Category: Film News

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Happy Red Roses Day

 

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

it’s time to debate

which rose is for you.

Red roses are one of the most popular flowers in the United States, and that’s why we celebrate National Red Rose Day on June 12 each year. This honor is also given, in part, because June is the most popular month to get married in. Different colored roses each have their own symbolic meaning. The origin of the rose is difficult to pin down, but they have been written about and depicted in Chinese literature and art for almost 5,000 years. Over 90 species of rose and 144 varieties can trace their origins to China. During that time they a symbolized luxury, and wealth, and were available to royalty or very wealthy citizens only. Roses were also used in medical and religious ceremonies. With the popularity of Christianity rising in Europe their popularity declined, and they were seen as a symbol of depravity, and decadence. Roses have also been a way to communicate for centuries and the most recent incarnation of their meanings includes the following. A red rose symbolizes romantic love, beauty, courage and sometimes even congratulations. Giving someone a red roses is like saying “I love you” to the recipient. A pink rose is perfect for a friend, it shows appreciation, grace, gentleness, and perfect happiness, as well as admiration for the someone. It’s like saying “ Thank you.” Yellow roses symbolize joy, gladness, remembrance, and new beginnings, like saying “I care about you.” A white rose is a great way to say “ I’m the one for you,” it means true love, purity, innocence, humility and charm. Orange roses symbolize desire, enthusiasm and fascination as if you’re saying “I want you” in an intimate fashion. There are other color combinations that mean different thing like a yellow rose with red tips means that you’re falling in love with someone and Red and white roses mean that you’re a great match for eachother. So today find out what you want to say and say it with a rose or better still plant roses in your garden.

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Appreciation of Friends & Siblings on National Brother’s Day

 

Do you have a brother? Or are you, yourself, a brother? Well, today’s the day to treat your brother or get spoiled by a sibling because it’s National Brother’s Day! Don’t have a brother? Why not take a friend out that you see as a brother? Brotherhood goes beyond just being siblings or sharing a parent or parents. No, brotherhood extends to those you consider close to you, the guys that support you even through your dumbest ideas. Brotherhood is about being there for one another through thick and thin and showing that you care.

Sam (Robbie Kay) and Felix (Alex Etel) have a bond that goes deeper than anything than they had in the film Ways to Live Forever, where the two saw each other beyond their illnesses. They saw each other as friends - even best friends - to the point where they were brothers to one another. Sam and Felix found brotherhood through their illnesses and together they tackled on a to-do list before death. That kind of bond is rare to come by. So today on National Brother’s Day, celebrate your own bond with your brother, whether they are related to you or not, and show them that you appreciate them!

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Celebrating International Nurses Day!

 

Join us in celebrating nurses all over the world for their contributions and the important roles they play in your healthcare on International Nurses Day.

Often times we forget to show appreciation towards the people who choose to make helping others their career. Because of this, every year on May 12, people come together to say “thanks” for all the care and attention nurses all over the world have given.

The International Council of Nurses has celebrated Nurses’ Day since 1965. The date May 12 was chosen to celebrate the anniversary birth date of Florence Nightingale.

Florence Nightingale is one of the most influential nurses from the late 1800’s. She nursed sick and wounded soldiers from the Crimean War and her ideas have made an impact on today’s healthcare.

In 1860, Nightingale established the Nightingale Training School at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London. This was the first professional training school for nurses where nursing education became formalized.

Nurses tend to spend more time with direct contact to patients. This makes their relationship with the patient much stronger than it would be with a doctor.

Take Annie’s character for example (played by Natalia Tena), from the film Ways to Live Forever. Annie takes extensive care of Sam (played by Robbie Kay) as he is diagnosed with leukemia and has to come to terms with the fact that his life is cut short.

Annie refers to herself as “Dracula” because she draws blood from many children patients. She builds a light-hearted relationship with Sam, continuing to answer his many questions about life and its meaning.

With healthcare systems shifting more towards systems that prevent and manage cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases dealt with before hospitalization, the nurses’ role is becoming more important.

So let’s take this day to celebrate and remind nurses and others alike, the appreciation and importance of the work and dedication nurses make everyday to help you and your loved ones stay healthy.

