Casting Lux & Nilton Martins

Casting Lux website

Nilton Martins is a Luxembourgish actor and casting director, and one of the founders of Casting Lux which was established in 2017. Through the service they cast all kinds of projects from TV to ads, using people from all ages and no prior performance experience is required meaning anyone can sign up. The goal is to improve the quality of castings in the entertainment industry while making it easier to connect everyday people, upcoming talents & current professionals with Luxembourg's thriving movie, TV, event & creative industries. Nilton tells us they are currently casting a native English-speaking boy aged 7 to 13 for an upcoming short film "As things were" and tells us how parents can apply. Listen in to find out more!

Fest.lu: Festival of English-Language School Theatre

FEST website

Theatre director Tony Kingston and student actor Cailin Reiff popped into tell us about the 5th edition of FEST, a unique event which brings together different secondary schools from around Luxembourg where each performs a one-act play in English. This year they are moving to a more intimate studio venue at Rotondes and for the first time are a green event. Tony delves into why FEST is so important for young people and their audiences and what he loves about directing the shows, while Cailin shares what impact acting has had on her life and her confidence. The 8 plays will be performed on February 27th and 28th and everyone is welcome to attend, see the link below for tickets.

Mäna reflects on LSC

MÄNA dropped into studio to reflect upon her LSC journey this time last year when she competed with the song 'Human Eyes'. We discuss how she took some time this past year to think about who she is as an artist and what direction she wants to go in. She will soon release a new song that will see her change direction and try out some new music and singing styles. A 24-year-old pop singer from Luxembourg with Portuguese roots, she has been immersed in music since the age of 10, when she began studying music theory at the École Régionale de Musique de la Ville de Dudelange. Since then, she has performed on stages of all kinds; sometimes as a soloist, other times accompanied by an orchestra. MÄNA's mission is to captivate her audience by weaving her personal narrative into her music, all enveloped in a moody, mystical, and fairytale-like ambiance. Follow her journey on Instagram: @_always_mena_

Rafa-Ela reflects on LSC one year on

Rafa-ela is a Luxembourgish up-and-coming artist with great ambitions, mesmerizing stage presence and a wide vocal range. She has extensive stage and performance and won both Luxembourg’s Next Popstar in 2016 and Top Voice Luxembourg 2018. She was also one of the finalists of the Luxembourg Song Contest in 2024 and 2025. Now one year on, she reflects on her LSC journey - the highs and lows, and what it taught her. She continues to perform at one Luxembourg's iconic live music venues MAIN and has a new song coming out on February 6th at midnight. It’s called “SAVED BY THE BELL” and was created on the Eurovision Songwriting Camp at Rockhal with prolific songwriters Abi F.Jones, WhoisBonz and Rudolfs Budze. You can follow Rafa-Ela on Instagram to stay up to date with her music.

'Shelley - Radically Romantic' new play by Laure Schreiner

Laure Schreiner is a Luxembourgish actress and playwright, known for her original one-woman shows 'D’Alice am Verwonnerland' and her new monodrama which explores the life of 'Frankenstein' author Mary Shelley. In the play Laure plays many characters including other prolific figures in Shelley's life such as Lord Byron and Percy Shelley. The play is an ode to this fearless author, a tribute to the woman behind the monster and the myth. It interlaces fragments of Mary’s own writing with the words of other distinguished poets, crafting a lyrical tapestry that echoes Frankenstein’s own stitched-together creation and demonstrating that even centuries-old literary voices can still echo powerfully within us. It will be performed on Feb 4th 2026 at Opderschmelz and March 6th 2026 at Cube521.

