Allan Stratton's Blog, page 2
June 14, 2010
VIETNAM: BUDDHA AND BURNINGS
So... we finally made it to Nha Trang.
Nha Trang is noted for its beautiful beaches, its diving, the picturesque fishing villages surrounding it, and as the birthplace of Thich Quang Guc (English spelling inaccurate due to Vietnamese alphabet), a Buddhist monk who burned himself alivein protest of the policies of the Diem regime. A major Buddhist shrine has been erected in his memory. You call read all about the appalling Diem here -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngo_Dinh... -- an American u...
June 10, 2010
VIETNAM: THE ROAD TO NHA TRANG
Well... cast your mind back a couple of weeks -- before the Cannes and Venice excitement -- and wake up in Dalat, Vietnam's Niagara Falls without the falls. We've just been to a Buddhist monastery -- where fortunately we were able to escape our idiot guide who strolled around in his preppy scarf, texting all and sundry. And now we're headed to Nha Trang and have stopped at a Buddhist cemetery on account of road construction. Driving on, I asked the snoozing guide if Vietnam had any problems...
June 7, 2010
VIETNAM: LOTUS BLOSSOMS AND OTHER FLOWERS
Just off the plane from Venice and I'm kinda exhausted. So another lazy blog. Just photos. But hey, they're of lotus (loti?) in Vietnam, plus gorgeous red peppers and other amazingly beautiful flowers. I only have an old Cannon so try and imagine what these would look like if I actually had a camera. :)
Next post, I promise I'll tell you all about Cannes and the premiere of LIFE ABOVE ALL, adapted from my novel CHANDA'S SECRETS. And then my side trip to Venice to research my next book. then ba...
June 3, 2010
VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA: SNEAK PEEKS
I've been over my head getting back to work after Cannes, Nice and Venice, so forgive today's lazy post. Here are random sneak peeks of upcoming places and people to get us back into the swing of the travelogue of Vietnam and Cambodia . (You can see Saigon and Dalat in previous posts. :))
Below, variously, are sample shots from Nha Trang, Hoi An, Halong Bay and Siem Reep -- with much much more to follow in future posts. (Hanoi, Hue, Elephant Mountain, Cloudy Mountain and Danang are absent from...
May 31, 2010
LIFE ABOVE ALL (CHANDA'S SECRETS): OFFICIAL PRODUCTION STILLS
Well, a lazy post today. Here are official production stills from LIFE ABOVE ALL, based on my novel CHANDA'S SECRETS. If you're interested in seeing the reviews or trailer, or shots from Cannes, just scroll back a few posts! :)
Tomorrow I promise to return to our tour of Vietnam and Cambodia which got interrupted what with all the excitement of last week. After that, a tour of Nice and Venice!
May 27, 2010
PIX FROM CANNES!
Well I'm back from Cannes via Nice and Venice and am still on a cloud. Here's some pix of my time there, including the red carpet, the onstage bow, the standing ovation, pandemonium outside, meeting Roger Ebert, and our young star putting everything in perspective! (For newcomers, this is about the premiere of LIFE, ABOVE ALL, the film adaptation of my nobel CHANDA'S SECRETS published by Annick Press.)
First I gotta say that Cannes is pretty chic. (Although these shots don't quite capture how ...
May 23, 2010
LIFE, ABOVE ALL WINS THE PRESTIGIOUS PRIX FRANCOIS CHALAIS!
SA movie scoops coveted Cannes award
Nadia Neophytou
"The local movie Life Above All scooped a prestigious award at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday night.
"The film created a buzz at the event earlier this week when it received a 10 minute standing ovation following its premiere.
The buzz around the film is still growing. The film was awarded with the esteemed Prix Francois Chalais Award.
"Producer Greig Buckle said: "[The award is:] about the film that reflects the world we live in at the mom...
May 20, 2010
WATCH THE TRAILER FOR 'LIFE ABOVE ALL'
Watch the trailer for LIFE ABOVE ALL on the Cannes Film Festival's official website HERE!
TEN MINUTE STANDING OVATION FOLLOWING 'LIFE ABOVE ALL' SCREENING AT CANNES!
LIFE ABOVE ALL, the film adaptation of my novel CHANDA'S SECRETS, has received a ten minute standing ovation and a rave from Roger Ebert!
Roger Ebert's Blog: Of emotion and its absence
The Daily Maverick: Applause, emotion and Life Above All
From CBC News: Canadian filmmakers bask in the warm glow of Cannes
The Globe & Mail: 'This could have been a big Canadian film at Cannes'
Miss N-tertainment: Life Above All in Cannes
National Post: How a Canadian's book on HIV made it to the Cannes filmfest
S...
May 17, 2010
CHICAGO: MAYOR DALEY'S BOOK CLUB
Sorry to take time away from the Vietnam/Cambodia tour, but hey, I've had kind of a busy weekend I thought you'd like to know about -- namely a trip to Chicago and then off to Cannes!
First off, I flew down to Chicago, Friday -- like you couldn't tell from the photo of The Bean -- where I was put up at the Marriott Hotel to be keynote speaker to 1,500 fans of my novel CHANDA'S WARS. It was on Mayor Daley's Book Club that goes all across the Chicago school board -- the third largest in America....
