international – The Cultural Exposé

Running in style: the Beats By Dre Powerbeats 2 Wireless earphones

Matilda — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 09:13:21 +0000

Last night I went to Tobacco Dock to join runners from across London (and in fact, the world) for the very first Beats 1 Run, a casual 5k taking place in four cities at the same time, powered by a live Beats 1 Radio show – salute Samantha Ronson! – and a complimentary set of the Beats By Dre Powerbeats 2 Wireless earphones. You can imagine, I was pretty delighted – and not only because I’ve needed wireless headphones for the absolute longest and these bad boys delivered on quality and style last night. It was the fact that my earphones came in lime green and gray, perfectly matching my Karrimor RP14 running pack I’ll be using religiously next month when I start training for Tokyo Marathon. Did I mention I got a ballot place? The race is on 28th February, which means winter training, which means I’ll need all sorts of motivation, including matchy-matchy running gear. So thanks Beats By Dre!

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What we’ve been up to… Hoi Polloi

Lucy Palmer — Tue, 27 May 2014 10:00:14 +0000

Hotel restaurants rarely get much recognition, as so often they’re not at the front of your mind when you’re looking for a restaurant to go to. But with great food and a relaxed atmosphere, Hoi Polloi, which describes itself as a modernist brasserie should be viewed on its own merits. Part of the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch, I visited on a weekend for brunch. With an American heritage (Ace Hotels are renown stateside) I had high expectations for a good breakfast. We started with Bloody Marys which could have been better; I like mine with a kick but the amount of kick in ours was far too much. They made up for it with the coffee though and my poached eggs were cooked well.

The menu is refreshingly affordable and varied with something for everyone – and there’s a Nordic slant to dishes that matches the décor of the restaurant; all very clean and simple. At the weekend, you’ll also get to enjoy a string quartet which also adds to the soothing mood. The menu offers more than merely just breakfast though, with afternoon tea, lunch and dinner all on offer making it a welcome addition to the Shoreditch restaurant scene. (Words: Lucy Palmer)

For more info, visit: www.hoi-polloi.co.uk

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Something you should see… Go Hard or Go Home at the Rag Factory

The Cultural Exposé — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 10:05:32 +0000

For the past few weeks, Banksy has attempted to woo the good people of New York by unveiling exclusive works around the city. Tourists and fans have been loving the residency (dubbed Better Out than In) – but the NYPD and Major Michael Bloomberg? Not so much. They shut him down on Wednesday, reminding us that for all his fame and fortune, Banksy – along with his many successors – could easily be arrested for continuing to take the law into their own hands. But that’s precisely why we have such an affection for these rebels with a cause: by choosing the streets as their gallery, those unsanctioned works (as divisive as they might be) have made a significant contribution to the cultural conversation over the last 50s years, redefining the concept of fine art and the audiences who now pursue it. But what’s even more impressive is that they’ve gone beyond their own borders to make a statement on an international scale, and it’s this fact that’s celebrated in the forthcoming Go Hard or Go Home exhibition at the Rag Factory.

Pure Evil

Featuring a mix of established and new players, this show pays homage to this genre of contemporary art as well as the people who’ve proudly eschewed traditional art routes, coming from backgrounds such as rave, film, design, fashion and of course, graffiti. The 11 artists involved were picked by J Patrick Boyle, a Bristolian artist and curator – and he’s included infamous names such as Pure Evil, Sick Boy and Sweet Toof while you’ll get to see some of the exciting work from our favourite picks Coby Walsh, an illustrator from London and South Africa’s Nicci van P. There’s no question that these new works will be bold, innovative and further evidence of the appeal of urban art – so like a good Banksy, catch them if you can.

Go Hard or Go Home runs from October 31st to November 4th. For more info, visit: www.gohardorgohome.info

Cept

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Something you should see… Sanja Iveković: Unknown Heroine at the South London Gallery

Eri Otite — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:00:55 +0000

The first UK exhibition by Croatian artist Sanja Iveković presents work across a range of media to address the themes of gender, consumerism and politics. Whilst well-known in art circles – having shown at exhibitions such as the Venice Biennale and Documenta – Iveković is yet to make her presence really felt here in Blighty with a solo show, so, it’s perhaps timely that following on from a major retrospective at MoMA New York, a survey of her work is now taking place on these shores.