Jojo Barrett & The Unstoppable Crew

Jojo Barrett is a 19-year-old dancer, student, and founder of The Unstoppable Crew. She began dancing at the age of 4 and tells us how it has been a helpful form of expression and freedom. In 2024, she founded The Unstoppable Crew, which has performed in projects with Disney, Intra Urban, On Steitsch, and Luxembourg Pride. Jojo wanted to offer a space where dancers of all levels can train together, gain opportunities, build connections, and start their journey in the Luxembourg dance community which is something that took her years to build for herself. In 2026, The Unstoppable Crew will officially begin working with Streetsport, an organization under Inter-Actions. Through this partnership, they will have the opportunity to offer dance classes to young people living on the streets.

Big Christmas Wind Orchestra & Choir

Their website

Autumn Le Lievre from the Big Christmas Wind Orchestra and Choir joined me in studio while en route to perform at Echternach. They are a group of Christmas Carol fans bringing the chance to sing and play together annually for a huge festive musical afternoon. Everyone is welcome, whether a seasoned professional or an absolute beginner, with any wind orchestra instrument or just your voice. This is the third year of bringing the concept to Luxembourg and their success is measured by the fact they have 2 events this year at Echternach on Dec 13 and Place D'Armes on Dec 20. You can sign up on their website and listen to the interview for more details on how it works.

IMPULS: youth addiction counselling

IMPULS

Nakisa Kendall from Solina Solidarité Jeunes’ Service IMPULS joined us in studio to tell us about the only addiction counselling service for youth in Luxembourg. They provide free psychosocial and therapeutic support to young people aged 13-21, their families, and institutions/organisations involved when they are facing issues related to the use of legal or illegal substances. Nakisa encouraged young people and their loved ones to get in touch as soon as they notice addiction could become an issue as often the earlier the intervention the better. We also discussed some trends they are noticing with young people including increased problems around the use of vapes and snoos.

And Be You asbl theatre school

And Be You

And Be You ASBL is a place where teachers do their best to provide a safe platform and environment for children and young people to express their creativity and to be unique through performing and visual arts. Students Aspen and Kelyn joined us along with their teacher Sam to tell us about their upcoming production of 'The Golden Ticket' - an adaptation of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' focusing on Charlie's grandparents. It will play on December 13 and 15 18:00 at the Cultural Centre in Junglinster. They also tell us about studying for their LAMDA drama exams and how it helps them with confidence and acting skills.

Christian Lavey: magician and illusionist

Christian Lavey is a Luxembourg-based mentalist and psychological illusionist who performs internationally on Cruise ships, festivals and for corporate events and was voted artist of the Year 2021. Christian believes that Magic is not just about tricks, it’s about creating moments your guests will never forget. Not only did he do some mind-reading tricks on Melissa in the studio, he also told us about how he first learned magic from his grandfather, the secret magician's code and he even told us about what happens when things don't go according to plan on stage!

Christmas Market by Over the Rainbow International School

Over the Rainbow website

Kelly Cannady from OTR International School tells us all about their first ever International Christmas Market on Dec 4 17:30-20:30 at Tramsschapp Limpertsberg Enjoy crafts, shopping, games, music and food from all over the world as we share the traditions from some of the many countries represented at the school. To enhance the giving spirit, all of the profits from this event will be donated to the non-profit organization Ile Aux Clowns based in Luxembourg. Their main mission is to bring smiles, joy and moments of relief to children in the hospital.  They have a team of 9 hospital clowns specially trained to visit people in difficulty, such as hospitalized children, young people in foster homes, adults in rehabilitation or elderly people in care homes or day homes. In 2025, they have offered around 600 visits to more than 15.000 people located in 36 different places in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg.

Kelly Cannady from OTR International School tells us all about their first ever International Christmas Market on Dec 4 17:30-20:30 at Tramsschapp Limpertsberg Enjoy crafts, shopping, games, music and food from all over the world as we share the traditions from some of the many countries represented at the school. To enhance the giving spirit, all of the profits from this event will be donated to the non-profit organization Ile Aux Clowns based in Luxembourg. Their main mission is to bring smiles, joy and moments of relief to children in the hospital. They have a team of 9 hospital clowns specially trained to visit people in difficulty, such as hospitalized children, young people in foster homes, adults in rehabilitation or elderly people in care homes or day homes. In 2025, they have offered around 600 visits to more than 15.000 people located in 36 different places in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg.

