perspectives from Nigeria, China and Sweden.

Can’t view this audio player? Listen to Pint Sized via iTunes or RSS.

If you just can’t get enough politics, then check out our political section, where we break down the ins and outs of the UK General elections.

Presented by Heather Christie; produced by Aoife Yourell and Heather Christie

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