Ukiah High School alum Will Hawkes gets Oscar nomination; film screens in NorCal Friday

Will Hawkes, a Ukiah High School graduate and co-founder of the production company Kindred Films, will return to his Mendocino roots when his Oscar-nominated film “The Last Ranger” screens in Ukiah. 

The film, which highlights rhino conservation efforts in South Africa, has earned an Oscar nomination for Best Live Action Short. “The Last Ranger” will be shown with other short films by Mendocino filmmakers presented by Hardly Artists on Jan. 31 at the Ukiah Players Theatre, offering a unique opportunity for the community to witness important work by hometown talent.