No more champagne and the fireworks are through … The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 wrap-up

(courtesy Eurovision.tv (c) Corinne Cumming) We have a winner! Switzerland’s non-binary identifying Nemo took the top prize this year with his empowering song “The Code” in a contest that was, unfortunately, marked as much by controversy as inspiring moments. Nemo romped away with the jury votes with a clear majority Continue Reading

#Eurovision cultural festival 2024 book review: Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius

(courtesy Bloomsbury Publishing) Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius (translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles)is that most universal and yet achingly specific kind of novel. At once a coming-of-age tale of one young Sámi woman battling to find in place in a world that holds obstacles and antagonism within and without, sometimes violently so, she Continue Reading

#Eurovision cultural festival 2024 streaming review: Love & Anarchy (Kärlek & anarki) S1

(courtesy IMDb (c) Netflix) Ah but it’s a good and glorious thing to have your expectations thoroughly and robustly thwarted! Especially when it comes to a TV/streaming show such as Love & Anarchy (Kärlek & anarki), a Swedish series which presents itself in its whimsically light and frothy trailer as Continue Reading

#Eurovision cultural festival 2024 movie review: Thank You, I’m Sorry (Tack och förlåt)

(courtesy IMDb (c) Netflix) If you have ever struggled to find a way to describe how grief feels in all its complexity and lostness, then you likely should embrace and adopt one pivotal line in Thank You, I’m Sorry (Tack och förlåt) where a character observes something along the lines Continue Reading

Road to Eurovision 2024: Week 7 – The Big 6 – France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, UK (Grand final)

What is the Eurovision Song Contest?Started way back in 1956 as a way of drawing a fractured Europe back together with the healing power of music, the Eurovision Song Contest, or Concours Eurovision de la Chanson – the contest is telecast in both English and French – is open to Continue Reading

Road to Eurovision 2024: Week 6 – Malta, Netherlands, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland (Semi final 2, part 3) + Eurovision stage revealed!

What is the Eurovision Song Contest?Started way back in 1956 as a way of drawing a fractured Europe back together with the healing power of music, the Eurovision Song Contest, or Concours Eurovision de la Chanson – the contest is telecast in both English and French – is open to Continue Reading

Nobody wins solo: The glitzy travails of trying to prove yourself in #Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

SNAPSHOTEurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga focuses on Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdottir, two struggling Icelandic musicians who join the contest. Joining Will Ferrell (Elf, Blades of Glory) and Rachel McAdams (The Notebook, Game Night) are Pierce Brosnan (Mrs. Doubtfire, Mamma Mia!) as Erick Erickssong, Dan Stevens (Beauty Continue Reading

Eurovision Song Contest magic strikes again … Listen to “Volcano Man” from Will Ferrell’s “The Story of Fire Saga”

SNAPSHOTEurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is an upcoming American comedy film directed by David Dobkin, written by Andrew Steele and Will Ferrell and starring Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan, Dan Stevens and Demi Lovato. The film follows Icelandic singers Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdottir as they are Continue Reading