Jessica Zack
SF Chronicle
California, United States
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Past articles by Jessica:
Did punk invent veganism? Moby’s new documentary charts the mix of music and activism
The musician stepped behind the camera to direct “Punk Rock Vegan Movie,” screening as part of S.F. Indiefest on Saturday, Feb. 4. → Read More
S.F. artist gives hair and heart to the fight for Iranian women’s rights
Iran native Mobina Nouri is set to bring her powerful “The Wind in My Hair” to the Legion of Honor on Saturday, Jan. 28. → Read More
Star runner going the distance to improve women athletes’ fortunes
Stanford grad Lauren Fleshman’s new memoir takes sports world to task over its treatment of female athletes. → Read More
How bestselling novel 'Women Talking' got Sarah Polley back into filmmaking
The director of 'Women Talking' discusses how Miriam Toews' novel of the same name brought her back after a decade-long hiatus. → Read More
With ‘Corsage,’ Vicky Krieps breaks free of Hollywood’s ‘rules’ for a leading lady
After experiencing the industry’s unrealistic expectations upon the release of “Phantom Thread,” the actress knew she was ready to play Elisabeth of Austria. → Read More
Whitney Houston biopic seeks to tell true story behind making of a ‘pop princess’
In 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody,' Naomi Ackie plays the singer facing heavy expectations to appeal to the masses while trying to stay true to her own voice. → Read More
California author’s new murder mystery unveils dangers of 1850s Monterey
Jane Smiley's latest novel reflects her natural historical curiosity and the inspiration she’s found in her adopted home’s colorful past. → Read More
How ‘Retrograde’ director captured heartbreaking, dangerous footage at end of war in Afghanistan
Award-winning filmmaker Matthew Heineman opens up about “the hardest film I’ve ever made,” about the last months of the war in Afghanistan. → Read More
Theater director finds ‘kismet’ with Jennifer Lawrence for feature film debut, ‘Causeway’
Lila Neugebauer, who worked on numerous plays in the Bay Area, spoke with The Chronicle about her first movie, about a veteran with a brain injury. → Read More
Director James Gray dredges family history for deeply personal ‘Armageddon Time’
While presenting his film at the Mill Valley Film Festival, the “Ad Astra” director opened up about replicating his childhood home and working with A-listers. → Read More
How ‘Till’ director tackled Emmett Till’s gruesome death, and his mother’s legacy, in new film
Chinonye Chukwu spoke with The Chronicle during the Mill Valley Film Festival about centering the movie on Mamie Till-Mobley’s journey toward activism. → Read More
Filmmaker Ondi Timoner tackles medical aid in dying with father's story in ‘Last Flight Home’
Timoner spoke with The Chronicle about the critically praised documentary, in theaters starting Friday, Oct. 21, and how she “couldn’t help' but make it. → Read More
For Cate Blanchett, ‘Tár’ creates compelling setting for a merciless character to self-immolate
Oscar buzz surrounds Blanchett for her tour de force performance as a classical music conductor on the precipice of a steep fall from grace. → Read More
'The Grab' gets deep into the shadowy roots of a global food crisis
Gripping documentary, featuring an intrepid investigative reporter based in San Francisco, gets its U.S. premiere at the Mill Valley Film Festival. → Read More
7 Bay Area movies you can’t miss during the 2022 Mill Valley Film Festival
From “The Grab” to “Fantastic Negrito: Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?,” here are the best local movies to watch during the festival Oct. 6-16. → Read More
Jann Wenner reflects on the power of music, love of S.F. and his wild ride
The Rolling Stone founder’s new memoir, 'Like a Rolling Stone,' is a reflective and dishy recount of the magazine's heyday. → Read More
Ken Burns calls ‘The U.S. and the Holocaust’ the most important project of his lifetime
The series highlights the roots of American racism, xenophobia and antisemitism that converged to hinder attempts to help Europe’s Jews and avert a genocide. → Read More
How ‘The Woman King’ director worked with Viola Davis to make an epic and ‘human’ action film
After the success of Netflix’s ‘The Old Guard,’ Gina Prince-Bythewood returns with a deeper, more satisfying exploration of the female warrior. → Read More
Immigrants, race and tragedy in Bay Area author Jonathan Escoffery’s ‘If I Survive You’
Like his book’s astute narrator, Trelawny, Escoffery as an adolescent confronted the ways his peers and society at large summed him up based on assumptions. → Read More
Sterling K. Brown sheds his ‘This Is Us’ persona to play funny in genre-bending movie
The Stanford alum stars with Regina Hall in “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul,” about a couple leading their Atlanta megachurch back to the top after a scandal. → Read More