The work of Iveković – who came of age in Yugoslavia and lives and works in Croatia – has been produced against a backdrop of political unrest. In Triangle (1979), she employs both performance and photography to document her political activism as she performs a deliberate provocative act. Elsewhere, reappropriated glossy magazine ads confront current injustices against women or pay homage to forgotten political heroines. Media representations of femininity are also explored, exposing the clichéd notions of beauty in both video Make Up, Make Down (1978) and collage Double Life (1975-76).

Unlike many of her contemporaries, Iveković never left for the West during Yugoslavia’s political upheavals yet her work is relevant to a wider international audience – so here’s an opportunity to get to know her better. (Words: Eri Otite)

Sanja Iveković: Unknown Heroine is showing at the South London Gallery and Calvert 22 until February 24, 2013. For more info, visit www.southlondongallery.org or www.calvert22.org

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Somewhere you should go… 20th French Film Festival UK

Apostolos Kostoulas — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 11:00:37 +0000

It was 1992 when a small film festival first appeared in two Scottish cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow celebrating the rich cinematic tradition of our Gallic neighbours. Fast forward to 2012, and the French Film Festival is now one of the UK’s most enduring and exciting film festivals. Major cities across the UK such as Manchester, Bristol and London are now participating in this fête that showcases the best offerings of francophone cinema’s past, present and future – and for its twentieth anniversary, the FFF has assembled a typically eclectic list of films that will undoubtedly entertain cineastes of all ages.

Opening this year’s festival with the latest cinematic adventures of Astérix and Obélix,was undoubtedly a crowd-pleasing choice. Uderzo and Goscinny’s comic characters are much loved by generations of readers who grew up with the stories about the little Gallic village that resisted the roman occupation and the previous four film adaptations were all box-office hits. Add to this the exciting premise behind the title of the new entry in the franchise – Astérix and Obélix: God Save Britannia – and the intriguing casting of legendary actress Catherine Deneuve in the role of the Queen of England and you have a definite winner.

Ducoboo is also based on a popular comic series whose titular character is an eleven-year-old dunce who finds inventive ways to cheat during school exams but always gets caught in the end. For the definite capture of children’s mischiefs however, look no further than War of the Buttons, the latest film adaptation of the classic novel by Louis Pergaud about two rival kid gangs in a little village of post-war France who cut off the buttons from the clothes of their adversaries and keep them as combat trophies.
Various films in this year’s FFF reminds us French cinema’s knack for producing delightful and sophisticated romantic films. Happiness Never Comes Alone (pictured) offers the winning combo of the sublime beauty of Sophie Marceau and the timeless soulful melodies of classic Motown hits, while Paris- Manhattan is a love letter to the genius of Woody Allen. A hopelessly romantic pharmacist is obsessed with the works and general philosophy of the New York auteur and much like the typical Woody character, she is unlucky in love. As for My Worst Nightmare, the names behind and in front of the camera (the film is directed by Anne Fontaine, responsible for BAFTA-nominated Coco Before Chanel, and stars Isabelle Huppert, winner of two Best Actress awards at Cannes) should be enough to attract every cinephile’s interest.
Mathieu Kassovitz, whose uncompromising film La Haine still lingers in the mind of everyone who’s seen it, returns with Rebellion that tackles another controversial subject, the 1988 Ouvéa cave hostage taking incident. Elsewhere, the fest sees The Minister, another gripping political thriller. Having won 2 Cesar awards (for Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor) as well as the 2011 FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes, it should make for essential viewing.

The FFF not only highlights the extremely healthy and exciting state of contemporary French cinema but also reminds us about its glorious past. The whimsical universe of Jacques Demy is celebrated with the screening of five of his most beautiful films (the academy award nominated musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is his most famous work but Bay of Angels is arguably his finest masterpiece). Then there are two bonafide classics that you do not see often on the big screens: Georges Franju’s atmospheric horror film Eyes Without a Face and René Clément’s extremely touching Forbidden Games. Finally, there is Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon, the 1902 film that is regarded by many as the first ever science fiction film and whose use of state-of-the-art effects paved the way for all those Hollywood’s special effect-heavy blockbusters like Star Wars and Avatar – another example of how something small can grow up into something huge. (Words: Apostolos Kostoulas)
The 20th French Film Festival UK runs until December 2nd 2012 in various cities across the UK. For more information go to www.frenchfilmfestival.org.uk/FFF2012

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Somewhere you should go… the Russian Film Festival

The Cultural Exposé — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:00:14 +0000

The Russian Film Festival has returned to venues across London for the sixth year running. Through original and perceptive features and politically charged documentaries, the festival champions the creativity, imagination and vision of the most established Russian directors as well as a new generation of emerging filmmakers.

