Front Row - Nowhere Special, Art and ecology with George Monbiot and Ruth Maclennan, "Mid-list" novelist Chris Paling
Uberto Pasolini made his name in the film industry as a producer with the international success of his film - The Full Monty. He’s continued to produce but in recent years he’s also turned his hand to writing and directing. As the third film that he’s helmed in this way, Nowhere Special, is released in cinemas, he talks to Samira about why he felt the true story of a father with a terminal illness looking for a new family for his four year old, was the foundation for a film he wanted to create himself.
From Chaucer, heralding spring in his Canterbury Tales, to Hockney's digital landscapes artists have always celebrated the rich variety of Britain's flora and fauna. Art about nature is crucial to our culture. But last month the House of Commons Environment Audit Committee reported that 'of the G7 countries, the UK has the lowest level of biodiversity remaining.' Front Row investigates this anomaly with George Monbiot, who tomorrow will be streaming Rivercide, a live documentary about the terrible state of our rivers, and artist Ruth Maclennan, whose project Treeline explores the point where forests begin, end and what this reveals. What, they discuss, is the role of art in the environmental crisis?
We're exploring issues in contemporary publishing each night this week on Front Row. Yesterday we talked about the gender split in who is getting published now. Tonight Chris Paling talks about his new book A Very Nice Rejection Letter, which tracks the trials and tribulations of the mid-list novelist from selling screenplays to writing alongside the day job. He tells Samira about the realities of life as a writer and we consider the question: can writers actually make a living today?
Presenter: Samira Ahmed
Producer: Hilary Dunn
Published on Tuesday, 13th July 2021.
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