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The Commonwealth - Crossing continents and many Countries. (photo of the video screen on an aeroplane seat!)  Here are a few of the events happening around the area, and in Geneva over the next couple of weeks. The first is another meet up of  Male Trailing Spouses at Les Brasseurs pub in Nyon TONIGHT 10th May at 20:00 . Just turn up or email cnp at bluewin.ch for more info. See previous post here about these events.  Don't forget that "The Producers", the Mel Brooks Musical, begins its run this week at the Nyon Marens Theatre in Nyon! See previous post for more info. Talk by Commonwealth Secretary General On Monday 16th May the guest speaker at the BSCC (British Swiss Chamber of Commerce) will be Kamalesh Sharma the Commonwealth Secretary General - He will address the topic "Future Directions of the Commonwealth". This will be at Le Richemond  Hotel in Geneva 11:45 Aperitif 12:15 Luncheon.  Registration by Thursday 13th May 2011. For more info see the BSCC website. Here is some background information on the Commonwealth provided by the BSCC.  "The world’s largest and smallest, richest and poorest countries make up the Commonwealth and are home to two billion citizens of all faiths and ethnicities. Member countries span six continents and oceans. Its nearly 2 billion citizens account for about 30 per cent of the world's population and 25 per cent of international trade and investment. It is bound together by a shared history and by the English language, the world’s lingua franca. Here in Geneva, Commonwealth countries account for 40 per cent of WTO membership. Membership continues to grow.  The most recent members are Rwanda, admitted at the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, and Cameroon and Mozambique, the first countries to join with no historical or administrative association with another Commonwealth country. Beyond the ties of history, language and institutions, it is the association’s values which unite its members: democracy, freedom, peace, the rule of law and opportunity for all. Kamalesh Sharma, an Indian diplomat, became Commonwealth Secretary-General on 1 April 2008. Previously, he served as India’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom".  Want to know more ? See a video about the Commonwealth here. Welcome Day for Newcomers to this region Another event that may interest readers to be held on May 20th and organised by International Link  is a "Welcome Day".  The goal of the Welcome Day is to familiarise newcomers with this region and give them a first official introduction to their new environment. Various aspects,  politics, economy, culture and tourism in Vaud and Switzerland will be presented in the hope of helping them answer the question – how to deal with everything here?  It is an informal, friendly event at which people from different companies and cultures can interact and discover the best way to truly feel at home here. They will have the opportunity to ask questions about anything that concerns them and receive useful documentation. We will also present the advantages offered to expats through International Link , such as specific integration and career workshops. We will conclude by enjoying a buffet lunch together to taste Vaud seasonal specialties. Foreign individuals can attend the Welcome Day. To register, please send an e-mail to  internationallink@cvci.ch  with your contact details.  The fee for foreign individuals or participants from non-member companies is 200 CHF. WELCOME DAY PROGRAMME: 8h30-8h45            Welcoming 8h45-9h05            "Putting Switzerland on the map" presentation by Red Cut 9h05-9h40            Interactive Game 9h40-10h00          Presentation by the Lake Geneva Region Tourism Office 10h00-10h15        How to buy a House in Switzerland? presentation by Credit Suisse 10h15-11h00        Coffee Break and networking game 11h00-11h45        Living in Switzerland: Tips, Politics, Economy 11h45-12h00        International Link: What it is and how to use it 12h00-12h15        Questions & Answers 12h15-13h45        Buffet Lunch The event is free of charge if the company is a member of International Link or in the process of becoming one. Venue CVCI, Avenue d'Ouchy 47, Lausanne (Metro M2: stop at Jordils)  Brocante Sale On the 13th May 09:00 - 21:00 there will be a Brocante sale over in Gex at  L'Ancienne Ferme Brocante and Saturday 14th May 09:00 to 15:00.   Address  485 rue de l'Etraz, 01170 Gex, France. Bring a friend or partner to help select from an unusual range of antique and  brocante items; painted furniture from the Paintsmith and Phoenix greetings cards.  Leave the children to play in the garden and make time for coffee and cake. For further information contact Sian Sibley on 00 33 4 50 41 92 30 or email s.sibley@orange.fr   Park on the road and walk up the drive.

On Sunday there will be a guided tour of the Arboretum in Aubonne at 14:00 and the theme will be "Forests from the West coast of the U.S.A." The walk will be guided by M.Sylvain Meier (forester). Rendezvous at 13:45 at L'Arbe'space at the welcome centre of the Arboretum. Duration of walk two hours, wear sensible walking shoes! See website for more details. Also on Sunday at 17:00 there will be a classical concert at the Salle Cortot (Villa Thomas) at the Conservatoire on the lake side, performed by "Le Parnasse Francois". French classical music from the 17th and 18th centuries.

