Cambridge Film Festival opening night

Last night I had the great pleasure of attending the opening night of this year’s Cambridge Film Festival – the 38th!  It was wonderful to see my old friend and Festival Director Tony Jones in his element, and to meet the noted director Terry Gilliam, whose film ‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote’ was being screened.

Tony Jones and Terry Gilliam at the opening night of CFF
Tony Jones and Terry Gilliam at the opening night of CFF

I’ve been going to the Arts Picturehouse – and before that the Arts Cinema – for as long as I’ve lived in Cambridge and have a strong connection to the Film Festival going back many years, and I wish it well.

The full programme for this year is available online and I urge you to have a look – you’re bound to find something to entertain, intrigue or challenge you among the excellent selection of new and old films curated by Tony and his team.

I really enjoyed last night’s film – it’s just what you’d expect from Terry Gilliam, and the richness of his imagination continues to astonish me.  It’s showing again on Saturday 27, so you have a chance to see it.

Let’s make the Guided Busway safer

As I write this on Saturday afternoon the petition calling on the bus companies that run on the busway to reduce speed in the section between Long Road and Cambridge rail station has nearly 2000 signatures. It’s a clear sign that the residents of Trumpington are concerned about the danger posed by buses going at speed just next to the path where they walk and cycle.

I hope that we get more signatures, and that on Monday morning we get a response from the bus companies – a positive one, that reassures us all. When we receive the report from the Health and Safety Executive then we can decide what long term measures are needed to ensure that all users of the busway are safe, but until then, I believe that a voluntary speed reduction is a sensible and proportional response.

And if you agree… sign the petition!