Sundance Film Festival

The biggest annual festival of independent films.

For the first time, it was held in September 1978, under the name of Utah/Us Film Festival, and was ment to attract as many artists as possible to Utah.

One of the factors which led the to development of this festiwal is a a commitment of Robert Retford, whose name managed to attract the attention of a huge number of people.

The largest independent film festival in the United States. It comprises competitive sections for American and international dramatic and documentary film, both feature films and short films and a group of out-of-competition sections, including NEXT, New Frontier, Spotlight, Midnight, Premieres and Documentary Premieres. 

History of Sundance Film Festival in brief: 

•  It was founded by Sterling Van Wagene, John Earle, and Cirina Hampton Catania. 

•  The goal of the festival was to showcase  American-made films, highlight the potential of independent film, and to increase visibility for filmmaking in Utah.

• The main focus of the event was to conduct a competition for independent American films.

•  In 1979, Sterling Van Wagenen left to head up the first-year pilot program of what was to become the Sundance Institute.

• More than 60 films were screened at the festival that year, and panels featured many well-known Hollywood filmmakers. 

• Several factors increased the growth of Utah/US Film Festival - the involvement of actor and Utah resident Robert Redford, the common hunger for more venues that would celebrate American-made films.

• In 1981, the festival moved to Park City, Utah, and changed the dates from September to January. 

TASK: find out what the Sundance Institute is and write about its main goals. 

Assassinations Of African-American Activists

Assassinations Of African-American Activists

United States of America is a country which „unity” never was and still is not an easy and straightforward matter. Even our first associations with this country are mainly about varied society in different states. This is obviously connected with different origins of Americans which are most visible because of the skin colors. The constant fight between white and black people stems from an early stage of development of the USA and propagation of slavery.

However, the fight for blacks’ rights started to be really violent in the 50s and 60s so in the times of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King. The African-American civil rights movement became a serious threat for Parliament. Race problem is so significant that whenever it is mentioned on the greatest scale - someone gets killed. It is not only in case of ordinary people but also politicians from the highest position. What is more, it is not limited to this period, when we notice that also Abraham Lincoln was shot because of his actions on abolishing the slavery. People always are silenced by an assassin and get shot. It is both really tragic and ironic how the issue is dealt with since shooting away anyone who causes problems seems to be in the range of possibilities. However the case of Malcolm Little, or Malcolm X as he preferred to be called, was of the highest significance because his death was more or less caused by his comment on John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the US president’s  assassination. 

Spike Lee’s film titled “Malcolm X” is a really detailed biography of Malcolm. It contains all of the most important events, and we see all different changes of values he undergoes. It ends with a really dramatic scene of his death. The one held responsible for the attack in the ballroom was Thomas Hagan, whose real name was Talmadge Hayer. He hit Malcolm 7 times using a shotgun. The film was based on Malcolm’s autobiography so it is based on the most believable source. For obvious reasons he had not wrote about his death but predicted it since several times before someone threatened him and once, shortly before his death at a rally of his followers in a ballroom in Washington Heights, someone attacked his home. He felt that people who wanted him dead were from Black Muslims Organization, which he left shortly before. They fell apart mainly because of his comment on the assassination of President Kennedy. He called it a case of ``chickens coming home to roost'' and an outgrowth of violence that whites had used against Negroes. He was suspended by Elijah Muhammad and then started his own movement but still remained loyal to his beliefs which were more than critical towards white people. It is really difficult to judge him based on Spike Lee’s adaptation. His character is really complex. However it is quite hard not to notice the irony between him and JFK. Malcolm X died from black man hands. In the end viewers get the impression that somehow his hatred and arrogance was punished.

On the other hand, Martin Luther King’s beliefs and actions were totally different. His life was portrayed in a quite recent movie “Selma” directed by Avay DuVernay. In this movie we get a totally different type of activist – the passive resistance type. The impression we get of King is that he was the one who really inspired all African-Americans to unite and march from Selma to protest against oppression. When it comes to his death it is not presented, but only mentioned about at the end. King was shot in a more private occasion, while he was in a Lorraine Motel in Memphis with his associates. The assassin used a sniper rifle and because of that he was hard to capture at first. Really interesting thing is that the police arrived at the crime scene without being called for. He murderer was caught later on – it was James Earl Ray. Just like Malcom, King received numerous threats against his life. His situation was, however, quite different since his attitude was far less aggressive, he even was able to recruit white people who openly helped his cause. Unfortunately, they were killed too, like for example Viola Luizzo who was eliminated by Ku Klux Klan. The number of assassination attempts followed her case.

