There are a few of these doing the rounds on the internet and in someways it’s a bit unfair because, as we all know, there are only seven stories in the first place… however… Can’t see the picture? Come to http://shootingpeople.org/blog/category/bensblog

Tanya Seghatchian is Queen of the UKFC. I don’t think anyone guessed that was going to happen. No one at all. Anywhere. Still, surprises are overrated and I for one am well chuffed. Long live the Queen.

Nelson Mandela was released from 27 years in prison twenty years ago tomorrow – February 11th 1990. I just read his extraordinary autobiography Long Walk to Freedom and have been thinking about Mandela and South Africa a great deal recently so I’m really pleased to be moderating a discussion after the screening of Mandela: Son of Africa, Father of a Nation at Union Docs on Friday, February 19th. Here’s a description of the film: A captivating view of the indomitable…

OK I’m well past time here since the event has been and gone but I’m the half of the Blaine with no understanding of this game and no idea as to why it’s called football since it’s about guys carrying and egg. Handegg. American Handegg. Surely? But anyway, the Viking’s supporting half of the Blaines found this and it made us both laugh so I hope it has the same effect for you (the first one’s not up to much…

So on Friday I was in an actual cinema with an actual audience of other people. It was the late afternoon and we were an odd bunch but never the less an interesting cross section of the ticket buying public and this trailer was one of the many to crash off the screen at us… And with perfect timing, just as it comes to the quiet bit at the end, the unnervingly loud voices of two middle-aged women broke through…

Can’t see the picture? Come to http://shootingpeople.org/blog/category/bensblog

Obviously I’m massively behind the times but hopefully some of the previous entries will explain why that is… however I’d just like to extend massive and belated congratulations to two of my favourite people who both find themselves in the Sun. Brilliantly my mate Cath has been awarded the Sundance/Alfred P. Sloan Commissioning Grant to fund her to write a film called Beds about five strangers who come together in a ‘bed-rest’ experiment to aid astronauts in space. Equally brilliant…

Massive thanks to the folks at MovieMaker magazine who have included this virtual tome in their list of the 50 Best Blogs for Movie Makers. And if you’re here as a result of that article then – gosh – hallo – hope this lives up to whatever expectations you may have… Oh and, if you are new, then I’m one of the people in the picture at the top of this page and the other is my brother Chris. Unless…

I generally find January to the be slowest, longest, coldest month of the year. Whilst technically no longer than most others it usually seems to persist for half a year before finally succumbing to February. However this year it seems to have trotted past in a twinkle of snow storms and sleeplessness and already the Oscar nominations have been announced to my usual utter indifference. It’s all proof that I’m as busy as a monk in a plague. My brother…