Oscar nominee speaks out

Congratulations to Ronald Harwood who was yesterday nominated for an Oscar for his adapted screenplay of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. If he wins it would be his second Academy Award - the first was for The Pianist in 2002.

As it happens, Ronald is a member of Forest's Supporters Council. He first came to our attention in 2005 when he cancelled plans to direct a play in Winnipeg because of Canada's "draconian" anti-smoking laws. A few months later he attended a private Forest dinner (other guests included David Hockney) and in January 2006 gave us THIS interview.

Last week (before his Oscar nomination) he agreed to contribute an article to the new Free Society website. I have it in front of me. It begins:

We live in an age of extremism. It manifests itself in every walk of life – religion, most obviously, but also in politics because politicians, our elected representatives, have a savage impulse to control and they have taken this impulse to extremes.

To read the full article, click HERE week beginning Monday February 4. Bookmark the page now.