“THE WICKER TREE” grows in the U.S. Fango has learned that writer/director Robin Hardy’s THE WICKER TREE—the British helmer’s semi-sequel to his 1973 classic THE WICKER MAN—has been picked up for distribution in North America and the UK, as early as this fall. The film’s international sales agent, High Point Media Group, will screen THE WICKER TREE at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival on May 14 and 16. Read full story from fangoria.com
Pagan Freedom Day 2011 An ancient pagan Greek historian and author Thucydides (460-404BCE) once wrote “The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage.” It takes courage to publicly announce ‘I am Pagan’ in South Africa, but that’s exactly what Pagans do every year on Freedom Day.
In January 2004, this initiative was formally chartered as the Pagan Freedom Day Movement (PFDM). Since 2004 Pagans of every religious persuasion, including Witches, Wiccans, Druids, Asatruars and many others, have mingled and shared with other South Africans in celebration of their constitutionally guaranteed freedom to practice their own personal religions, and to gather openly with others of like mind, without fear of persecution or prejudice. Read full story from newstime.co.za
Summer Movie Preview, with a Witchly Touch My question isn’t “What films will you be seeing this summer,” it is “What movie besides Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” will you be seeing. LOL! For us Pagans of all types, this is the pinnacle of film. It has opened the world up to the possible fact that Witches and Wizards exist and we’re not that bad. When you say you are a Witch, the fist image in their head isn’t the Wicked Witch of the West, but maybe of Hermione or, in my case, Looney Lovegood.
To break up all the monotony, I’ve done a little reformatting.I I hope this is more pleasing to the eye, the old format was bugging me. Be sure to check back daily, more changes are on the way. All comments and suggestions are welcome.
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS - Japan Disaster Relief (Click to Donate)
Festival Invites Public to Stand With Japan - Beginning at 6:30pm on March 24, people will gather at Sylvan Theater (15th Street and Independence Avenue, SW) before walking the Tidal Basin. All donations received throughout the fundraising effort will go directly to the National Cherry Blossom Festival Red Cross Online Donation Site, benefiting the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund.
Split family blamed on maid’s sorcery
A Saudi family who suffered from a series of problems has accused its Indonesian housemaid of causing them by using witchcraft to punish them for bad treatment of her, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The maid had confessed to the police that she did cast a malicious spell on the family but later retracted her confession after colleagues warned her she could be executed for sorcery in the conservative Gulf Kingdom. Yet the court sentenced her to five years in prison.
Aleister Crowley’s influence on Colin Batley and his followers
A WELSH expert on the occult said Colin Batley and his disciples weren’t true followers of satanist Aleister Crowley – they were just perverts.
Oxford-educated Mogg Morgan, of Newport, who runs Mandrake Publishing, said Batley and his followers just blamed the notorious writer for their own moral failings.
At their homes in Clos yr Onnen, Kidwelly, Batley and his followers laminated copies of texts by Crowley, who died in 1947, so they could be read out.
“Black Death” a treat for medieval history buffs
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - You can’t quarrel with that title, “Black Death.” The film is black all right, pitch black, and death is everywhere.
The story is set in 1348, after all, when the plague began to sweep through Europe, decimating its populace by as much as half and spreading panic to every corner. Yet what a strange land for a horror filmmaker to pitch camp in since he has little to add when horror is a fact of everyday life.
Accused pig killer in trouble again
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) - The woman accused of killing and maiming two pigs, then leaving one of the pig’s heads on its owner’s front porch last week is in trouble again.
Police say 21-year-old Ashley Marie Fowler was arrested at her place of employment last Wednesday after they found evidence in her car linking her to a recent church burglary.
On February 9, just a day after the accused pig killings, Chesapeake police responded to the Northwest Baptist Church on Ballahack Road in reference to a burglary. Several items were taken from the church, according to police reports, including: three fire extinguishers and three wooden crosses. Read full story from wavy.com
**Valentine’s Day: Love… actually?**Valentine’s Day didn’t begin with a pair of star-crossed lovers or a hallmark greeting card campaign — it started with a bunch of half-naked Romans running through the streets whipping women with strips of goat hide to cure their infertility.
In ancient times February 15 was the Roman feast of Lupercalia, which also included one other rather interesting tradition: a lottery in which young men would draw the names of teenage girls from a box. The lucky, or not so lucky, girl would then be the fellow’s sexual partner during the remaining year. Often the lady would receive a gift or a greeting in the name of Juno, a Roman goddess. Was this the precursor of the Valentine’s Day card?
Pagan Studies Conference a success
Pagan scholars discussed “Building Community” on Jan. 22 and 23 at the 7th Annual Conference of Current Pagan Studies in Claremont. More than 70 Pagans gathered to hear the ideas and results of research by the 27 Pagan scholars, researchers and leaders who came from greater LA as well as from other areas of the country.
They gathered to discuss issues that relate to the Pagan community at large. It is important to that community’s health and growth to meet and learn from one another. It’s also important for all Pagans to be involved in the public arena and have their voices heard. With an estimate of over a million Americans now self-identified as Pagan, the Pagan religion is coming of age. And it is feeling, now more than ever, the need for trained leaders and clergy to build stronger Pagan communities that also see themselves as a part of a larger community. Read full story from examiner.com