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Mother’s Day Movies: The Struggles of Being a Mother

 

Motherhood is something unimaginably difficult to those who’ve never experienced it. From physically tending to a growing child, to influencing who that child grows up to be, motherhood is full of struggles that show why we should appreciate mothers on this special day. Though nothing can be done to perfection, mothers always make that effort for their children, or as the saying goes “mother knows best.” Every  situation brings something different, and in those times moms have to make difficult decisions as to what’s best for their child.

In today’s society, mother’s have every right to seek fulfilling careers and, at times, that’s combined with the desire to give their child financial comforts while foregoing spending a lot of time with them. In the film The Nightingale (distributed by World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation) Quan Ying is burdened by her desire to give her child a comfortable life, and to achieve that, she and her husband work tireless hours. However, when Quan Ying is faced with not having anyone to take care of her daughter Renxing, she makes the difficult decision to have her daughter join her grandfather on a trip to his hometown. This resolve was difficult since it was done without telling her husband, who would have vetoed her decision. Ultimately, the journey turns out for the best, as Renxing gains a more mature worldview on this journey, though it was a difficult one.

Sometimes life takes unexpected turns, and health makes the struggle of motherhood a lot more difficult. In the the film The Lovely Patient, Katherine is faced with putting the burden of relying on her son for support after she suffers a stroke. Despite the situation, their relationship is made stronger in the struggle.

In Ways to Live Forever, young Sam McQueen has leukemia, and his mother, Amanda, along with other adults, do the best they can so that he can have as normal a life as possible. Though she is unable to heal her child’s ailment, she does the best she can so that he can have a happy and normal life.

Lastly, these are just some film examples of how difficult it is to be a mother. The world is full of stories of different circumstances making motherhood have it’s happy moments and it's sad ones. Today is Mother’s Day, and we all should take the time to make it a special one for our own mothers so that they know how much we appreciate all they do to try and give us the best.

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International Bird Day

 

May 4th marks a very special day in celebrating nature since it is the day that International Bird Day is celebrated. This date marks an approximation as to when most species of birds begin to migrate, and what better day to celebrate this avian species and to promote the conservation of their kind and their habitats. After all, birds are creatures that continue to inspire great art like Picasso’s “Dove of Peace,” Brancusi’s sculpture “Bird in Space,” and even in films like The Nightingale (distributed by World Wide Motion Pictures), where birds take a central role. In this film, one of the main plot lines revolves around a pet nightingale that is being transported to its village of origin by a grandfather and his granddaughter.

For this International Bird Day, let’s commemorate the central protagonist of the film by learning a little bit about the species. Nightingales tend to breed in summer months in warm humid climates, typical of certain European and Asian forests (much like the nightingale in the film, which came from a rainforest in Yanshuo, China). During the winter, nightingales migrate to Africa to find warmer climates, and during the spring they return north to their nesting grounds. This species was given its common name since it could be heard singing during the day and during the night, and it is believed that single males sing during nighttime to attract mates. Nightingales’ diets consists of insects, fruits, nuts, and seeds, and the small birds are predated by animals like rats, foxes, snakes, larger birds, and cats. Because of their preferred habitat of thick rainforests, and because of their small size, nightingales are very difficult to spot, but their song could easily be heard despite the foliage. This May 4th, if you want to see a tale about this species, check out The Nightingale which will be available on VOD and DVD.

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Celebrate Your Favorite Stories on National Tell A Story Day!

 

Whether it be a story from a book, your imagination, or from memory, telling stories is a special way to learn and expand your mind. Each year on April 27, people all over the country celebrate National Tell A Story Day, a day where people get together and share various kinds of stories.

Special reading events are often times held in community centers, churches, libraries, and schools. Many libraries even have special story telling times for children.

Besides being educational, telling stories from past generations can help carry on family traditions and help families grow closer.

This brings to mind the character Sam (played by Robbie Kay) in the film Ways To Live Forever, as he documents his life and tells stories about his experiences after finding out he has been diagnosed with leukemia.

Sam’s heartwarming story takes you on an adventure as he learns more about his disease and grows into a teenager. He finds meaning to his life by leaving behind his story for all people to know.

As Sam’s homeschool teachers says in the film, “Humans have discovered that living forever is not possible, but there is something eternal that we can leave behind…works of art.”

To celebrate this day, you can create your own tale and work on your creativity and public speaking skills, or even tell a story your grandma told you about her grandma. It can be a short story or a long story, fiction or nonfiction - take advantage of this day to share your story!