Berlin premiere for Bojan Vuletić’s Serbian satire Requiem for Mrs J
A Serbian black comedy about suicide, bureaucracy and a mother’s endless struggle to make ends meet in a society hampered by its past is flagged as a must-see film at the über-prestigious Berlinale International Film Festival (9-18 February).
Requiem for Mrs J (Rekvijem za gospodju J) tells of a middle-aged Serbian widow (Mirjana Karanović) whose tough but mundane life seems increasingly hopeless.
Pushed to her limits – by the death of the family rabbit, no less – Jelena (Mrs J) resolves to commit suicide on the anniversary of her husband’s death. She has just one week to put her affairs in order.
“The idea for the story originates from intimate acquaintance with a woman who embodies a typical victim of the transition process in Serbia,’ said the film’s writer and director Bojan Vuletić.
London’s Strawberry smart bench network gives boost to cancer research
Smart city business Strawberry Energy UK has joined forces with Cancer Research UK to launch a network of ‘contactless’ smart benches (#SmartBenchUK) in time for World Cancer Day (4 February).
The pilot scheme of ten solar-powered benches will enhance public spaces in the boroughs of Lewisham and Islington by providing mobile device charging ports and free wifi access.
The first smart benches will feature a number of contactless payment locations including Islington Green and Lewisham High Street.
Following the pilot a further ten will be installed by the end of February, with an extra 80 to be installed this year.
Sensors built into the benches monitor environmental data including air quality, which users can check via the Strawberry Energy smart phone app, providing a valuable tool for users and feeding data to local boroughs.
This is especially relevant in support of London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s aim to improve the capital’s air quality.