Gifts for kids by AWCL

Gifts for Kids - donate/volunteer here

What a delight to be joined once again by Liz Dardar-Bryant and Corinne Koenig from American Women's Club of Luxembourg to discuss Gifts for Kids which has expanded and updated this year to bring joy to even more children in need this holiday season. They believe every child deserves a gift to open on Saint Nicholas Day and they ensure that children living in foyers across the country feel seen and celebrated. Since 1996, they've delivered on this promise, now reaching over 1,600 children across close to 100 group homes, powered by the kindness of people and companies in Luxembourg.

Wheelchair access shouldn't cost extra - culture belongs to everyone

Petition 3786

Benny J, a Luxembourg-based disabled artist, and event producer Jess Bauldry discuss Petition 3786 which addresses the lack of accessible cultural spaces in Luxembourg. The petition urges parliament to implement practical, community-informed accessibility standards. Both Benny and Jess stress that despite existing laws, disabled people in Luxembourg remain overlooked and they cannot attend grassroots cultural events not participate in them. The venues in Luxembourg also require support as they are facing many presses challenges in their day to day business dealings. The deadline to sign is December 24th 2025 so please sign and share it!

NWTC's 'Lend me a Tenor'

Two of the actors from New World Theatre Club's latest production 'Lend me a Tenor' joined Melissa ahead of the plays opening on November 27th 2025 at Centre Culturel Cessange. Set in 1934, the play is a madcap comedy about a late singer, his jealous wife, and a mousy assistant who must save the day and is guaranteed to have the audience laughing from start to finish. Marina and Samuel tell us how rehearsals have been going and how you can get involved in NWTC.

'Stitch Head' / 'Bitzbouf' new animated family movie

Gintarė Parulytė on mental health & her latest film

Cineast Film Festival 2025

More info

The 18th edition of the CinEast film festival in Luxembourg will take place from 10 to 26 October 2025. Festival Director Radek Lipka tells us how this year there will 65 features, 50 shorts, musical concerts, a photography exhibition, Q&A's, debates and more. The films and acts hail from 20 countries and this year's focus country is Poland. The festival is for everyone in Luxembourg, most of the films are subtitled, they span many genres and there are some films for young audiences. Listen to the interview to find out why else you should join!

LEAPA: upcoming cultural events

LEAPA (Luxembourg European Association of Performing Arts) is a social cultural non-profit club under the umbrella of the Cercle Culturel of the EU Institutions. Two of the founding members Rose Flammant and Chris Mitchell joined me to discuss upcoming events including a quiz & 3-course dinner which will be held on Saturday 11 October at Hotel Melia, Kirchberg. Later in the year there will be a Public Speaking Workshop, Christmas Songs Concert & Buffet Dinner and their most popular event - the Murder Mystery Dinner happening in June. Anyone can sign up to be a member of LEAPA to enjoy discount and benefits for arts and theatre events.

'Re-creation' a new film by Jim Sheridan

In this exclusive interview, producer Fabrizio Maltese and actors Maja Juric, Claire Johnston-Cauldwell, and Gilbert K. Johnston share their experiences working on the film Re-creation directed by Jim Sheridan and David Merriman. The film is mystery thriller starring Vicky Krieps, Aidan Gillen and Com Meaney. It tells the story of a fictionalised jury deliberation of the high-profile murder case of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork, Ireland in 1996. Listen to the interview to discover the creative vision behind the project and hear how the cast brought their compelling characters to life in this unique and captivating film.

Amit Dhuri & Tolga Sen perform live

No strangers to Today Radio having been on DB3 and Ethan's shows previously, Amit and Tolga make their first appearance together as a duo to play two beautiful Indian songs and chat all things music. We discuss how Amit - originally from India, and Tolga - originally from Turkey, came to be in Luxembourg working as musicians and how the similarities between their two cultures create a certain magic for the music they play together.

