Latest news with #Oxman
Axios
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
"Outerlands" chronicles a queer journey in a changing San Francisco
San Francisco's Richmond District gets an intimate closeup in the new indie drama " Outerlands," which touches on themes of gender identity, loneliness and childhood trauma. The big picture: The film explores a non-binary character's emotional and financial struggles upon moving to San Francisco. It follows Cass, a non-binary newcomer to San Francisco played by "Billions" alum Asia Kate Dillon, who is juggling three jobs and whose new love interest leads them to confront deep-seated feelings of abandonment. Between the lines: Filming, which initially began in 2016, took place at more than 36 locations across the city, including neighborhood favorites like Hamburger Haven, a longtime diner on Clement Street and well-known dive bar The Bitter End. Other scenes on the city's west side honed in on parts of the Sunset District and Haight Street. The beautifully-captured shots of this often sleepy, moody and fog-drenched part of the city evokes a sense of nostalgia and longing, particularly evident in scenes where the characters are illuminated under the glare of the neighborhood's vintage neon signs. The film "embodies the spirit and uniqueness of the Bay Area and reflects our collective pride and love for San Francisco neighborhoods," SFFILM executive director Anne Lai said. What they're saying: Though the film wasn't intentionally timed to be released in response to the current political climate, director Elena Oxman told Axios she's glad it's coming out now since "there's something extremely affirmative and important about making art" that increases trans and non-binary representation in cinema at a time when trans rights are under attack. Including details in the story about the character's transition helped create a film "where the main character's queerness isn't the focal point of the story and yet, queerness infuses every frame," Oxman, who moved to the city in 2011, said. What's next: The film, which premiered on the closing night of the SFFILM festival this past weekend, is still currently on a festival tour as Oxman seeks distribution.
NZ Herald
26-04-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Oxford farmers win award for fostering rural-urban connections and supportive work culture
Geoff said he supported WIL's efforts to recognise farmers for their work, which is often behind the scenes. 'We don't do what we do for the purpose of recognition, however, it is good for our industry to acknowledge positive work,' he said. 'We appreciate what WIL is doing with starting up these awards for shareholders this year.' In 2010, the couple designed their 500-metre-long irrigation lake to provide a reliable water supply for their farm and as a recreational space to share with the community. Rochelle said the lake was originally designed as a square, but this was changed to a rectangle to make it more suitable for recreational pursuits. 'Our vision was to use it for more than just storage and to have the right design to make it multipurpose.' Geoff, Rochelle and their children enjoy being active, so when Canterbury Triathlon Club's race director John Newsom approached the family with the idea of hosting the Oxman Triathlon at their irrigation lake in 2019, they jumped at the opportunity. Now in its seventh year, the Oxman Triathlon has grown to approximately 400 athletes, as word spread about the event. In 2022, a multisport race was added to the event with around 50 competitors kayaking around the lake. Geoff said having the Oxman at the beginning of summer provided a good practice race for the Coast to Coast, which was held a couple of months later. He also enjoyed welcoming competitors from the city on to a working farm for the event, to bring people from different backgrounds closer together. 'I don't believe in the rural-urban divide,' he said. 'Instead, I prefer to find opportunities to build stronger connections between farmers and people living in more urban areas. 'For me, it is about having the chance to share our space and the philosophy of 'healthy farm, healthy food, healthy water'.' Along with the Oxman Triathlon, Geoff and Rochelle host over 700 primary school students for the annual Canterbury Primary Schools Triathlon. The irrigation lake is also used for waka and dragon boat racing, and 15 years after work first started on the lake, Geoff and Rochelle are happy to be able to provide clean water for swimming and boating. 'John couldn't believe how clean the water was when he came out to test it. 'He told us it is one of the cleanest bodies of water he has ever held an event at.' The Cooperative Spirit Award also recognised Geoff and Rochelle's efforts to ensure that staff are active participants in their farming business while providing opportunities for progression in the agricultural industry. The couple aimed to create an inclusive, supportive culture where everyone could freely share their ideas. 'It's all about creating the right environment to encourage the next generation to give farming a go.' Work-life balance was also important. 'We want people to have enough free time to enjoy their hobbies and family time.' The culture was also about accepting that sometimes things won't always go as well as hoped, but to focus on continuous improvement. 'Every now and then, take the time to pause and acknowledge, and be grateful for what we have achieved together. 'It's a team approach that encourages people to take the initiative and look ahead to the future.'
