Shukriya, Amitabh Bachchan! (Celebrating 100 Years of Indian Cinema at River to River. Florence Indian Film Festival)

Big B. certainly is getting around! At the Marrakech Film Festival, he was introduced by none other than Catherine Deneuve, one of my first cinema idols:

Gibt es dieses “BOOK” auch mit einem deutschen Betriebssystem?

Bollywood and beyond: Looking Back at the 9th Indian Film Festival Stuttgart

Festival regular / Stammgast des Festivals (Photo: ©Peter Jebsen)

The festival formerly known as “Bollywood and beyond” was highly enjoyable this year (July 18-22, 2012): After several years at the impersonal SI-Centrum, the 9th edition of the Indian Film Festival Stuttgart finally returned to the great Metropol cinema in central Stuttgart. Some of the festival highlights happened at the 5 Bar * Restaurant * Lounge * Club next door – including the impromptu a cappella singing of Tannishtha Chatterjee (“Brick Lane” / “Shadows of Time”) at the opening party (around 1 am).

R.I.P., Whitney Houston!

It really saddens me to hear that Whitney Houston, one of the best pop/soul singers of all time (IMHO), has passed away at age 48. During my time as a music journalist, I only met her once (for an interview at Arista Records’ office in New York City). She was 19 at the time and had just recorded a song which, to me, still is one of the greatest performances she ever did: “Memories” on Material’s “One Down” album, featuring Archie Shepp on saxophone.

From Ganges to Arno: 11th River to River. Florence Indian Film Festival

Since 2005, my final (and favourite) film festival of the year has been River to River. Florence Indian Film Festival in beautiful Florence/Italy. It is the first international festival entirely devoted to films from and about India – a labour of love of director Selvaggia Velo who mainly selects non-Bollywood movies: independent films, shorts and documentaries. I’m looking forward to the 11th edition starting tomorrow (Friday, December 2, 2011).

Festival director Selvaggia Velo and
actor Rahul Bose in 2010

The Most Frightening Horror Movie Ever (A Facebook-less World!!!)

R.I.P., Andy Rooney (Bill Gates Basher)!

Shocking Photo Document! Police Harassment at Notting Hill Carnival 2011!

Shocking Photo Document! Police Harassment at Notting Hill Carnival 2011!, originally uploaded by pjebsen.

“30 Rock”‘s All-Star Benefit: “We Are the World, We Are the Kidney!”

I just finished watching “30 Rock“‘s third season – which has one of the most amazing finales ever, featuring Elvis Costello, Mary J. Blige, Clay Aiken, Sheryl Crow, Adam Levine, Adam Horovitz, Mike D, Sara Bareilles, Wyclef Jean, Norah Jones, Talib Kweli, Michael McDonald, Rhett Miller, Steve Earle, Moby, Robert Randolph, Rachael Yamagata and Cyndi Lauper who are performing the song “He Needs a Kidney”:

Onion News Network: “Social Security Reform Bill Encourages Americans To Live Faster, Die Younger”

Ein Lösung auch für Deutschlands Finanzprobleme?

The “Grab Life by the Balls” bill:
* Subsidies to reduce costs of cigarettes in half
* Helmets outlawed
* Anything legal if snorted
* All doors removed from public buses