Giorgos Christodoulakis: flamenco guitar player & researcher

Giorgos Christodoulakis is a flamenco researcher, guitar player and one half of the flamenco group Pa'lante. Giorgos tells us about Pa'lante's upcoming performance at the Fete de l'Amitie and the flamenco scene in Luxembourg. We were very lucky to have Giorgos perform a song live on air and we also play a recording of a flamenco song by his band member. Additionally, Giorgos is a translator and in 2021 his translation of F.G Lorca's 'Poema del Cante Jondo' was published in Greece. He has given talks on the history of flamenco in various festivals and concerts in Europe.

Union des Independants: Clara Moraru

The Union des Independants is a non-profit organization dedicated to championing the rights and interests of independent workers across Luxembourg, it was established in 2024 by Clara Moraru. There are approximately 29,000-39,000 independent workers, freelancers and self-employed workers in Luxembourg and they face challenges such as higher taxes, financial insecurity, high stress, lack of ADEM support and no sick or holiday pay. The Union is the first of its kind in Luxembourg and the goal is to create positive change for Independents and foster a community in what can be a lonely profession. 
 
​

The Union des Independants is a non-profit organization dedicated to championing the rights and interests of independent workers across Luxembourg, it was established in 2024 by Clara Moraru. There are approximately 29,000-39,000 independent workers, freelancers and self-employed workers in Luxembourg and they face challenges such as higher taxes, financial insecurity, high stress, lack of ADEM support and no sick or holiday pay. The Union is the first of its kind in Luxembourg and the goal is to create positive change for Independents and foster a community in what can be a lonely profession.

​

The Printemps des Poètes-Luxembourg

The Printemps des Poètes-Luxembourg festival returns on 25, 26 and 27 April for an 18th edition celebrating the poetic creation through the voices of a dozen poets and poets from all over Europe. A festival, as always polyphonic and multilingual, under the sign of reflection and celebration and whose theme “volcanic” sums up on its own the creative energy, the force of life, the power of an imaginary “that changes the word into vision”. Newly appointed festival president Francois Brouxel joined me in studio and shared his passion for poetry, the uniqueness of this multi-lingual event and the power of experiencing these acclaimed poets perform their works.

Anne Klein: new play 'This is a Scam'

Anne Klein tells us about her upcoming performances of her play 'This is a Scam' at ARCA Bertrange on April 24 and Aalt Stadhaus Differdange on April 30. The play is co-written and performed by Solvei Sundbø and making its Luxembourg debut after several performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2023. The play follows two young women as they attempt to become the CEOs of their own companies. Inspired by true stories, this play looks at the differences and parallels between modern feminism and fraud, and attempts to make you laugh along the way. We also talk Oscars, webseries and self-help book recommendations.

TEDxLLIS Youth

Following the successful selection of a student from Lënster Lycée International School (LLIS) at the National Idea competition to speak at TEDxLuxembourgCity, the school management invited Dirk Daenen to lead a year-long extracurricular TED-Ed club. Throughout the year, students learned to develop, structure, and present compelling ideas on stage. This program culminates in an officially licensed TEDx event: TEDxLLIS Youth, scheduled for April 3rd, 2025, in the school's Halle des Fêtes. From the 20 participating students, 5 have been selected to deliver their TED talks, which will be professionally recorded and published on TED.com. Melissa was joined by 4 of the 5 students who will do a Ted talk at the event: Maria, Sofiia, Chiara and Kristóf

Irish traditional music live on air

To celebrate St Patrick's Day weekend, three of the Comhaltas Luxembourg céilí musicians joined Melissa live in studio to play a selection of traditional Irish jigs and reels. You will hear Edel on tin whistle, Cailín on flute and Liam on the banjo. They also tell us a little a bit about the tunes and their collective of musicians who play together as well as some upcoming performances they are doing as the Emerald Collective