There are two amateur dramatic productions on the agenda for the month of May and both will be performed in this area.  The first is the musical comedy "The Producers" (music and lyrics by Mel Brooks).  This will be performed in English at the Nyon Marens theatre by The Geneva Amateur Operatic Society from the 13th to 21st May. On Friday 13 and Saturday 14 performances will be at 20:00, Sunday 15 May at 19:00, Thursday 19, Friday 20 and Saturday 21 at 20:00. Telephone bookings are now open on 022 341 51 90  from 10:30 -12:30 (Mon- Fri) or go to the GAOS website for more details. If you are new to the area, why not go along as these productions usually attract a big crowd and there's a bar at the theatre where you can mingle and meet other expatriates.   Here is a synopsis of the plot. Max Bialystock, Broadway show producer, has just staged another flop and is despondentdespondent. Along comes accountant Leo Bloom and, on musing with him, Max hits on the way back to fame and fortune: Stage a flop and run off with the money! Well, that's the plan. They choose what has to be the world's most tasteless play: "Springtime for Hitler". Max raises the money by cajoling his Little Old Lady groupies (aka: financial backers). With Leo as his assistant and the gorgeous sexy Ulla as their office help, Max holds auditions and hires the worst actors. Together, they appoint a truly hopeless director and the awful show opens! What could possibly go wrong? But horror of horrors, it's a HIT! Come and see what improbable happenings ensue with this loveable trio and their bunch of incredible friends. La  Belle et la Bête in Divonne The second production is  over the border in Divonne by and this will be the pantomime  "La Belle et la Bête"  which will be performed in "Franglais" on the 16th, 17th and 18th May at the Esplanade in Divonne  For tickets details go the theatrefranglais website

Happy Easter to all Living in Nyon readers! Here are just a selection of events coming up in the area in April and May. More events will be posted on here in the next few days. Included in this post are photos taken recently in and around the Nyon area and at last Sunday's Easter market. 29th April at the Usine a Gaz in Nyon The ADAC association will be presenting an evening of student's work. ADAC (academie of arts créatifs) is a non profit association and runs a series of workshops for students of all ages from 8 to 80!  Workshops include design, digital photography, modern dance, ceramic workshops, painting, drum, percussion and electrical guitar and courses are held at various venues right in the centre of Nyon. There will be more on ADAC  later on Living in Nyon, in the meantime why not go along to the evening to find out more or see their website. Many of the teachers on these workshops speak English.  See the Adac website here or watch the video at the end of this post  see examples of the student's work. Tulip festival in Morges The Tulip festival in Morges  is well under way now in the Parc de L'independance and with over 150,000 bulbs planted over and area of 30,000 m2 it's a sight worth seeing! See the Morges website for more details. Photo above: Courtesy Jardins en Fête  Jardins en Fête in Coppet Just a few miles in the other direction in Coppet on the 6th, 7th and 8th May the annual Jardins en Fête will take place in the ground of the lovely Château de Coppet (photo above). This Fête is open to all garden lovers, both amateur and professional.  For the third year running, gardeners can show off their skills by creating temporary gardens in the grounds in the Laurent Perrier competition. This year the theme for the competition will be "Jardins à croquer"  (roughly translated "a garden that you want to bite into and and want to eat!")  There is also a competition for flower arrangers which is open to amateur arrangers. The theme to this year's show is "Potagers" and the  potager of the Chateau of Prangins will be guest of honour at this fête as it has its own potager modelled on an 18th century design. The gardens will be open  on Friday 6th May 10:00-19:00  Saturday 7th 10:00- 18:00  Sunday  10:00- 18:00 Entry 12 CHF ( 9 CHF students, A.V.S etc )  See site for more details There will be over 100 exhibitors at this event and set in such a stunning setting makes for a lovely day out! Paléo tickets - Did you miss out on obtaining tickets for Paléo this year?  Here is the latest press release from Paléo on two opportunities to obtain tickets To fight against the black market for Paléo tickets, the Festival organises the traditional «bourse aux billets» on  the Paleo website  and this will be launched on 4 May at 12:00. This will make it possible for anybody to sell and or buy tickets safely and at a fair price.  Also, 1,500 tickets will be on sale each morning of the festival at 9:00 for the same night, on the Paléo website and through Ticketcorner outlets (no phone orders). No tickets will be sold on site Mobile clinic for bone density checks in Nyon. There will be a mobile clinic present in Nyon on the 2nd and 3rd May in Rue Juste Oliver 9, organised by the Osteoporosis Foundation (based in Nyon). The clinic will offer information and  free bone density checks amongst other things. See the website for more info  . Music Festival - "Giron des Musiques"  in Coppet May 13-15 th Big music festival from comedy shows to band music to traditional jazz  to grand parade throughout the town of Coppet  see full programme here British Swiss Chamber of Commerce (Geneva chapter) events coming up in May Monday 9th May 2011   A Great British Breakfast with Christa Markwalder, Conseillère Nationale (Berne) "Politics Meets Business" under the auspices of the BSCC's Public Affairs Commission "What are Switzerland's options in the politics of the EU?"  Registration & Buffet from 07.45 - 08.45, Hotel Bristol Wednesday 11th May 2011: Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham Kt. Business Ambassador at UK Trade & Investment; Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry (2000–06); Minister of State for U.K. Trade & Investment (2007–08). “The World is moving fast ..... where does that leave Europe?” 11.45 Apéritifs, 12.15 Lunch, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Monday 16th May 2011: Kamalesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretary-General “Future Directions of the Commonwealth” 11.45 Aperitifs, 12.15 Lunch, Le Richemond Thursday 19th May 2011: UK Permanent Mission Special Business Briefing The briefing will be hosted by Phil Tissot, UK Deputy Permanent Representative and will have two themes: An update on key WTO negotiations and how this might affect UK business and he Middle-East and Maghreb:Impact on the UK Mission's activities in Geneva. This event is free for BSCC Members and their guests. Tuesday 24th May 2011: Great British Breakfast with Ingrid Deltenre Director-General, European Broadcasting Union (EBU)  Registration & Buffet from 07.45 - 08.45 - Hotel Bristol For all BSCC events see their website Adac video (see first event on this page)