Two cases have something in common, but also differs significantly. Both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were fighting for their rights, and they both were considered to be a huge danger for the authorities. They were observed and wiretapped almost all the time. Another, not so significant, similarity would be the fact that they died at the exact same age – 39. However, their deaths had somehow different impact on the society. When Malcolm X shared his fears of being killed, he was laughed off as a publicity act. When he died people were thinking mainly about how aggressive he was. On the other hand, King became a national hero, and it is his statue that Barack Obama have on his desk. Such thing was unimaginable back in King’s times.

Many people died for the cause of freedom. From perspective of today it seems that such sacrifice was almost necessary because it really got the movements publicity it deserved in the first place. We are not able to guess how would the things go down if both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were alive. The one thing we can obviously say – people who were responsible for the deaths of these iconic figures had lost their fight because of the killings.

1. Write an essay:

Compare situation of black people of America then and now. Try to explain the roots of the problem and present examples of racial discrimination in the US. Try to answer the question if the situation have changed, and if yes - explain how.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1) "American civil rights movement". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.

Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2016. Web. 13 sty. 2016

<http://www.britannica.com/event/American-civil-rights-movement>.

2) Malcolm X. Dir. Spike Lee. Prod. Spike Lee. By Spike Lee and Arnold Perl. Perf. Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, and Al Freeman. Warner Bros., 1992. DVD.

3) Peter Kihss. "How Race Is Lived In America." Editorial. The New York Times 22 Feb. 1965: n. pag. Malcom X Shot to Death at Rally Here. Web.

4) ‘’Death of a desperado’’ Newsweek, March 8, 1965, Copyright @ 1965, Newsweek.Inc.

<http://europe.newsweek.com/death-desperado-malcolm-x-was-assassinated-50-years-ago-today-308253?rm=eu>

5) Selma. Dir. Avay DuVernay. Screenplay by Paul Webb. Perf. David Oyelowo and Tom Wilkinson. Celador Films, 2014. DVD.

6) Berman, Elizabeth. "The Photograph That Captured the Horror of MLK’s Assassination." TIME Magazine. Time Inc., 3 Apr. 2015. Web. 13 Jan. 2016. <http://time.com/3749091/mlk-assassination-photograph/>.

7) Caldwell, Earl. "Martin Luther King Is Slain in Memphis; A White Is Suspected; Johnson Urges Calm." The New York Times (1968): n. pag. Web.

8) "Viola Liuzzo." Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Jan. 2016 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

9) Bartlett, Karen. "Why Malcolm X Is Getting Written Out of History." Newsweek. N.p., 20 Feb. 2015. Web. 13 Jan. 2016. <http://europe.newsweek.com/i-worry-my-father-being-written-out-history-307941?rm=eu>.

Must-See Places in America

GRAND CANYON

Measuring approximately 277 miles in length, up to 18 miles in width and a mile deep, this massive chasm in northern Arizona is truly a natural wonder. For six million years, the Grand Canyon has expanded with the help of the Colorado River, and for centuries, people from all over the globe have traveled to see it (around 4.5 million per year).

MAUI

For many Hawaii vacationers, Maui is just right — offering a taste of just about everything the Aloha State has to offer, from impressive wildlife to intriguing history and culture. While on a visit here, you can shimmy alongside professional hula dancers, golf along coastal fairways, snorkel alongside five different types of sea turtles or simply lounge along some of Hawaii's most notable beaches.

YELLOWSTONE

With dramatic peaks and pristine lakes, Yellowstone is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise. Multicolored pools swirl around hot springs; verdant forests weave past expansive meadows; and volatile geysers launch streams of steaming water toward the sky. Nowadays, there's no doubt that the park is indeed extraordinary. While you walk through the park's 3,000-plus square miles of mountains, canyons, geysers and waterfalls, be prepared to share the trails with permanent residents like buffalo, elk and sometimes even grizzlies.