St Patrick's Weekend: Comhaltas Luxembourg

Dorothee Waldeck from Comhaltas Luxembourg joined Melissa to discuss what events they are doing for St Patricks's Day weekend and across the year. Comhaltas was originally founded in Luxembourg in 1982, their  aim is to promote Irish culture through music, dancing and singing and to foster the Irish Language. They have a mixed membership of all nationalities including Luxembourgish, European, American, British as well as Irish born and the Irish Diaspora. They will once again hold their St. Patrick’s Day céilís in the Centre Culturel Cessange on Saturday 15th March 2025, with a kids céilí in the afternoon and then another céilí that evening for adults.

Dorothee Waldeck from Comhaltas Luxembourg joined Melissa to discuss what events they are doing for St Patricks's Day weekend and across the year. Comhaltas was originally founded in Luxembourg in 1982, their aim is to promote Irish culture through music, dancing and singing and to foster the Irish Language. They have a mixed membership of all nationalities including Luxembourgish, European, American, British as well as Irish born and the Irish Diaspora. They will once again hold their St. Patrick’s Day céilís in the Centre Culturel Cessange on Saturday 15th March 2025, with a kids céilí in the afternoon and then another céilí that evening for adults.

International Women's Day March 2025

Jessica Lopes from JIF and ASTI joined Melissa in studio ahead of the International Women's Day annual march in Luxembourg City. The JIF platform was created in 2011 on the 100th anniversary of Women's Rights Day. The aim is to organise activities and festivities together around 8 March. The platform deliberately decided to highlight the political dimension of 8 March as well as the achievements of feminism as a concept and movement. It consists of more or less 20 organizations, political parties and trade unions and individuals in their personal capacity. Jessica details the themes of the 2025 march and what we can expect - it is family friendly, everyone is welcome and many people bring signs and wear colourful clothes. It kicks off at 15:00 at Place de Paris, Luxembourg City.

'The Good Doctor' play: NWTC & MITOS

"The Good Doctor" is a comedy play by Neil Simon, based on a series of short stories by Anton Chekhov. The play is structured 
as a series of vignettes, with each scene presenting a different story that captures the absurdity and humour of everyday life. It is being produced by NWTC and MITOS and will take place from March 13-16 2025 at Centre Polyvalent in Oberanven. Melissa was joined by Artemios Director of the play and Chantelle who is an NWTC Committee member and actress in the play.

"The Good Doctor" is a comedy play by Neil Simon, based on a series of short stories by Anton Chekhov. The play is structured
as a series of vignettes, with each scene presenting a different story that captures the absurdity and humour of everyday life. It is being produced by NWTC and MITOS and will take place from March 13-16 2025 at Centre Polyvalent in Oberanven. Melissa was joined by Artemios Director of the play and Chantelle who is an NWTC Committee member and actress in the play.

Nyki: social tutoring company

Laure Talavet-Omont is the founder of Nyki, a social tutoring company. They offer individual lessons for primary and secondary school students, in all school subjects, and for students coming from all the different school systems present in Luxembourg. Laure explains how private tutoring is traditionally a sector increasing social inequalities: as parents with the highest income can afford more lessons and by the most renowned tutors. Nyki redresses this imbalance, by adapting prices to family income and granting discounts from 10% to 100%, meaning free lessons for the most underprivileged families. Laure also discusses how a social enterprise company works and her tips for setting one up for an future entrepreneurs.

Carlitos Comedy Club: Basketmouth is coming to Luxembourg!

