Photo by Jacob Drabik

The Lens

The Lens is the FotoFocus editorial platform, highlighting our programming and featuring in-depth conversations on photography and the moving image drawn from perspectives and insights in our community, throughout our region, and around the globe.


Get “Spirited Away” with Hand-Formed Onigiri for SECOND SCREENS: Foodie Edition

Posted on March 30, 2021

In the bracket of what really wins March, we're for team classic movies and carb-laden comfort foods all the way. Namely: Miyazaki's animated masterpiece Spirited Away accompanied by DIY Japanese rice balls from Chef Hideki Harada.

A do-it-mostly-yourself take on a film festival for the stay-at-home era, SECOND SCREENS: Foodie Edition pairs a classic, widely available film with interactive—and edible!—elements for a dinner-and-a-movie experience done on your time.

Hope... Continue reading Get “Spirited Away” with Hand-Formed Onigiri for SECOND SCREENS: Foodie Edition


A Long Intermission: Searching for Cinematic Moments During Covid-19

Posted on September 9, 2020

Whether it's an increase in binge-watching or awareness of daily sights and sounds, the pandemic lockdown has permanently changed the way we, individually and collectively, relate to film—in ways we are still discovering.

While theater marquee lights remain dim—displaying words of wisdom rather than movie showtimes—many of us continue to experience meaningful cinematic moments outside of the traditional theater-going experience. The current pandemic has produced sweeping changes in how we consume media, altering what we watch and how we watch it. But at its core,... Continue reading A Long Intermission: Searching for Cinematic Moments During Covid-19