Photo above CNP : Painted eggs by Suzi Haidinger on sale at last Sunday's Easter market in Nyon. La Roulotte, the temporary café situated just behind Nyon railway station, is now open!  This café that is run out of an old railway carriage, is an informal and friendly place to have breakfast, lunch or an afterwork  drink.  At the moment the café is offering a menu for students - a meal and a soft drink for 10 CHF!  This year like last, there will be a series of events organised on site to entertain customers, from readings to musical and drama performances (last year there was a flamenco dancer to entertain the crowd!)  La Roulotte now has a website. Check it out to find out more about them and read what's on the menu! La Roulotte is open (weather permitting!)  Monday to Thursday 07:00 -21:00 Friday 07:00 -22:00 Saturday 09:00 -22:00 and Sunday 10:00- 20:00  Note: For busy parents that want to sit down for a break, there are toys at La Roulotte too!

In October 2010, Living in Nyon reader Celia Marsh  wrote about what it is like to live in Divonne in France , (just a few miles from Nyon).  Here is another article, also about living in on Divonne , but this time it comes from long time resident John Burley. John is a "Conseiller Municipal" in the town and here he writes about the activities of the local council, from decisions on whether to build a new primary school, to the state of Divonne's finances, to what to do with the area around the old railway station and how not everything in France is run from Paris.... Lettre d'un élu de Divonne-les Bains. The other day, I saw Celia Marsh's article about living in Divonne-les-Bains on this web site.  As a long-time resident of the station thermale and now Conseiller Municipal, it was a pleasure to read her words.  She got it completely right.  Divonne is a great place to live.  As long as Divonne preserves its wonderfully green environment, the result is there for all to see (and not least the 1000 frontaliers who quite rightly prefer to have the best of both worlds, a Swiss income and a French residence). So it was not difficult to accept the invitation to join Etienne Blanc's team for the municipal elections of 2008.  Fortunately, there are no national political considerations at play in communal deliberations.  The current Conseil Municipal in Divonne is pretty representative of the commune – we have " les vrai divonnais ", from families who have been here for several generations; some more recent arrivals in the area from elsewhere in France or from former French colonies; and les internationaux .  75 Nationalities living in the Commune There are over 75 nationalities living in the commune: eligibility for election to the Conseil Municipal is open to citizens of states members of the European Union, so in addition to the franco-francais, there are several Conseillers from other European countries.  I have British and French nationality.  Having decided to continue to live in Divonne after my retirement, I felt the slogan "no taxation without representation" was for me since I had to be able to vote if I was going to pay French taxes.  I am afraid the gendarme who interviewed me when I applied for French nationality did not appreciate the joke. The lake, the primary school, the tennis courts. Public service is in my genes.  Having spent almost all my professional life in the United Nations where we "think globally" most of the time, I was delighted to be offered the chance to "act locally".  Communal discussions and decisions do directly affect the lives of residents.  In the last few months we have been discussing in the Conseil Municipal: whether or not to build a new primary school to accommodate the requirements of the growing number of young families moving to Divonne (yes); how to develop the area around the beautiful lake so popular to so many people from Vaud, Geneva and the Pays de Gex (some answers: a new horse riding club and a new 4 star hotel); whether to install new tennis courts at the Divonne tennis club (yes); what to offer as cultural events at the much frequented Esplanade du Lac (a highly diversified and international programme); how to support a very active community of over 100 local associations (a new Maison des Associations ); what new shops and restaurants could best complement the incredibly popular Sunday market; and so on. From Street Dance to Brazilian music - A variety of events on offer for Divonne residents. Money is not the headache The biggest headache?  Surprisingly, this is not money.  As a member of the Commission des Finances , I can vouch that Divonne's finances are in good shape.  We have diversified our sources of revenue.  We are slowly but surely weaning ourselves away from financial dependency on the casino (the share of the casino is down from over 80% to less than 25%).  The tax base is solid, and tax-payers are better off in Divonne than elsewhere in the Pays de Gex.  The compensation franco-genevoise – French communes receive back a share of the income tax paid in Geneva by their resident frontaliers – grows each year.  The typical image of France is that everything is run from Paris.  In fact, local authorities in France have considerably more power over local finances than their British equivalents. What to do with the old railway station area? No, the biggest challenge facing Divonne is: what to do with the Quartier de la Gare?  