A year and a half since the club opened it's doors, Carlitos the founder and owner of Carlitos Comedy Club joined Melissa once to talk about how the last 18 months of Luxembourg's only comedy club has been. The club is reaching new heights by booking Nigeria's biggest comedian Basketmouth who will be playing here on Feb 24th 2025 and there are tickets to be won! We also discuss how Carlitos is playing cupid via his speed-dating comedy events and we hope that soon enough there will be a baby born in Luxembourg called after him

A Vos Côtés is a social project, Inter-Actions

Virginie Giarmana, Deputy Director of Inter-Actions Luxembourg joined us to discuss the organisation plus the A Vos Côtés project which she developed and implemented a few years ago. The service "by your side" was created to respond to the feeling of insecurity expressed by the inhabitants of the various districts of Luxembourg City. It brings together different profiles of mediators/sports/educators, which aim to reassure the inhabitants of the neighbourhood, by visibly placing themselves” alongside them, on their daily journeys, in front of their schools, their favourite shops or restaurants, or at the meeting places. The project is funded entirely by the City of Luxembourg.

Tatty Macleod: comedian

Melissa sat down with comedian Tatty Macleod ahead of her gig in Luxembourg. Tatty trained in theatre and worked as a writer, director and actor before turning her hand to comedy in 2018 with social media helping to blow up her career. She has a unique understanding of code switching and what it means to be a third culture kid and has distilled this global perspective into online sketches which has awarded her over 600k followers. Tune in to hear about her journey so far, how being half-French and half-British impacts her personality and if there are bears in Luxembourg

BGT: New writing play 'AMARE'

Tony Kingston co-founder of BGT and aspiring writer and director Hanne Siebens joined us live in studio to discuss the next BGT production. “AMARE” is a new, experimental piece, by Hanne which looks at the different types of love, as defined by the ancient Greeks. Through a series of short, but interlinked, sketches and monologues we are shown love as represented by a mix of relationships, both now and “then”. It will take place on Feb 6, 7 and 8th at Lycee Michel Rodange. Tony also discussed BGT's emotion to foster young talent, new writing and more females in theatre.

Vegan Christmas Market

The beloved free market is back this weekend!

The beloved free market is back this weekend! 
 
Barbara Ujlaki president of the Vegan Society Luxembourg joined Melissa to discuss the asbl's mission, why she decided to become a vegan and the highly anticipated return of the Vegan Christmas Market

Barbara Ujlaki president of the Vegan Society Luxembourg joined Melissa to discuss the asbl's mission, why she decided to become a vegan and the highly anticipated return of the Vegan Christmas Market

Entre Nous Gin and Distillery

Distillery Fortemps de Loneux is a boutique distillery in Luxembourg, founded in 2022 by Inès Fortemps de Loneux. Known for its craftsmanship and commitment to quality, the distillery creates small-batch gins that celebrate authenticity and conviviality. Its flagship brand, "Entre Nous", embodies this spirit. Inès tells us the origin story of the distillery, her favourite gin drinks and her plans for 2024.

Playground Cafe Grand Opening

Alexandra Cojocaru is the founder of Playground Cafe, a brand new family-oriented space in Bissen which opens on 1/12/2024. Alexandra shares how her family have been behind her every step of the way and why she was inspired to open this cafe which has soft play area, a kids reading corner, ball pit, sensory experience and lots of other play activities for children. Listen to learn more about their events and plans for the future.

Marie-Emily(9) and Milena(12) read their creative writing

Sisters Marie-Emily (9) and Milena (12) are very passionate about books, reading, writing and performing and entered our Ernster Young Writers competition. They joined us in studio to read an extract from their wonderful stories

Winterlights Festival & Christmas Markets 2024

Tis the season to be jolly and the Winterlights Festival is back in Luxembourg City from November 22nd. Melissa was joined by Laurent Schwaller who has the wonderful job of organising the Christmas markets and festivities every year as part of his role on the Événements, fêtes et marches team at VDL. Find out what's new for 2024, how do they choose the market vendors and questions from you the listener including "Will Guinness be served at the markets?"