YOSEMITE

One of California's most beautiful natural landscapes, Yosemite National Park features nearly 1,200 square miles of sheer awe: towering waterfalls, millennia-old Sequoia trees, daunting cliff faces and some of the most unique rock formations in the United States. But despite its enormous size, most of the tourist activity takes place within a 7-square-mile area of Yosemite Valley. Even inexperienced hikers can enjoy Yosemite: Guided tours and climbing lessons are available from local adventure outfitters. Just don't expect to experience it by yourself. Like so many other American tourist destinations, crowds are the biggest obstacles to an enjoyable Yosemite vacation – at least 4 million people visit each year.

SAN FRANCISCO

A jumbled collage of colorful neighborhoods and beautiful views, San Francisco draws those free-spirited types who have an eye for edgy art, a taste for imaginative cuisine and a zeal for adventure. It's really not surprising that songwriter Tony Bennett left his heart here: The city boasts jaw-dropping sights, world-class cuisine, cozy cafes and plenty of booming nightlife venues — there's no shortage of ways to stay busy here. Spend an hour or two sunning yourself alongside sea lions on the bay, admiring the views of the city from Twin Peaks, or strolling along the Marina.

NEW YORK CITY

Cool, cosmopolitan, crowded, constantly evolving … the Big Apple blends big-city splendor with small-town charm. Amid Gotham's iconic landmarks and towering skyscrapers, you'll experience a vibrant culture permeating each of the city's distinctive neighborhoods and boroughs. Follow trendsetters to the East Village and Brooklyn to check out indie boutiques, iconic bakeries and trendy coffee shops. Afterward, peruse the racks of the sleek shops lining Fifth Avenue, admire the cutting-edge art collections at the MoMa and the Met, catch a memorable show on Broadway or sit down for a meal at the latest "it" restaurant.

1. Choose one place where you would really want to go.

2. In groups: make a poster, present fun activities, facts about that place.

3. Present it.

American Culture from the American point of view

On our first year of studies we had a pleasure to meet Eric, American guy who came to Poland as an exchange student. Eric lives in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania and I think that the perspective of someone born in the U.S.A. would shed a light on our image of American culture. Some questions I asked him are losely connected but not in the form of an interview, so please read the whole and check if something actually changes your views.


Izabella: Hi Eric, I'm really glad you agreed to contribute to our blog. ;) As a representative of a group of Polish students learning the British English, culture and literature I feel that our perspective can be somehow distorted. You've got some experience in the international dialogue (please excuse me my British English :D), you've travelled a lot, met a lot of people and of course - had lived for some time in Poland. What do you think is the biggest misconception of America that young people in Europe have and what stereotypes had you been a victim of?

Eric: The biggest stereotype about Americans is that they are arrogant and only care about the USA.
People are constantly surprised when i know anything about places outside the USA. The truth however is that Americans love to think about other countries but many of them don't go on vacation to other countries and thus don't know geography very well.

Izabella: While being in Poland for about a year (please correct me if I'm wrong) have you clearly seen some influences of American culture on Polish customs or traditions? What trends you observed to be present among people that you met and which of them were misinterpreted? Was coming to Poland some kind of a culture shock for you?

Eric: Halloween is an obvious answear and an easy topic. I feel that it's more of a party thing in Poland. In the USA there are parties, but most important is the children and families that go around for candy. Many older people simply don't celebrate Halloween if they are not children or don't have children at the same time. Americans don't usually dress up to be scary that much, they dress up as anything that they think looks cool or sexy. Polish/Europeans seem to dress up as scary things more often, like zombies and demons etc.

Izabella: We can regard the U.S.A. as a multicultural society and the union of 50 in a way different states, what do you think unites American people and make American culture unique? 

Eric: Sometimes it's hard to talk about a unified American culture because as you said, the US is so diverse but in general Americans culture loves underdog heroes. It encourages people to be outgoing, but not as outgoing as people in America. Success is valued and though a lot of people complain about it, the American Dream of being able to do whatever you want or making a lot of money is still very important to people. Americans are very independent people and distrust authority a lot. Most of them hate big government, though many of them paradoxically want a small government that gives them lots of stuff.

Izabella: Last but not least, most of our group has never been to the U.S., what direction would you recommend to see the quintessence of the American culture? Maybe some kind of cultural capital or a short "must-see in the U.S.A."?

