Watch…..Amour (2012) Michael Haneke is one of my favourite directors. In this film he is directing his camera and focus to a very unfashionable subject in the celebyouth film market; getting old and getting ill. Anne and Georges are in their 80s and live an enviable lifestyle,it seems, both are musicians and Anne has been responsible for training the latest and greatest pianists. They live in Paris in a beautiful apartment and seem to have a good relationship with each other but, as we find out, their only child is distant and cold towards them when they need support. Anne starts becoming ill, which completely changes their lives as Georges goes from being partner to carer. Not a subject most of us want to think about but a film that addresses some of the biggest issues for all of us as we live longer and have to face such challenges…

Look…at Teacup Theatre last week I went to see Stephanie Jessum’s latest show Confessions of a Waitress. In the play she shows us how being a waitress has its funny as well as dramatic moments. See her website for further shows

Seedisability differently. It’s Disability History Month in Salford and there are various events taking place around the city see

Go to an exhibition at WCML…the library founded by Ruth and Eddie Frow is celebrating 25 years in Salford. Visit the exhibition and become a Friend to keep it going. Further information see

Read…Moss Side Stories, produced by Commonword, which tells the stories of Moss Side and Hulme in Manchester, communities which have important histories of the beginnings of the Afro-Caribbean peoples in Manchester. This book includes short stories and a play, as well as interviews with the residents. We learn how black people lived alongside other white communities (including the Irish) and tried to live a decent life whilst experiencing racism and discrimination. Further details see

Go to …the Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair will take place on Saturday 1st December 2012 from 11.00am until 4.30pm. There are talks on a wide range of subjects from what it means to be an anarchist to a film about the lack of abortion rights in Ireland called Why Women Travel. There are many stalls from the Northwest Labour History Journal to Pants4Peace, a group organising to oppose prejudice against subgroups. The venue is the People’s History Museum Left Bank in Spinningfieldsoff Bridge Street
Manchester M3 3ER Further details see