This season’s international film festivals, which also include Film Africa (previewed here) and the London Korean Film Festival, are programmed to reflect the native contemporary experiences of their compatriots in a Western setting where they might be devalued or misunderstood. The Russian fest, in a feature programme selected by Andrei Plakhov, calls upon the past, present and future to broadly explore the diversity and paradoxes of modern Russia. Till Night Do Us Part, which opened the festival, is a comedy-of-manners based on real-life conversations overhead at an opulent Moscow restaurant. Pavel Lungin, the winner of the Best Director prize at Cannes in 1990, will also premiere his new film, The Conductor, a musical parable about a man who takes the oratorio St Matthew Passion to Jerusalem, and who undergoes a pilgrimage himself.
Documentarian Vitaly Mansky, who attempts to grasp 100 years of television history in 100 minutes in his own Iconoscope, curates the non-fiction section. Notable selections include: Winter, Go Away!, a two month project from 10 Russian film school graduates chronicling the winter protests that preceded the recent re-election of Vladimir Putin, and Anton Is Right Here, critic-turned-director Lyubov Arkus’s poignant and effective documentary about autism.

The festival is organised by Academia Rossica and the Russian Cinema Fund in collaboration with the Apollo Cinema Piccadilly and the Institute of Contemporary Art. As well as Q&A’s, discussions, and masterclasses with world-renowned directors, actors and producers, the festival will also host the Russian-British Co-Production and Distribution Forum, organised with the British Film Institute and the Russian Cinema Fund, and a retrospective of Andrei Konchalovsky. All films will be shown in Russian with English subtitles. (Words: Chris Fennell)

For more info, visit: www.academia-rossica.org/en/film/russian-film-festival/6-russian-film-festival

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A guide to the 56th BFI London Film Festival

Apostolos Kostoulas — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 10:00:03 +0000

If you take a quick look at this year’s programme, you will see that it has undergone some significant changes – it’s only 12 days long (instead of its usual 16 days duration) and the French Revolution section is no more – but there is no reason to panic. The shorter duration of the festival is more than compensated for by the increase in the number of the relevant venues. In addition to the Leicester Square cinemas and the BFI Southbank, now for the first time, festival screenings are taking place at some of our favourite independent cinemas, from the Renoir in Bloomsbury to the Ritzy in Brixton. As for the festival’s sections, new categories have been introduced with titles such as love, laugh, debate and thrill, making it much easier for the public to navigate through the festival’s ever-eclectic selection of more than 200 films. If you need any additional help though, here is a timetable of what we believe will be the festival’s highlights:

DAY 1, Wednesday October 10th

Keeping in line with the general spirit of renovation, the festival kick starts with the European Premiere of Frankenweenie that finds Tim Burton expanding on his 1984 live-action short film of the same name. With a story that focuses on the attempts of a little boy to bring his beloved dog Sparky back from the dead, the film promises to be a return to form for the director who seemed to have lost something of his wonderfully gloomy touch with his recent offerings. The film will be screened simultaneously at 19:00 at the Odeon Leicester Square and at the IMAX where the public will be able to fully enjoy this gloriously crafted, stop-motion 3D animation.

DAY 2, Thursday October 11th

Cinema has an unparalleled power to transfer you to places (geographical or emotional ones) that are far away from your ordinary life. A fascinating case in point is Wadjda (15:30 VUE 7), the debut feature of female director Haifaa Al Mansour. It offers us a unique glimpse into everyday life in a country where cinemas have been banned for over 30 years, through the story of a little girl who challenges the traditions of the Saudi society in the capital city of Riyadh. Laurence Anyways (18:00 VUE 7) has an equally exciting premise, examining through an impressive visual style how the unexpected decision of Laurence (the wonderful Melvil Poupaud) to make the transition from male to female affects his relationship with his long term girlfriend. If your heart has not yet been broken to pieces by this exquisite melodrama then have a go at the gala screening of Amour (20:45 Mayfair 1). The recent Palm d’Or winner tells the story of Georges and Anne, a loving couple who are both in their 80s. When Anne suffers a stroke that leaves her partly paralysed and speechless they both try to cope with this new challenge, never losing their love for each other. Featuring incredible performances by the legendary actors Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva, Amour is the first film in the oeuvre of Michael Haneke that will engage both your mind and your heart.

