
5 Cannes 2025 standouts with serious Oscar buzz
Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor, pictured above, star in this historical romance set during the First World War in rural New England. Based on the short story of the same name by Ben Shattuck (who also penned this adaptation), it follows the relationship between Lionel and David (Mescal and O'Connor respectively) as they travel across the state to record for posterity the minutiae of how local life sounds, from how people speak, to the folk songs they sing.

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The Herald Scotland
5 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Dumbstruck in Dumfries: I discovered my Scots great gran was a hussy
This had the makings of a disaster. The BBC's long-running genealogy show had chosen as its subject one Diane Morgan. As her alter ego Philomena Cunk, Morgan has made her name lampooning the likes of WDYTYA, with its talking head experts and presenters who go on 'journeys'. Her sitcom, Mandy, once referenced a show called Who Are You, Do You Think? ('Not as good as Danny Dyer's but still all right'). I know WDYTYA has been a bit boring lately - frankly, some of the 'celebrities' have been human sleeping tablets - but come on, wasn't this a case of TV eating itself? As Morgan said: 'I never thought in a million years you'd actually ask me to be on it.' Bolton born and bred and now living in Bloomsbury (nice), Morgan had three aims: to learn more about her Aunty Ginny's fiance, Albert Dugdale, who died in the First World War; to trace her Scottish roots in Dumfries; and to find out the identity of 'German Charlie', the stuff of family legend. As she suspected, Morgan's journey was far from glam. She travelled on buses and suburban trains to small town libraries, all the while supplying her own self-deprecating commentary. 'Can I pretend to pay cos I'm with the film crew?' she asked a bus driver. There was a lot of weaving in her background. German Charlie's story was part of that history and wasn't terribly interesting unless you were into chimneys. Aunty Ginny, Morgan discovered, lived near the rest of the family in Bolton, as many of her generation did. That didn't set the heather on fire either. But Dumfries and Morgan's four times great-grandmother Isabella? Now you're talking. Isabella turned out to have had five children to four different fathers. History could relate this because she had taken all the absent fathers to court for child support. As a result, a record of her existence existed - a rarity for a woman, even more so someone who was working class. Young Diane at home in Bolton with her family (Image: PHOTOGRAPHER:Diane Morgan) Between the lines there was obvious sadness. One record said Isabella had been known to the local lads as 'an improper character'. 'I thought you were going to tell me I was related to Robert the Bruce or Robert Burns, one of the Roberts,' said Morgan. 'Instead my great, great, great grandmother was a bit of a hussy.' For fear of spoilers I'm not going to say what happened next in Dumfries, or how Morgan got on tracing Albert Dugdale's family to give them the 'death penny' that had been kept safe in her family. If you haven't seen the show you are in for a treat. Morgan's WDYTYA probably isn't destined for the hall of fame. But the very ordinariness of the people we learned about was what made them special. They weren't kings or queens or captains of industry or explorers, they did dull jobs and lived in terraced houses, but they were here once, and their lives mattered. Whoever decided Diane Morgan would be a good pick for WDYTYA should be given a pay rise. This could have been a disaster; instead it was a triumph.

South Wales Argus
4 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Ghost hunt event to take place at Llanyrafon Manor Farm
Llanyrafon Manor Farm, in Cwmbran, is hosting a 12-hour lockdown and fear ball ghost hunt. Those brave enough are invited to bring their own bedding and spend the night inside the reportedly haunted building. (Image: Supplied) The event will include a paranormal investigation with Tracey and Nigel Turner, séance technique experiments, and a free exploration of the site's three acres of grounds. Visitors will have access to most areas, including the Tudor kitchen, Great Chamber, and attic bedrooms. The history of Llanyrafon Manor Farm dates back to the mid-1500s, and it's thought that a timber-framed medieval building stood on the site as far back as the 13th century. The site was possibly a farm for the monks of Llantarnam Abbey, and some of its remains can still be seen today. The Griffiths family owned the manor for centuries, with the earliest member of the family appearing to be Walter Griffith of Llanyrafon, who practised as an attorney and left a will dated November 20, 1629. The manor once stood in a thousand acres of ground, and during the First World War, three Italian prisoners of war worked on the farm. In the Second World War, members of the Women's Land Army worked the farm, learning how to perform tasks including ploughing, milking, harvesting, and digging. Today, Llanyrafon Manor Farm stands as grand as ever, its history once again showcased for all to enjoy. A free breakfast and unlimited teas, coffees, hot chocolate, bottled waters, juice, and biscuits will be available. The event is not open to pregnant ladies or anyone intending to consume drugs or alcohol. Over in Abersychan, Garndiffaith Millennium Hall will host a murder mystery evening. (Image: Supplied) The event, which will run from 6pm to 9pm on Saturday, June 7, invites attendees to come along and solve the mystery. A ploughman's supper is included in the ticket price of £6.50. For those interested in the murder mystery evening, tickets will be available from the hall or via Eventbrite. Flash Back will travel across the border to the Olway Inn, Usk, on Saturday, June 7. (Image: Supplied) The band will perform rock and pop hits from the 60s to the 00s, promising an evening of dance and sing-along for all. Tintern Abbey will also be hosting a historical event over both days of the weekend. (Image: Supplied) Visitors will be able to discover all about monastic life in the high medieval period at one of the nation's largest monasteries of the time. The Chapter of Stronghold re-enactment group will portray the lives of monastic people, including monks, nuns, and laypeople as they write, pray, live, and eat at Tintern Abbey. There will be authentic cooking, manuscript writing, a holy reliquary, and more. Normal admission prices apply for this event.


Evening Standard
5 days ago
- Evening Standard
‘Unsung' pioneering actress and director Esme Church honoured with blue plaque
He said: 'Growing up with Esme around, it was always wonderful to see and hear about her work – whether it was entertaining troops in France during the First World War, becoming the head of The Old Vic Theatre School, or travelling to and from New York.