BBC4 has confirmed the line-up for its Comedy Playhouse season, which will showcase four new productions under the banner Tight Spot. On of the productions, titled Lift, stars Douglas Hodge, Rasmus Hardiker and Nina Wadia.

The New Statesman magazine goes behind the upcoming elections and political turmoil in Bangladesh this week, with a special edition of the magazine. It examines the country’s political crisis, and the situation of the many Bangladeshis in Britain.

It includes contributions from top writers, including Monica Ali, Tahmima Anam (reporting from Dhaka on the postponed elections and a country in chaos), Labour councillor Ayub Korom Ali, and editor of the Bangladesh Daily Star Mahfuz Anam.
www.newstatesman.com

Buena Vista International (UK) will release Roger Michell’s film Venus across the UK and Ireland on January 26th 2007 starring Peter O’Toole, Leslie Phillips, Richard Griffiths, Vanessa Redgrave, and newcomer Jodie Whittaker.

A wry, affectionate coming of very-old-age story, Venus reunites the team behind both the acclaimed film The Mother and the award-winning television series The Buddha of Suburbia: director Roger Michell, writer Hanif Kureishi and producer Kevin Loader.

UK soul sensation Corinne Bailey Rae provides music for the VENUS soundtrack, which includes both songs from her debut album and tracks composed for the film score.

MediaTrust, the organisation that helps charities communicate has appointed the agency – The Marketing Effect – to handle its ‘Volunteering for All’ campaign.

The Marketing Effect specialises in ethnic marketing and will manage the ethnic media campaign to
target the hard to reach Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Chinese communities. It will also be responsible
for a nationwide booklet drop to ethnic community centres and venues to support the press campaign.

‘Volunteering for All’ is a two-year, £3 million strategy led by the Home Office to identify and remove barriers to volunteering and to promote these opportunities to potential volunteers.

The Asian Wedding Exhibition 2007, one of the UK’s largest wedding exhibitions, takes place on 17 and 18 February 2007 at the prestigious Alexandra Palace in North London.

Sponsored by B4U and BT Together International, the two-day extravaganza combines creativity, style, inspiration and glamour under one roof, making it a one-stop-shop for brides and grooms.

BT Together International is a new sponsor for the annual event, which is now in its 14th successive year. Club Asia is the media sponsor for the event.
www.aweuk.com
Media contact: Nita Shah / awe07@shahrp.com / 0845 226 5059

The Satyajit Ray Film Foundation is hosting a film competition along with the British Council, British Film Institute and Nehru Centre, with an award of £1,500 for the winner.

The film, of no more than 30 minutes running time, should express and inform aspects of the experiences of South Asians (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) either within their own countries or the Diaspora. All submissions must have been completed within two years prior to the closing date. Previous entries cannot be sent.

More on the competition from their website.

The Chartered Society of Designers has launched the CSD Student Awards 2007, an international design competition with prize money of £7000. Entries will be accepted from any second year student studying on any full-time design course anywhere in the world.

Students studying in year three of a four year design course are also eligible to enter.
Entries are welcome from students in any of the following design disciplines: Exhibition Design, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interactive Media Design, Interior Design, Product Design, and Textile Design

For more details or to download the PDF Entry Form, please visit the CSD website.