Eric: I guess that depends. Do you want to experience America of the past? Go to Philadelphia, the old capital, you will find a lot of history. Or to Boston, the most important city during the revolution. These are great cities with great history. Do you want to see modern urban Americans? Go to DC, NY, or San Francisco. All of those places are full of big universities, American culture and stylish young people. If you don't want that, you can get a culture experience of New England by going to Hartford, Connecticut. The Southern experience by travelling to Richmond, Atlanta, Miami, or New Orleans. The Midwest by travelling to Chicago or Detroit (dont go to Detroit, it's very dangerous, so is Chicago, but a little bit less). And the West, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Sacramento, or Portland, Oregon. I hope that answers your questions.

Izabella: It does! Thank you very much, Eric!

When Eric saw that "mini-picnic-grill" at our BBQ Party, he probably began to miss his country even more. (source: private archives)

TASKS:

1. Indicate few differences between Polish (or your own depending on where you're from :)) and American culture, which of them may be just stereotypes?

2. What questions would you like to ask your American friend? Elaborate on that topic.

The Illuminati

A secret society that rules the world or just a conspiracy theory?

The internet is full of various conspiracy theories about the Illuminati. But who are they? They seem to be a mysterious group that is seeking for a "New World Order" and they mean to impose totalitarian world government. It is rumoured that not just politicians, religious leaders and influential people belong to this organization, but also celebrities, pop stars, actors and so on. Furhermore, want to wash our brains by using media...

Rihanna in her music video for 'S&M' - "Princess of the Illuminati"

Originally, the organization was founded by Adam Weishaupt in Bavaria in 18th century. He criticised the Church a lot and based his secret society on Freemasons with some hierarchy rules and mysterious rituals. Members of it reflected enlightened ideas and were well-educated. However, in 1780s there was a crackdown on secret organizations. Despite that, it is very likely that they have survived.

There are various ideas or theories on what do they want to achieve. However, it is not even known whether they truly exist.Whatismore, probably we will never realize.

TASK:

Watch the analysis of Katy Perry's videoclip and list all the symbols. Make sure you remember and know them all so you will be immune to their power.

How to make a Christmas Card. Step 3. Other decorative elements & American inspiration.

We can make a card with only lettering and ribbon, but we can also add other decorative elements. I’m not going to impose exact way of doing it. Just try to get inspired by examples of the most loved American Christmas Cards!

1. FAMILY

Make your card more personal, and draw your family on it! Also look on beautiful frames that are present on those pictures. Most common for the most American households is to make a photo and print it out as a Christmas card. But if you don’t want to do this, you can do simple drawings.

2. REMEMBER ABOUT OTHER RELIGIONS

Also, we have to remember that not all people celebrate Christmas or they do it in different way than we do.

3. ADD SOME AMERICAN ELEMENTS





4. INTERRACIAL CARDS
 
 
 

The biggest sales of the year

BLACK FRIDAY

~celebrated since 1952

The day after Thanksgiving is undoubtedly the biggest festival in a year for those who love shopping and want to grab some great bargains. It is also an unofficiall start of holiday shopping season. Almost all stores provide incredible sales for which people stand in line hours before opening.  Every store has something that interests every one. 

 
Is Black Friday considered to be a National Holiday?  

No, Black Friday is not a National Holiday in the USA. Most places are open, although some financial institutions might be closed in due to allow their employees for a long weekend off.  

• Decide what is the most important and absolutely needed in advance, because you may not be able to cover all the stores.  
  

• If it is possible have a group of people, but everyone going to a different store - this way, each person may buy something for everyone else.  

•  Simple, but useful - do not park the car in the parking car of the store with sales. Leave it nearby and this way you will save time and avoid big queue of people coming in and out. 

• Shop online. It is probably the most comfortable way of shopping during Black Friday, because most stores have cheaper items avaliable online as well. But remember - servers may be overloaded.  

  

 Everything seems great, but we must remember that a fight for items is extremely bitter! 

 Black Friday is considered to be not only the most cost-efficient, but also the most dangerous time for shopping.

 

TASK: Find out what kinds of accidents happen the most often during Black Friday and try to figure out how to avoid them. 

The history of Grunge music

An unseparable element of the present American culture and a well-known subgenre of rock music is undeniably Grunge. Understood not only as a genre but also a regularly returning current in fashion and tendency influencing artists of various kinds, grunge, emerged during the middle 1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in Seattle.

WHERE?

We can imagine that often gloomy and rainy atmosphere of Washington favored the creation of heavy or rather melancholic sounds of guitars. It is often gloomier than on the photo above, I assure you. That is also why the name "grunge" was created - artists were somehow inspired by the dirty streets of the grey Seattle.