'What's Left?' Documentary by Donato Rotunno

Donato Rotunno co-founder of Tarantula Luxembourg has returned to writing and directing with his latest documentary 'What's Left?' which captures the story of the Cercle Culturel Curiel and its trattoria which had a major influence on the political and cultural life of Luxembourg for over 50 years. The documentary features prominent figures from Luxembourg's cultural and political scene such as Corinne Cahen, Alexis Juncosa and Enrico Lunghi and we find out the future of this community after the Hollerich building was destructed in early 2024. Donato fills us in on what the Cercle has meant to him over the years. The film will be screened in Luxembourg cinemas from November 20th 2024.

AWCL: Gifts for Kids Program

Gifts for Kids: AWCL website

For the first Saturday morning edition of this show, Melissa was joined by Corinne Koenig Luxembourg and Marwah Naseem from the American Women’s Club of Luxembourg to talk about their Gifts for Kids Program which has been in operation since 1996. Through the program, the AWCL raises funds, coordinates the purchase of selected toys and delivers them to children living in group homes or foyers on Saint Nicholas Day. In 2023, due the generous donations, AWCL was able to deliver 1,453 gifts to 85 foyers across Luxembourg. Now they are seeing increasing requests for help across the country,  so the goal in 2024 is to expand their reach, spreading joy and creating special St. Nicholas memories for as many children as possible. Listen into find out how you and your company can get involved whether by donating or volunteering!

For the first Saturday morning edition of this show, Melissa was joined by Corinne Koenig Luxembourg and Marwah Naseem from the American Women’s Club of Luxembourg to talk about their Gifts for Kids Program which has been in operation since 1996. Through the program, the AWCL raises funds, coordinates the purchase of selected toys and delivers them to children living in group homes or foyers on Saint Nicholas Day. In 2023, due the generous donations, AWCL was able to deliver 1,453 gifts to 85 foyers across Luxembourg. Now they are seeing increasing requests for help across the country, so the goal in 2024 is to expand their reach, spreading joy and creating special St. Nicholas memories for as many children as possible. Listen into find out how you and your company can get involved whether by donating or volunteering!

Neil Boyle: animator & director of 'Kensuke's Kingdom'

Neil Boyle is an award-winning director and animator with credits on productions including Love, Death + Robots (2018), Tom and Jerry (2019), The Simpsons (2014), and Space Jam (1996). Neil's makes his feature-length directing debut with 'Kensuke's Kingdom' with co-director Kirk Hendry, the film is based upon the much-loved book by Michael Morpurgo ('War Horse'), and is adapted by the acclaimed screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce ('Hilary and Jackie', 'Millions'). The film includes the voices of Sally Hawkins and Cillian Murphy and is suitable for all the family.  Tune in to his chat with Melissa to hear how they conveyed so much emotion and depth with few words in the film, how Neil advises other animators to “keep playing and don’t ever be afraid of mistakes”, and how he keeps in touch with his inner child.

Neil Boyle is an award-winning director and animator with credits on productions including Love, Death + Robots (2018), Tom and Jerry (2019), The Simpsons (2014), and Space Jam (1996). Neil's makes his feature-length directing debut with 'Kensuke's Kingdom' with co-director Kirk Hendry, the film is based upon the much-loved book by Michael Morpurgo ('War Horse'), and is adapted by the acclaimed screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce ('Hilary and Jackie', 'Millions'). The film includes the voices of Sally Hawkins and Cillian Murphy and is suitable for all the family. Tune in to his chat with Melissa to hear how they conveyed so much emotion and depth with few words in the film, how Neil advises other animators to “keep playing and don’t ever be afraid of mistakes”, and how he keeps in touch with his inner child.

Forest Kids

Elena Trost La Doeuff founded Forest Kids in 2020 after finding it challenging to source outdoor activities for her kids after relocating from Sweden. The organisation adheres to a holistic approach of early childhood education deeply rooted in nature and runs activities such as treasure hunts, dance classes and photoshoots all in the great outdoors. The ultimate goal for Forest Kids would be to establish an outdoor creche in Luxembourg and Elena would love to hear from anyone who shares their passion for outdoor activities and nature-based education.

