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The Arts Hour

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The Arts Hour: Half of a Yellow Sun

Chitwetel Ejiofor, Gasha, Jean Paul Samputu

19/04/2014

Half of a Yellow Sun

BBC World Service - The Arts Hour, Half of a Yellow Sun

Director Biyi Bandele on his debut film and his hopes for the Nigerian film industry

Writer-director Biyi Bandele on his debut film, Half of a Yellow Sun, and his hopes for the Nigerian film industry.

Writer-director Biyi Bandele speaks about his debut film, Half of a Yellow Sun, and his hopes for the Nigerian film industry. 

Also on the programme: hip-hop legend Nas looks back at 1980s New York, the inspiration for his first album Illmatic; actress Edie Falco, star of Nurse Jackie, takes us back to her audition for the pilot episode of The Sopranos and Samoan singers Sol3 Mio show the Neapolitans how opera should be sung.

We turn the clock back 20 years to Four Weddings and a Funeral, a film that made close to $250 million dollars worldwide, but nearly didn't happen. We hear from some of the cast and the writer Mike Newell and director Richard Curtis. We learn about the importance of forgiveness from singer-songwriter Jean Paul Samputu, a survivor of the ethnic violence in Rwanda. 

Writer Moira Buffini discusses her latest comedy Handbagged, which speculates on the kind of things the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said to the Queen during their weekly meetings. Actresses Marion Bailey and Stella Gonet discuss the motivation behind their performances. And ballet dancing brothers, Nathaniel and Joseph Skelton, discuss competing for roles at New Zealand's Royal Ballet company.

Photo shows: Chiwetel Ejiofor in Half of a Yellow Sun, Gasha, Jean Paul Samputu

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