WHEN?

            Literally grunge means grime or dirt but the term was first used to describe music in 1981 by Mark Arm to describe his band Mr. Epp and the Calculations. The grunge movement is best known for its distorted guitars, apathetic lyrics, long hair or flannel shirts. Grunge music is often credited with popularizing punk rock. Grunge is indeed heavily influenced by punk music, both musically and in its aesthetics and ethos, but the isolation of the Pacific Northwest allowed a genre to flourish away from the influences of the typical American cultural centers as Los Angeles or New York City.

the Melvins and the most recognizable member of the band - Buzz Osborne

After releasing Seminal Gluey Porch Treatments album in 1987, the Melvins would become one of the founding fathers of what eventually became known as "grunge" - a new, mutant form of punk rock that absorbed heavy metal as well as seventies hard rock bands such as Kiss and Aerosmith. Their sound contributed to the Seattle music, which had previously been dominated by art-rock bands.

I believe 99% of you will recognize this cover.

WHO?

In 1991, Nirvana released Nevermind, an album that would go on to become one of the 1990’s biggest and most influential records. To a then homeless Kurt Cobain, the massive exposure of grunge to the mainstream would be a dizzy few years. In fact, the grunge explosion that occurred following the record’s release really put Seattle on the musical map.

However, Nirvana was far from the forerunners of grunge. In fact, it was almost a decade earlier that the term “grunge” came into use, years before Nirvana was a band. The four Northwest bands that eventually came to define grunge on the larger, more successful stage were Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. These four bands regarded as "the big 4 of Seattle" as well as few others dominated the world of rock for a next few years. 

Pearl Jam with Eddie Vedder as the vocalist

If you're not a huge fan of rock music, you don't have to listen to it but I'd like to give you a sample of how my favourite 3 Grunge bands sound like: (and yep, I've chosen rather bearable and calm type of samples ;))

Pearl Jam - Garden

Nirvana - Where did you sleep last night?

Alice in Chains - Brother (MTV Unplugged)

Unplugged types of concert (meaning acoustic, producing sound not through electronic means) were (and still are) common among Grunge bands. I have posted an example above, showcased by MTV in 1996 unplugged concert of one of the representatives of grunge - Alice in Chains with amazing Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell on vocal.

IS GRUNGE DEAD?

Unfortunately the golden age of Grunge passed with the death of remarkable individuals as Kurt Cobain from Nirvana or Layne Staley from Alice in Chains, but it really does not mean that Grunge is dead. Lifestyle of such artist shouldn't be promoted though, it is often associated with drugs and alcohol but for sure their music can be listened to and praised without such stimulants. Grunge is still alive in hearts of people listening to it and other artists bearing the legacy of the precursors mentioned above and trying to create their own input into the history of Grunge. Of course bands as Pearl Jam or Soundgarden (or other projects of Chris Cornell) are still functioning, however after such vivid epoch of rock music as the 80's and 90's, they are no longer regarded as the quintessence of Grunge.




READING COMPREHENSION TASKS:

1. How do the literal meaning of the word grunge correspond to the features of that type of music?
2. What does the author understand as the "golden age of Grunge music"?
3. What is the "Unplugged" type of concert?
4. What are the 3 main features of Grunge music? Try to use your own words.
4. Find the information about your favourite genre of music and answer the questions: Where? When? and Who?

Weights and measures in the United States of America

America is one of the three countries that has not adopted International System of Units. Despite many efforts made by politicians and scientists the idea of changing Metrical System did not work out.

Let's focus on differences between length, weight and temperature in USA and the rest of the World.

LENGTH

1 mm = 0.03937 inches

1 cm = 0.3937 inches

1 m = 3.281 feet / 1.094 yards

1 km =  0.6214 miles

WEIGHT

1 gr = 0.03527 ounces

1 kg =  35.27 ounces / 2.205 pounds

1 t = 1.102 tons

TEMPERATURE

-17.78 Celsius =0 Fahrenheit

0 Celsius = 32 Fahrenheit

10 Celsius = 50 Fahrenheit

100 Celsius = 212 Fahrenheit

Check if you can do this!

20 Celsius = ?

50 gr = ?

7 kg = ?

5 km = ?

7 cm = ?