This eyesore in the centre of Divonne has been left untouched for far too long.  There is broad agreement on many things – underground parking, a mixture of low-lying apartment buildings, shops, public services and open green spaces.  But the devil is in the detail: how much of each, how to get the right balance, how to safeguard the environment and what to do with the old railway station.  If all goes well, the plans should be finalized this year, whereupon the commune will launch an international competition for the best design.  Being directly involved in communal affairs is fun and worthwhile.  The Mayor, Etienne Blanc, likes to tease the English from time to time: I hope he doesn't mind the occasional répartie .   Sometimes the meetings become difficult and I get lost, primarily because the French love to talk at 500 words a minute, all at the same time and frequently on tangential issues.  But I am very impressed with the amount of time and effort people are prepared to put, bénévolement , into communal affairs My mother visited Divonne as a very young girl when on holiday in the Jura with her parents some 90 years ago.  According to her diary, she liked it.  Whilst there, she obviously picked up a hereditary disease called "divonnitis".    I hope her son passes the same bug to his children. John Burley, Conseiller Muncipal, Divonne-les-Bains John Burley, British by birth and French by marriage, has lived in Divonne for 23 years. He was educated at a Quaker school in England and at Cambridge University.  Trained as an economist and committed to public service, John spent several years working in Uganda before joining UNDP in New York in the early 1970's.  When he retired from the United Nations in 2004, he was a Director in UNCTAD.  He was invited to join Etienne Blanc's list "Divonne Ensemble" for the municipal elections in March 2008.  An independent member, John is active in several areas of communal life, including finance, economy, tourism and the development of the area around the Lake. He has two daughters and two granddaughters.

Photo above: A decorated Easter fountain of Nyon (from 2008). Go check out all the fountains that are decorated  around the town this year. This Sunday it's the annual Spring market in Nyon down by the lake side with local clubs and associations selling all manner of goods and artisanal products, including beautiful handpainted eggs. The Jamaican Association of Switzerland will also be there, selling rum punch and Jamaican food!  The market runs from 08:00 to 18:30 . Also this weekend, a reminder that there will be the one man comedy show  in English   - "Caveman" playing at the Funambule on Saturday 16 the April at 20:30 and on Sunday 17th  at 17:00. The Funambule theatre is situated next to the Beau Rivage Hotel in Nyon on the Quai des Alpes. Check out the Funambule website for more info and to buy or reserve tickets. English film at the cinema Also this weekend (and until the 19th April) at Nyon Capitole cinema, the film "Rabbit Hole" starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart will be screened daily in English at 20:15 (apart from Wednesday).

Visions du Réel ended its six day festival on Wednesday night with a closing ceremony at the Théâtre du Marens. Amongst the prizes awarded to films, the film  "Hula and Natan"  by Robby Elmaliah won the prize chosen by the "Jury of the young audience" and was one of those in the "top favourite five films" list of  Trish Thalman (see post here).    The film, " People I could have been and maybe am", won the prize  of the George Foundation and this film was  reviewed here on this site by Kathy Morf . The film  "A Still Jacket" (reviewed here), was given a special mention by Cinema Suisse Jury. The ceremony finished with the screening of the gloriously colourful film called "Gypsy Spirit" by Harri Stojka.  Photo above: Courtesy Visions du Réel: Michael Treves (from JMT film distribution) receiving the prize on behalf of  Robby Elmaliah, director of "Hula and Natan".   Here are some of the results of other prizes awarded for the full list see Visions du Réel site. The La Poste Suisse Grand Prix for best feature was awarded to " El Lugar Mas Pequeno " by Tatiana Huezo Sánchez, Mexico, for  "its evocation of the invisible presence of the horror of the recent civil war in Salvador, which also mangaed to avoid the traditional representations of  violence". This film also won the prize awarded by the Interreligious Jury for the best feature film. Above: A joyful Tatiana Huezo Sánchez receiving the top prize. Photo Courtesy Visions du Réel.  The La Poste Suisse Grand Prix for best director was awarded to Ikuisesti Sinun  by Mia Halme, Finland, for "the radical look at complex family relationships between children and their biological parents and their foster families". In the medium-length category, the two George Foundation Awards went to the best medium-length film " Ein Brief Aus Deutschland"  by Sebastian Mez, Germany, and to the best director in " People I could have been and Maybe Am"  by Boris Gerrets, Netherlands.. The Visions du Réel  Award for Best Short Film was awarded to " Anne Vliegt" by Catherine Van Campen, Netherlands. The City of Nyon's Audience  (A new prize) attributed to the section Etat d'Esprit  Swiss  Jarreth Merz to "An African Election"  showing the presidential elections in Ghana in 2008. For the full list of winning films see the Visions du Réel site. Facts about the festival : Despite the summer-like weather during the first five days of the festival. There was a "significant increase of 27% in weekly passes and the average attendance of 113 members of the public per session. The Doc Outlook-International Market (DOCM), which is a professional reference platform dedicated to documentary films, welcomed nearly 500 professionals this year (up 25% since 2009) who came to present their films and their projects, to make acquisitions, to  train, to meet and to exchange ideas.  Date's for your diary. Next year's  edition of Visions du Réel will take place from April 17 - 25 2012.