DAY 3, Friday October 12th

Takashi Miike’s For Love’s Sake (12:00 NFT1) may have the word love in its title but as we have come to expect from this eccentric director, it is certainly not soppy. With his frenetic visual style, Miike offers an explosive mix of violence, romance and music galore with the characters singing and dancing to vintage Japanese pop songs. Gimme the Loot (18:15 VUE 7) will offer the perfect antidote to Miike’s delirium. The debut feature of Adam Leon follows the adventures of two Bronx kids, Malcolm and Sofia determined to make a mark on the city by tagging the famous NY Mets home-run apple. This subtle gentle little tale with a big heart earned the Grand Jury Prize at the South by Southwest festival and is a bonafide crowd pleaser. As far as heart-warming experiences go though, it will be really difficult to find a more sensational film released this year than Beasts of the Southern Wild (20:30 OWE 2). It blends the escapist power of fantasy with the harsh reality of life at a remote southern delta community – and with a performance from five- year – old actress Quvenzhané Wallis that has to be seen to be believed, the film has easily gained the glowing acclaim of both the public and the critics, receiving major awards at both Sundance and Cannes.

DAY 4, Saturday October 13th

Continuing with films that have been praised at some of the biggest film festivals in the world, The Hunt (18:30 OWE 1), which has been hailed as a return to form for Danish director Thomas Vinterberg deals with the taboo subject of paedophilia (a much –loved kindergarden teacher is accused by a young girl in his class of sexually abusing her) with the same raw emotional ferocity and complexity that made his debut Festen a difficult but essential viewing experience. Jacques Audiard on the other hand, has never put a foot wrong and his latest film Rust and Bone (20:30 OWE 2) is an excellent example of how a film with a paraplegic main character (Marion Cotillard in a strong performance) can offer genuine emotions without succumbing to sentimentality.

DAY 5, Sunday October 14th

The We and the I (15:00 VUE 5), the latest film from Michel Gondry, presents to us the hopes and dreams of a number of students at a Bronx high school on the last day of term, in his usual utterly charming way. Moving from hope to nightmare, the documentary Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (18:15 NFT 1) explores the controversial issue of paedophilia in the Catholic Church using as a starting point the shocking accusations against the Catholic priest Lawrence C Murphy of molesting as many as 200 boys for more than 25 years at St John’s School for the Deaf in St Francis Wisconsin. The Oscar –winning filmmaker Alex Gibney wil discuss this film and his overall career in what will surely be a fascinating screen talk on Tuesday 16 at 18:15 at NFT 2.

DAY 6, Monday October 15th

As its title suggests Love, Marilyn (12:30 OWE 2) is an affecting homage to the legendary Hollywood actress by the Academy Award nominated director Liz Garbus who has collected an impressive array of home movies and photographs of Monroe. But perhaps more intriguingly, she has also filmed a diverse range of contemporary Hollywood stars and starlets from Ellen Burstyn to Lindsay Lohan doing performative readings of extracts from the recently published Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters by Marilyn. Stanley Kubrick may have never received the same amount of worship as Marilyn – but his undisputed genius and the air of mysticism that surrounded him throughout his life has earned him a significant cult following and has made him the subject of a continuing growing number of intense debates and well thought essays. Room 237 (14:00 ICA) tries to uncover the hidden meanings and mystic codes within one of the great filmmaker’s most celebrated works The Shining. That it manages to do so with an engaging combination of wit and intellect makes this documentary an unexpected delight.

DAY 7, Tuesday October 16th

Death of a Man in the Balkans (14:00 ICA) brings a much needed breath of fresh air into the tired found film footage premise. Shot in only nine takes, this highly inventive Serbian film is presented via a webcam that was set up by a lonely composer just before committing suicide. As we watch a great set of characters, from the neighbours to the undertaker, entering a flat after they have heard gunshots, we become witnesses of not just a perfect example of black comedy but also of a sharp critic of the absurd reality we live in. Hyde Park on Hudson (18:45 Empire) may not share an equally inventive visual style but it is directed by the always dependable Roger Michell (The Mother) and besides, the chance to watch Bill Murray in the role of American president Franklin D Roosevelt is worth the admission fee alone. And now for something completely different. A Liar’s Autobiography (21:00 Empire) is a lovely animated tribute to the late Graham Chapman filled with the Pythons’ legendary bonkers style and the best film that Chapman has been in after he died.

