Cinequest leaned into this year’s theme, “Energized,” with Tuesday’s opening night festivities, which included a party at a surprising venue — City View Plaza in downtown San Jose.
In a discussion after the movie, Esposito said she was thrilled with the audience reaction to the movie, the making of which she described as “brutal.” She agreed with the notion offered by moderator Jeff Klaben that women filmmakers in Hollywood are treated with as much disregard as they are by the Mafia. To make her dream project, she had to mortgage her house twice and raised money with NFTs because, she said, Hollywood had no interest in funding a movie about women made by women.
Filmmakers and VIPs walk the red carpet at the California Theatre on the first day of the Cinequest film festival in downtown San Jose on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023. Honestly, given the likelihood that it’ll be quite some time until Jay Paul Co. can continue its redevelopment project, this would be a fabulous temporary use for the parcel. With San Jose’s normally great weather, it could host outdoor corporate parties, community festivals and other special events throughout most of the year.