Patrick Chappatte, cartoonist in a scene from his own film "La Mort est Dans le Champ" Photo and images above and below: Courtesy Visions du Réel.  Nyon's film festival is now in its final day and tonight the winners of films that were entered into the different categories of competition, will be announced at the closing ceremony. There were hundreds of films on offer for festival goers, and reviewers Trish Thalman and Kathy Morf have done their bit to see quite a few of them. They have enjoyed many of the films but here is a summary of some of their favourites, plus a few from the Living in Nyon editor. It will be interesting to see if the jury's winning choice of films will be the same as those of the Living in Nyon writers.  All will be revealed tomorrow! Trish Thalman  Five Winning Films – My Choices This year, Visions du Réel provided a jam-packed, fanciful table laden with the most delicious ‘desserts’.  There was something for everyone, and far too many tasty choices to be able to get through in the six days. Of the fourteen films I had the happy opportunity to view, there are five that stand out for me. ‘Ivan and Ivana’ – a more than credible, colourful history of an immigrant couple to the US who believed in the ‘American Dream’. The story covers a period of 10 years in their lives: from blue-sky, golden beach, Porsche owning California Dreamin’ to the reality of how life gradually changes and becomes something other than ‘fast money’ in America. ‘Hula and Natan’ – a joyful, riotous story of two brothers, with very grimy, oily hands, who often sleep in the junked-out cars that appear to ‘grow’ in the dusty, full of weeds and rusted piles of metal field that is their ‘auto repair shop’ close to the Gaza – Israel border.  These men are more concerned with daily living, and selling used car batteries than with the incoming Hamas rockets that put them and their beloved, well cared for animals in harms way. ‘Edmund U Knezevac’ – a short film that gleefully tells the story of a transplanted, free spirited Swiss lawyer who left all things that annoyed him about and organised Switzerland, and moved his family to ‘another time’ in rural Serbia.  Unable to loose his Swiss sense of organisation, he has implemented an efficient program that greatly improved the standards of payment and collections for farmers and how they use their water supplies. The hilarious shots of Edmund trying to tame his headstrong horse are some of the finest moments of the film festival for me. The audience was howling with laughter, as was the intention.  Lighten Up! ‘The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975’ – a stunning and historical collection of Swedish media reports covering Black Power in the US, particularly in the San Francisco Bay area. Many of the film clips were never seen in the US, due to Government censorship during those tense times, just after the Civil Rights Bill was signed in 1963 and the turmoil of the US involvement in the Vietnam war.  I lived in San Francisco during those days, an altruistic, young adult, and was vividly reminded of the conflicts and unnecessary violence that went hand-in-hand with the Black Power movement and Anti-Vietnam protests that had more opportunity to thrive in liberal, activist San Francisco Bay Area than any other part of the US at that time. Eine Ruhige Jacke’ – A Still Jacket – this exquisitely beautiful, powerful film about a young man, entrapped in a furious life of autism, is the one that has touched me beyond a sense of my soul.  A young man who cannot speak, but understands every word said to him, is lovingly, and in the most practical sense, guided from the depth of his chaotic life and lack of communication with others, to successfully gain the ability to competently use a chainsaw  to cut logs in the Jura mountains. Perhaps it is a metaphor for sawing through the communication barriers of autism. I was overwhelmed with emotion by the sensitivity and profound depth of respect the filmmaker had for the young man and his autism. Kathy’s says on her film selection    The list of movies this year made it difficult for me to choose which ones to see. I’ve seen thirteen films since last Thursday and enjoyed most of them. It’s been a great time of discovery. There were so many different subjects, styles and origins. And with so many talented film directors it was a tough choice.  However my favourite three are  Phnom Penh Lullaby by Pawel Kloc, Poland,   Milk and Iron by Claudia Priscilla Goifman, Brazil,   Born under Z by Frédérique Pollet Rouyer, France/Belgium.  You can read Kathy's reviews of these fims on previous posts here on the site. As for the Living in Nyon editor's choice.   To be honest I don't think I have had as much luck in choosing films as Kathy and Trish. Quite a few of the films that I saw started off with great potential, but then let themselves down by the editing. Either they were too long and needed to be cut considerably or the construction of the film meant that it was difficult for the viewer to grasp what the subject matter was about. Having said that, the films that have left their mark for me are the following: "Rechokim"  by Adi Barash and Ruthie Shatz.   