DAY 8, Wednesday October 17th

There are many things to enjoy in the Sundance sensation The Sessions (12:30 VUE 5). John Hawkes and Helen Hunt both give extremely moving performances in this story about a 38-year old paraplegic who wants to lose his virginity and his sexual surrogate who helps him with his endeavour. The film’s strongest merit however is the wonderfully written script by writer-director Ben Lewis, based on a true story, which walks the thin line between comedy and drama, despair and hope, with enviable ease. Argo (19:00 OLS) makes another strong case in support of the notion that reality is often far more exciting than fiction. The incredible true story of a CIA ‘exfiltration’ specialist who, during the Iranian revolution, came up with the imaginative plan to go to Tehran pretending to be a producer of a sci-fi movie scouting for location, is helmed by Ben Affleck, who has made an astonishing transition from a mediocre actor to a well-respected director.

DAY 9, Thursday October 18th

In his latest film, Everyday (15:00 OWE 2), the renowned and impressively productive British director, Michael Winterbottom captures the effects that the imprisonment of a man for drug smuggling has on his hard-working wife and their four children over the course of five years with an acutely observational style, a perfect accompaniment to the deceptively simple script. That said, simplicity is one of the few qualities that you would not associate with The Rolling Stones. The legendary band has been writing rock history for 50 years now and Crossfire Hurricane, which will have its world premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square at 19:00 promises to be the definite documentary about the Stones and a fitting celebration of the group’s anniversary.

DAY 10, Friday October 19th

Why not start your afternoon with an emotional punch in your guts courtesy of Craig Zobel’s much talked about Compliance (15:00 OWE 2)? Based on true facts, the film is about a prank call that gradually breaks every moral code known to men. Then, get some much wanted comic relief by watching Seven Psychopaths (18:00 OWE 2) Martin Mc Donagh’s highly anticipated follow up to the cult masterpiece In Bruges. It offers another endlessly witty script and a cast to die for (Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken). Then finish your day in style with the world premiere of the restored version of Alfred Hitchcock’s classy silent melodrama The Manxman (20:30 Empire) that will bring the BFI’s grand scale project “The Genius of Hitchcock” to a glamorous end.

DAY 11, Saturday October 20th

Slavoj Žižek is finally back. After six years, the sui generis Slovenian philosopher and cultural critic returns to the big screen with The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology (18:00 OWE 2). Be prepared to see popular films, from The Sound of Music to The Dark Knight, from a completely different perspective and give it your best shot to refrain yourself from bursting into laughter. Another welcome return is that of Ben Wheatley (Down Terrace, Kill List). Sightseers (21:00 OWE 2) follows the romantic trip of two lovers that soon becomes a murder spree. The bloodshed that prevails in Wheatley’s previous efforts is still very much present but for the first time romance is thrown into the mix. The final result should be really interesting.

DAY 12, Wednesday October 21st

What a great way to start the last day of the festival by watching (or re-watching) Robert Aldrich’s cult classic What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (15:00 Hackney) and marvel at the Grand Guignol fight to the death between decaying divas Joan Crawford and Bette Davies who blur the line between performance and reality. Compared to these highly deranged characters, Miss Havisham is an exemplary human being who just does not cope so well with rejection. Still Miss Havisham remains one of Dickens’ most fascinating creations and she is definitely a perfect match for the perennial gloomy Helena Bonham Carter. She is surrounded by equally aspiring choices of actors (Ralph Fiennes in the role of Magwitch, Jason Flemyng as Joe) that make this latest adaptation of Great Expectations (19:00 OLS) by Mike Newell not just a must-watch film but a fitting melancholic choice to close this year’s festival. (Words: Apostolos Kostoulas)

The 56th BFI London Film Festival takes place from 10-21 October. Tickets go on sale September 24th, but for more info about the programme go to www.bfi.org.uk/lff

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Something you should see… The Forgiveness of Blood

The Cultural Exposé — Tue, 29 May 2012 10:00:18 +0000

The Forgiveness of Blood is about revenge, tradition, pride and blood feuds- yes, actual blood feuds- and contrary to what you’re probably thinking, no it isn’t set in the middle ages, but rather in present day Albania. The story follows Nik and Rudina, a brother and sister whose lives are transformed by an escalating land dispute between their father and a neighbour.

