Front Row Folgen

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

The mural of footballer Marcus Rashford which was defaced with racist graffiti after England lost the Euro 2020 final last night was part of Withington Walls, a community street art project in the suburbs of southern Manchester. Its head, Ed Wellard, discusses the art work, the British-based Vietnamese street artist Akse who created it, and the role art can play in the community.Late last week Front Row asked Ian McMillan, poet in residence at Barnsley FC, to write a poem in response to the European Cup Final. He talks to John Wilson about his approach to this tricky commission this evening, and reads his poem, 'This Sporting Life'. We start a new series today exploring current debates within book publishing, beginning with a look at the gender split in current literary tastes. Is it harder for young male writers to get published, win prizes and make a splash now? And if so, after millennia of male dominance, does it matter? John talks to Nesrine Malik who is judging the Women’s Prize for Fiction this year, and novelist and publisher Luke Brown.Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Jerome Weatherald

Film critic Jason Solomons brings a touch of glamour to tonight’s proceedings with his report from this year’s Cannes Film festival which opened this week.Tove Jansson was the Finnish creator of the Moomins, stories much loved by children (and adults) the world over. A new film, Tove, tells the story of her extraordinary life in post-war Helsinki, the ambivalence she felt towards the success of the Moomins, and how her ideas about freedom were challenged when she fell in love with theatre director Vivica Bandler. The film's director, Zaida Bergroth, talks about the choices she made in telling the story of this iconic author and artist.Welsh culture that is ancient, and modern: Catrin Finch, commissioned by the Llangollen Eisteddfod, plays the harp and is working with a choir - but not just male voices, a choir of singing refugees and asylum seekers. A beat boxer is involved, too. Meanwhile the artist Luke Jerram has turned to another Welsh tradition, throwing a huge, beautiful patchwork quilt over the town bridge.Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Harry Parker