For the past fourteen years  Ibrahim and his family  worked as an informer for Israeli intelligence. Due to his dangerous situation as a traitor in the Palestinian authorities he was granted asylum with his family in a run down area of Tel Aviv. The film chronicles his life, and the difficulties he encounters, not only with the Israeli authorities but also with his family.  Although the film inevitably touches on the political situation in the area, the film is also about family, about parents trying to keep theirs together, about the angst of teenage children, about the simple joy of blowing out candles on a birthday cake, about surviving  under difficult circumstances and about the relationship between a husband and wife.   The official programme calls this film "A fascinating and tactful social analysis" . I agree.  "Max Kennedy and the American Dream" by Vikram Zutshi  is a strong film and another story about finding the American dream (as in "Ivan and Ivana" ) but from the pespepctive of Max an American living on the U.S/Mexican border and from the Mexicans trying to cross it illegally.   However the first film "Kampf der Köniningen" -  "The fight of the Cows" shown on the opening night ( see review here)  still remains one of my overall full length film favourites. There are also five short films for me that stood out amongst the rest.  The first two were in the "First Steps” category for young film makers.  “Pêle-Mêle” by Maelle Grand Bossi and ” A Father’s Prayer” by Andre Hörmann . Pêle Mêle is a second hand book store in Brussels and the film of the same name gives us a delightful portrayals of its patrons, one of them a loyal regular customer for over forty years, “I bought my first school books from here”. We first see him rooting around for books in the shop and then haggling over the price with the assistants. Then again later, back in his own elegant but crammed apartment, every single surface covered with books, barely an inch to move. Then there is the young man who scours the streets of Brussels for rubbish bags containing books and magazines. He sifts through them to take them to the store to sell on for a few euros. I want to visit this book store myself, not only to purchase books, but just to see these characters. A charming and well executed film. “A Father’s Prayer” by Andre Hörmann, is my second choice of the strong “First Steps” films although in the feedback, one of the tutors said he felt the subject matter was rather clichéd. A father training his teenage son to become a boxer to keep him on the straight and narrow, in a crime ridden area of the Chicago, maybe a familiar story, but it didn’t matter. From the opening deep rich timbre of the father’s voice; “As a coach I want to bring the mean side out of him, as a father I want to see him smile”, this intro led into a powerful and superbly moving portrait of a one parent family. This film is a wonderful mastery of sound and images. The father himself poetic in his statements; “What happens when one lobster climbs to the top of the pan? There are always other lobsters waiting to pull him down” referring to the crack houses and dens on their street tempting his son on every corner. The applause for this film was long and well deserved. Three other films worth a mention are " Twinset "by Amy Rose (review below), " La Mort est Dans le Champ" and "Monsieur M" by Laurent Cibien and Isabelle Berteletti. On this latter film, the documentary film makers discover a diary from 1968 in the cellar of a house in France after the has owner died. They chronicle the revolutionary years in France through this diary of a worker and map maker at the National Geographic Institute (he is also a confirmed bachelor living with his parents). A charming, at times funny, and fascinating film.  "La Mort est Dans le Champ" by Patrick Chappatte and Marco Dellamula is a  film made by the famous cartoonist Chappate (his cartoons are in the newspaers the International Herald Tribune and Le Temps). In the film he portrays the situation in the Lebanon where hundred of thousands of explosive devices are still left on the land for farmers to risk encountering them in their fields and for children find them in bushes and trees. The illustrator tells of this horrendous situation in this animated documentary. "Twinset"   by Amy Rose is set in the very English world of Women’s Guilds, of tea served in green melanine cups, of retired ladies with permed white hair, Wesleyan notice boards, and of rain.  The film features Jennifer, a transsexual living in a small seaside town in Essex and chronicles just a small part of her life, from the tetchy conversations with her mother about her transexuality (“body parts on their own don’t make the gender”) to whether she should be using the mens, ladies or disabled toilets when out in public. Despite the deepish and evidently masculine voice, Jennifer is ladylike in her actions. When she walks, skirts float and skim her slim hips. As she tries on different hats to complement an outfit, or listens politely to the amount of money raised at a charity guild event (£2.59), she has the mannerisms of a female. She is a good looking woman albeit with brighter clothes and more make up than the rest of the ladies. In the age of sketch shows featuring caricatures of such women, this film could easily have tipped the wrong way and turned Jennifer into a figure to be mocked. Fortunately the director manages to avoid this and cast a respectful eye on the character.

