Tuesday January 17 Birmingham Socialist Resistance Forum: Why Labour's education policy is unravelling . Bennett's Bar, 7.30. Wednesday January 18 London Socialist Resistance Forum, Where are we in the battle for LGBT rights with Mark Findlay and Terry Conway, see www.socialistresistance.netfor venue Saturday January 21 LONDON An open meeting to discuss the crisis in working class 12 - 3pm. Friends House, Euston Road. Organised by the RMT Tony Benn MP, John McDonnell MP, Jean Lambert MEP, Colin Fox MSP, John Marek AM and Councillor Dave Nellist. All welcome National demonstration Justice for British residents in Guantanamo Bay Support the Hunger Strikers- Shut down all illegal US jails 12 noon Tothill Street, London (nearest tube St 2006 bargain Special New Year's sale price of the brilliant Tower Hamlets Respect calendar - End of Year bargain price of £5. Rush your orders (cheques made payable to Respect East London) to: Maggie Falshaw, 23 Adine Road, London E13 8LL James Park). Called by Save Omar Deghayes campaign; Birmingham Guantanamo Campaign; The Manchester Guantanamo and Belmarsh Campaign. For more details go to www.save-omar.org.uk Saturday January 28 MANCHESTER: Defy Section 9 Working conference, 11am5pm, Methodist Central Hall, Oldham Street. Organised by National Coalition of AntiDeportation Campaigns: www.ncadc.org.uk. Supported by Liberty, British Association of Social Workers, Unison branches, NUT branches LONDON Planning meeting for a rank and file public sector alliance Exmouth Arms, Starcross St, near Euston station, London NW1. LONDON: Respect Burns night celebration Cittee of Yorke Public House, 22 High Holborn, London WC1 7-11pm, Wednesday February 8 LONDON Defend Council Housing Lobby of Parliament Tenants, trade unionists and councillors will be taking part in a Mass Rally and Lobby of Parliament on Feb 8. Housing professionals and MPs will join a broad platform of speakers and lead a range of workshops Saturday February 18 LONDON. Unite Against Fascism national conference TUC Conference Centre, Congress House, Great Russell Street London WC1. Tickets, a film directed Abbas Kiarostami and Ken Loach Reviewed by Piers Mostyn ANYONE regularly travelling on public transport is familiar with an experience that can bring out the best and worst in all of us.
People from all walks of life interact involuntarily and in close proximity on a continuous basis. Conflict often results, but also warmth and humanity.
In this film three directors have collaborated in weaving together three inter-connected stories rooted in this everyday experience, but based on a long train ride from Central Europe to Rome.
Although each directs a separate story in succession covering the course of the journey, there are themes and characters in common with no break in between.
The first segment, by Italian director Olmi is perhaps the most traditional -an older man wistfully sentimentalising about a brief encounter.
But there is tension as his reminiscing in the first class dining coach is played against a background of armed soldiers continually harassing the less well off passengers who are glimpsed crammed uncomfortably in the corridors.
Class division and incessant security procedures provide such an uneasy backdrop that he rises from his reverie to assist a young mother whose child is in distress.
Then acclaimed Iranian director Kiarostami directs a ture of an obnoxiously snob. bish woman travelling to a funeral service - continually bullying the young man accompanying her, fellow travellers and the railway staff.
It's a comic portrayal of how friction is inevitable when people approach public spaces by aggressively staking out their individual approach is represented by her harassed young travelling companion.
Best of all is Ken Loach's final segment, scripted by long time collaborator Paul Laverty and one of the sharpest pieces of film making I have seen in a while.
Three Celtic supporters, brilliantly played by actors who also starred in Loach's Sweet Sixteen, are on the way
A very dynamic situation quickly develops that allows the viewer no moment of complacency.
One minute they are offering a migrant Albanian boy and his family their sandwiches, the next they suspect him of stealing one of their tickets. The tension is cranked up as they wrestle with contradictory emotions, swilening from Dasic numan solidarity to racism and back again in moments with a thrilling, almost revolutionary, finale as the train arrives at the Rome terminal
Quite how this was filmed is difficult to imagine. It certainly looks as though it all lakes place on a real traln with real passengers.
These are subtle insights into how humanity strives to and sometimes succeeds in over-coming borders and divisions.
Moving pictures!