Darkness into light sunrise walk 2024

Find out more about Darkness into Light

Darkness into Light is part of a worldwide initiative to raise awareness of suicide and self-harm and to provide those grieving or those suffering with a community and a chance to see that they are not alone in their struggle and now 200,000 people participate each year. Caoimhe Alliot helped to bring DIL to Lux in 2019 in order to do something positive after losing her mother to mental illness. The 5km walk begins at 5am on May 11th 2024 in Clausen just as the sun is rising and people can sign up individually or as part of a company or group. The Luxembourg walk supports KJT, SOS Detresse and Centre Information et Prevention of d'Ligue.

Healing of Memories: workshops and beyond

Healing of Memories website

Patrick Byrne has been chairman of Healing of Memories Luxembourg ASBL since it was founded. He takes us through their upcoming residential workshop from May 24-26 which is open to anyone interested to acknowledge the emotional wounds which we carry. It also provides a safe space to tell your story in an atmosphere of confidentiality and respect and listen to others' stories. The methodology was created by Michael Lapsley, an anti-apartheid militant who in 1990 lost both hands and an eye in a letter-bomb attack. After receiving support and affection from people all over the world he embarked on a journey to help other victims emerge from ordeals as the victor.

Eurovision songs: 6 favourites & 6 underdogs with Mika

Mika Bouchet-Virette is back with his Eurovision wisdom and has picked out 6 of the bookies favourites and 6 underdogs from the Eurovision entries for 2024. We listen to quick snippets of each song and Mika shares some insights and background information. Eurovision is just around the corner so this is a great chance to get familiar with Luxembourg's competitors!

Queer loox: queer-feminist film club

Hélène Walland; a Luxembourg-based film producer joined Melissa to discuss her work volunteering as a curator at Queer loox. Queer loox is a queer-feminist film club in Luxembourg taking place at Rotondes since 2013. With its programme, queer loox focuses on feminist and LGBTQIA+ issues and representations of minorities. It aims to stimulate discussions on various facets of queer and feminist issues and thus contribute to the cultural landscape of Luxembourg and the Greater Region.

Festrogen: April 2024 edition

Festrogen is a women-centric, multi-part comedy festival established in 2022 by a group of stand-up comedians who wanted to make the scene they wished had existed when they started out. Comedians Jess Bauldry and Joanna Karczewska share what comedy has brought to their lives, why they recommend trying it out and why we need feminist comedy festivals. They also take us through the agenda for the next edition of the festival including workshops, shows and for the first time - a panel discussion. It will take place in Luxembourg City from April 12-14 2024.

Ankie Timmers: Powerlifting Champion

Ankie Timmers is a powerlifter for Luxembourg. Original from the Netherlands, she is a World and European champion in benchpress and in the top 3 European and World championships in powerlifting. We discuss how the number of female powerlifters has increased since 2016, how people can get into powerlifting and about her upcoming competition in May in Hamm which anyone can attend for free.

Running the legth of Luxembourg: 110km in 3 days for chairty

Donate to the mental health charity!

Callum Wilkinson and Ethan Hodder, two twenty-year-olds from the West Midlands in England, stopped by to chat to Melissa after running 27km from Rumelange to RTL City in Kirchberg. With another 17km to go after the interview, the lads were surprisingly cheerful and full of beans telling us about their first impressions of Luxembourg and why they decided to support a mental health charity. In total they will run 110km in just 3 days all in support of the Kaleidoscope Plus Group which supports positive mental health and wellbeing, a cause which is very close to their hearts. Listen to find out what sporting activity they plan to do this evening instead of resting!

urn:play:show:the-home-stretch-with-melissa-dalton

Melissa Dalton’s mix of fun games, engaging stories and big tunes you’ll want to sing along to.

Play episode