Here are two more film reviews written by Karhy Morf on films that have been shown at Visions du Réel over the festival. If you missed seing any of these films, all is not lost, quite often they are shown again either on Swiss television or at the cinema later on in the year, if this should happen Living in Nyon will alert readers in advance. Note: there are also some of the films already available in the festival "shop" which is in the Salle Communale over the festival period.    The Table with the Dogs (Kathakali) by Cédric Martinelli and Julien Touati - Learning a traditional Indian dance style Kathy says; “Ten years ago I saw my first Kathakali performance in southern India. The show was fascinating and like no other I had seen. This style of traditional dance-drama originated from Kerala in the seventeenth century. Dancing Bharatanatyam (south Indian classical dance) myself for four years in I can imagine the effort and hours that go into the training. I was surprised to see how well a foreigner was able to master the art in only a few years. After this movie you will understand that a good Kathakali dancer needs skill, immense concentration and physical stamina.” Testing your body limits French choreographer and dancer Julien Touati joins the PSV Nathyasangham School in Kottakal (Kerala) for three years. He is the only white student in a class of young Indian men. Students can join the school at age thirteen and usually become accomplished dancers fourteen years later. Many of the youngsters that enter this type of school dedicate their lives to dance. Training begins each day at 0:5:00a.m. The pupils begin by executing strenuous eye movements while they sit on woven mats on the cement floor. Then they smear oil on their bodies and cover themselves with a loincloth. One after the other they jump around the room like grasshoppers, doing stretches, arm movements, turning and twisting their bodies in all directions and running on the spot at breakneck speed. As they go through dance steps non-stop for hours sweat pours off their faces and bodies. Intricate mudras (hand gestures) are learnt tell a story on their own as well as a combination of eye and eyebrow movements. Their master joins in to show them what they have missed or still need to control. The teacher simply touches the students’ body to correct his position. The classes go on without much talking. The classes take place in a simple cement building. The rooms contain only the bare necessities. Wooden tables and benches are used to share a drink or meal. Some learn to play musical instruments. A young boy learns to sings, trying to follow the tone of his teacher. When a mistake is made the he is immediately corrected and made to begin again until it is perfect. Each dancer must be ready to learn, listen and give his best from dawn to sunset. He is required to be obedient and work as long as the instructor feels is necessary. Kathakali costumes are elaborate and prepared with care by skilled tailors. Each student takes at least an hour to do his make-up before a show. He paints his face, colours his eyes, puts on his jingles and the costume of the character he is going to represent. When the musicians are in place and the dancers are ready the show can begin. Kathy also saw "I was born on a spring day" – Road movie and discovering an absent father by Claudia Dessolis “The solitary road journey takes us from Geneva to Marseille. The viewer gets a glimpse of unknown landscapes along the way, meets individuals learns about their lives. It is also the story about the film director's absent father through a letter to his daughter. It takes some time to get used to the various different elements of the story. I enjoyed discovering the father through his letter and meeting the individuals on the road I often laughed at their stories. The movie also has you wondering what it means growing up with a father in jail.”  From Geneva to Marseille The film begins with a man’s voice, Claudia’s father, writing about his life from prison. He was born in Barbagia, Sardinia in 1942 in the interior mountain area of the impenetrable maquis (shrubland)which was also famous for its bandits and kidnappers. Many tried to conquer this region and after many efforts had no choice but to abandon it. Claudia had her bag stolen which held many important personal contents that she will never get back again, like a picture of her sitting on her father's lap. The trip stops to interview individuals that each have an interesting story to tell. The father's voice comes in pieces, fragmenting the film, and goes on with his story. She meets a variety of people on her journey from an elderly couple  that she speaks to through the closed gates of an old factory (she could not enter because of the presence of two guard dogs). The couple have lived there for the past twenty-three years to guard the factory which is located in the middle of nowhere. She then goes on to meet  a group of young people who sit  around and talk about why they don’t fit into the society anymore. A girl confides that she needs a lot of freedom and that her mother cannot offer enough. A man talks about eating a cat and how he made stew with it. It tasted exactly like rabbit stew.  A card reader shuffles the cards and lays them on the table. He reads Claudia’s fortune and tells her that she is beginning a new life with this movie and that it will never be the same again. She also meets a porno actor who freely explains what it is like having to perform well in front of the camera. He is scared with each film. Will he able to satisfy the woman and the film director? He does what the film director says. He enjoys what he does. These other individuals plus the children she meeets make this an interesting story.