When their father is accused of murder, Nik’s life becomes forfeit under the rules of the Kanun, a centuries old code which in modern-day, northern Albania is considered above the law. Nik is forced to live under a kind of house arrest and risks being shot in revenge for his father’s crime if he wanders outside. Meanwhile, Rudina has to leave school and take over her father’s business to support the family; a task which she flourishes at.

Director Joshua Marston excels at conveying Nik’s frustration and you’re left to wonder what he will risk in order to take his life back from the hands of the stubborn, proud men who took it from him – and it’s that sort of drama that makes this worth watching. (Words: Beth Downey)

Out June 1st.

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Somewhere You Should Go… World Stages

Lucy Palmer — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:00:25 +0000

Later this month, World Stages London – a unique season of international theatre – will be looking to bring together the melting pot of London’s cultures with the capital’s renowned theatre scene. Each show celebrates the diversity of London and its rich history, drawing inspiration from all over the globe including the UK, India, China, France, South Africa, Germany, Estonia, Brazil, Cuba, Nigeria, the Middle East and the US.

Taking place from April onwards, in conjunction with the best theatres including the Battersea Arts Centre, Bush Theatre and the Young Vic, this will also reinforce the diversity of the festival. Shows I’m particularly excited to see include the Wah! Wah! Girls featuring the Mujra dancers and is a mixture of dance sequences and romance, set in the modern British-Asian community , as well as Babel, created to be shown outside in the gorgeous Caledonian Park, Islington.

And for those interested in the background of theatre, there are public talks such as ‘Never Waste A Good Crisis – the pleasures of collaboration’, which will give you a chance to hear how the directors coordinated and conducted World Stages. There’s also ‘As Everyday As Breathing? Translating across cultures’ covering the impact of translating across cultures and ‘Live and Digital – digital technology and international performance’. For a technology lover like me, I’ll be going to this one as it looks at how technology influences live performances and the ways theatre can incorporate modern devices into their shows. But to find out more of what’s in store, visit www.worldstageslondon.com. (Words: Lucy Palmer)

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Something you should do… learn Russian

The Cultural Exposé — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:00:19 +0000

We may not want the Euro, but as a member of the EU, the UK and its citizens should have a good mind to get hip to some of the other creative languages within the Union, like Russian – especially as they’ll be hosting the World Cup in 2018. But how much do you think you could learn in an hour? When first presented with the task, I hoped I’d just about manage to struggle through the Cyrillic alphabet – that is, until I met my teacher.

Ignaty Dyakov is the founder and director of ‘Russian in London’, a language boutique that specialises in intensive learning for all proficiencies. Classes never number more than five students at a time and last approximately one hour; in fact, Ignaty is adamant that his clients learn better in a one-on-one environment. And it’s true; with Ignaty’s instruction, I not only grasped the pronunciation of 21 consonants, 10 vowels and a number of useful words, but also successfully transposed the Cyrillic version of my name (which is ФЛОРА БЭЙКЕР, if you’re interested).

Ignaty’s students study for a variety of reasons. For many, it’s for business purposes, either with native Russians or within the country itself, while others require extra tuition for university, or purely have an interest in the language, like me. Ignaty focuses his students with additional weekly emails or phonecalls so they can practice their writing or speaking skills. He feels that if Russian remains a primary focus for the student, then there’s a greater chance of steady improvement – and it’s a testament to his teaching style that one client, a British expat, chooses to learn Russian online at the school, despite currently living in Moscow!

Russian is an extremely creative language, where the speaker is able to structure sentences and exchange words depending on their personal feelings. For example, knowing how my name should sound in English means I choose the corresponding Cyrillic sounds, instead of the ‘correct’ spelling. This means a word is written exactly how you, specifically, want it to be read.

Ok, so it still makes my head go a bit fuzzy, but the concept is certainly fascinating, and after a single hour of learning Russian I’m even more set on visiting the country. If you’d like to have a go at learning Russian, visit www.russianinlondon.com for more info. (Words: Flora Baker)

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