This year’s screening of the Oscar-Nominated Short Films marks the 15th anniversary of the collaboration between Fresno Filmworks, Magnolia Pictures, and ShortsTV to share the world’s best in short-form cinema with the Central Valley. The 2020 Oscar shorts program, scheduled for Feb. 7 and 8 at Fresno’s historic Tower Theatre, features 19 films representing 10…

December 2019 Volunteer in the Spotlight: Katie McQuone Botello Occupation: Katie teaches video production and broadcasting at her high school alma mater, Sunnyside High School, in southeast Fresno. She coordinates Sunnyside’s Video Production Academy. This past December, Katie was surprised with a $25,000 Milken Educator Award for her outstanding teaching and mentoring work at Sunnyside.…

The New Yorker lauds her “radically personal films.” The British Film Institute calls her “a playful visionary.” Editors of The Criterion Collection declare she is the “mother and grandmother of the French New Wave.” And in 2017, when she was awarded an honorary Oscar, special mention was made of her “compassion and curiosity that inform…

In an effort to support community art making, celebrate local stories, and feature homegrown filmmaking talent, Fresno Filmworks presented an exclusive program of five short films with Central Valley connections at our 15th annual Fresno Film Festival. There was a Q&A after the program. We also introduced the winners of our 2019 student filmmaker competition,…

Our “Streaming Surprises” series calls attention to good movies new and old that our board members are watching. Titles are available from various streaming services. “Ash is Purest White” (2018) Submitted by Cassandra R. McGuire. Available on Kanopy. Master filmmaker Jia Zhangke’s latest drama is loosely based on stories of the jianghu (Chinese gangsters) from…

I Heart Film: Lilia Gonzáles-Chávez Lilia works as executive director of the Fresno Arts Council, one of the Fresno Film Festival’s longtime sponsors and supporters. Why is it important, from the perspective of the Fresno Arts Council, to support Filmworks? Lilia: Filmworks provides a unique opportunity for the cinema lovers of Fresno to see a…

For several years, I was lucky to teach a few film studies classes at Fresno City College. As a journalist and writer by trade, I often felt out of my element when it came to knowing the history of cinema, and the expectation from my students (or maybe from myself?) that somehow I should have…

Our “Streaming Surprises” series calls attention to good movies new and old that our board members are watching. Titles are available from various streaming services. “The Invitation” (2015) Submitted by Benjamin Woodcock. Streaming on Netflix. Dinner parties are usually a fun affair, a chance to catch up with old friends, reminisce about past events, and…

Much like a soufflé, Louis Garrel’s French romantic comedy is light, yet complex, and oh, so delicious. Fresno Filmworks presented “A Faithful Man” on Friday, Oct. 11 at the Tower Theatre. Writer/director Garrel is the son of renowned French filmmaker Philippe Garrel and, like his father, imbues his second film with the spirit of French…

August 2019 volunteer in the spotlight: Nancy Price. What’s your occupation? Nancy: I am a multimedia journalist at GV Wire, a daily online news site based in Fresno. My focus is reporting on education and religion. What are some things you like to do in your free time?  Nancy: I love to travel, to explore…

Italian director Roberto Minervini’s powerful and deeply moving documentary “What You Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire?” is a searing examination of racism that will open the Fresno Filmworks 2019-20 season on September 13. Shot in black and white in 2017, it weaves together four stories that reflect the effects of racism in the…

Our “Streaming Surprises” series calls attention to good movies new and old that our board members are watching. Titles are available from various streaming services. Brimstone & Glory (2017) Submitted by Linda Garcia. Streaming on Kanopy. Every year, Tultepec, Mexico hosts the National Pyrotechnic Festival, a 10-day celebration to honor San Juan de Dios, considered…

Our “Streaming Surprises” series calls attention to good movies new and old that our board members are watching. Titles are available from various streaming services. “The Central Park Five” (2012) Submitted by Jefferson Beavers. Streaming on Amazon Prime and Kanopy. With the summer buzz surrounding filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s latest project, “When They See Us,” a…