Milk and Iron – Leite e Ferro by Claudia Priscilla Goifman  " Brilliant film" showing tonight. Motherhood in prison   Kathy’s seventh and last review at the Visions du Réel festival. “Milk and Iron” will be shown again tonight on 12th April at 20:00 at the Capitole 2 Cinema. This is a European premiere and Kathy says;"I highly recommend this movie.”  Kathy says, “The hall was packed, every single seat was occupied. After seeing the movie I understood why, it was brilliant. This is the story of a women’s prison in Sao Paolo, Brazil. I didn’t know they had special prisons for mother and child to be together for the first four months. Claudia, the film director had the idea of the movie when she became a mother herself. She wondered what it meant to be a mother under these circumstances. Four months with their baby We are taken into the world of early motherhood. This prison is different from other prisons: it is only for mothers and their newborn. Here they can spend the first four months very close to their child. The camera zooms into scenes where the mother dresses, sings, bathes and breastfeeds her baby. The proximity of the mother and child is beautiful. It gives the impression that no exterior element can change that. As the mothers snuggle and play with their babies they express their overflowing happiness. Drugs, Sex and Alcohol Luana, the oldest prisoner, has been in and out of jail many times and this is not her first child. She grew up on the streets, fending for herself when the family could not take care of her anymore. She was always naturally curious and easily went up to people. She began stealing little things to eat and later made friends with an older man who made her steal for him. She slipped into drugs and injected the poison into her veins when she was pregnant with her first child at thirteen. The others mothers listen to her endless stories and laugh, confessing their own experiences. Most of them had similar experiences: bad treatment from men, being infected by aids, drinking, selling drugs and surviving an overdose. Community and Religion There is a strong sense of community in the prison. The mothers are often seen sitting together sharing experiences, watching a movie or music video. They exchange advice, keep an eye on each other and give each other mutual help and companionship. The prisoners in turn clean their cells and the common hallways. Religion is also a strong part of their daily life. Luana and her friends are often seen praying or singing together. Prison routine Even though they are mothers they cannot leave the prison. Their uniform consists of a white t-shirt and yellow pant. Most of mothers are happy to have this protected time with their babies. One woman says it is better she spends her time here taking care of her newborn instead of living on the street selling drugs or stealing. Everything is available for the child: clothes, diapers, soap, baby carriage, and plastic bathtub. The rooms are colourfully decorated with pictures and drawings the mothers have made. Meals are delivered and distributed by the prisoners. The children are continuously being breastfed. Separation Each mother knows that these four special months are bound to end. They can give the baby to be cared for by a family member or friend once the time if up. If the family or friend does not show up on the given day the baby will be immediately be handed over to an institution or filed for adoption. The mothers will then be transferred to their former prison to finish their sentence before they can be united with their child again.  Film in Portuguese, Subtitles in English and French

Trish Thalman reviews the "Le Prince et Son Image"  directed by Hugues Le Paige. This was shown at Visions du Réel at the weekend. If you missed any of these films that are being reviewed, all is not lost, quite often they are shown again either on television or at the cinema later on in the year and Living in Nyon will alert readers in advance if this should happen. “One is only alone when facing death”- These are the words of Francois Mitterand after the Socialists lost the 1993 Legislative Election. Mitterand’s power was in decline, and he was ill (though only a few knew of his illness). From 1987 until 1993, Hugues Le Paige, was one of the few journalists allowed into Mitterand’s, ‘Inner Circle’ of journalists and photographers who had exclusive access to him, based on the quality of their work and earned trust of the President. This insightful film is a collection of poignant, intimate, at times lively, open and warm, but mostly serious, clips of quality and importance from La Paige’s personal library of film and interviews he made with Mitterand during the waning years of his Presidency. The film opens with a large, summer garden party at the Elysée Palace, circa 1981, with Mitterand the center of attention, his favourite spot. Everything is going the way he planned it, with his coterie of journalists and photographers following along. What we learn at the very beginning is that Mitterand, with his power and responsibilities, spent a great amount of time and energy controlling his own image with everyone for everyone.  For Le Paige, the major dilemma after being told personally by Mitterand (the exact moment is shown in the film) that he would be one of the favoured journalists in the ‘Inner-Circle’, was “how could I tell the truth and keep my freedom”. Mitterand stages a spontaneous, ‘ordinary man’ outing, as part of the image. He walks alone, unnoticed on the streets of Paris, and ‘pops in’ to a local bookstore that is selling his recently published book of letters, which he proclaimed that he had “not seen”. In fact, he co-edited and controlled every word that went into the book. Le Paige gets a hurried call to come along and film Mitterand’s sortie into the public realm. The bookstore owner recognises him and shakes his hand. Nobody else looks at him. The sequence is filmed from outside the bookstore, looking into the shop through golden-lit windows. He appears to be any other customer in his flat-cap and elegant camelhair coat looking at a book about Francois Mitterand. A traditional ‘staged’ and filmed event that Mitterand would do every year was to walk up to the summit of a high hill in the Burgundy region along with his ‘chosen’ guests. Mitterand jokes around and also makes comments contrary to most things that the others say. They remain silent. He wears perfectly pressed, egg/shell white corduroy trousers and polished hiking boots, and berates a couple of others for wearing tennis shoes for hiking. The setting, his outfit and ‘designed casualness’ is there for all to see. At the end of the film we see Mitterand saying ‘goodbye and thank you’ to his loyal party members after the ’93 election loss. Hugues is again asked to shoot from the hallway into the room (door open) where Mitterand is meeting with his people. He is strategically standing near the window with natural backlighting, while he is shaking hands and chatting to colleagues, along with a younger Bernard Kouchner and Segoline Royale. The grainy, telephoto shots give a lasting impression of the loneliness and fading power of the man, politically and physically, still in the belief that he is in control, at least of his image.