Join us for the The 22nd Oakland International Film Festival.

Schedule of Events:

September 12, 2024

8:00pm: The Hoodtrophy Bino Story - Breaking The Generational Curse

Dive into the captivating narrative of HoodTrophy Bino - a California hip-hop artist from the projects of South Central and Palmdale, discovered by Soulja Boy in jail, and destined to overcome the generational curse of poverty and incarceration plaguing all of the males in his immediate and extended family. Bino opens up about the trials and triumphs that shaped his life - offering insights into the challenges of growing up in a tough environment. From overcoming adversity to pursuing his dreams, Bino shares poignant stories that resonate with authenticity and resilience. Join us as we explore the powerful narrative of self-discovery, perseverance, and breaking free from the chains of the past. Don't miss out on this inspiring tale of transformation into a Trophy!

Location: The Grand lake Theater

September 13, 2024

6:00pm: The Night Before Christmas

Twas The Night Before Christmas, And Maria And Jose Had A Lot Of Christmas Presents To Pack. But Their Race Against Time Didn't Stop When They Were Done. Will The Christmas Bring Joy To Their Family?

Location: Mills College At Northeastern University

Freedom Hair

Based on the inspiring, true story of Melony Armstrong, a mother who works at a shelter for battered women decides to start a natural hair braiding business to achieve financial independence for herself and others. To do so she must overcome unexpected obstacles imposed by a powerful cartel and the state of Mississippi.

8:00pm:  Werewolf Serenade

When Burnt-Out College Professor Peter Mactire Accidentally Becomes A Werewolf, He And His Concert Cellist Wife Julia Embrace The Change To Thwart An Evil Occultist Plot, Save The College, And Their Marriage.

Location: Mills College At Northeastern University

Eclipse : The Attraction

A Paranormal Bounty Hunter Goes After A Renegade Demon While Trying To Find The Answers To His Father's Demise. This Short Is A Prequel To 48 Hour Film Project That Screened In 2022 Called, The Eclipse.

September 14, 2024

3:00pm: Wake The Town

Three Former Residents Of Oakland Ca Tell Their Stories Of Leaving The City They Called Home. Two Of The Three Have Now Died-One Of Murder-Showing The High Tragically Cost Of Housing Instability.

Huli

Sol, A Black Biracial Young Man, Ran Away From New York To Hawaii To Start A New Life. During A Period Of Heightened Radicalized Violence On The Us Continent, He Seeks A New "Home." He's A Hyper-Driven Escapist - Training As A Boxer, Living Out Of His Car, And Seeking The "American Dream" Of Opulent Wealth. While Well Intended, Sol Lacks Balance, Restraint, And Roots.

Grady Tate's Windmill's

Grady Tate, Legendary, Masterful, Jazz Drummer And Vocalist. For More Than Six Decades, Grady's Distinctive Sound Has Graced Literally Thousands Of Recordings And Performances With Such Musical Giants As Quincy Jones, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin And Lena Horne.

5:30pm: All Tied-Up

"All Tied Up" is a story about a program committed to providing opportunities for young teens, regardless of their background or family circumstances. With a focus on promoting education and achievement, our film highlights the founder of All Tied Up and his drive to empower and encourage his students to pursue their passions and break barriers.

Dovey's Promise

Dovey's Promise is a courtroom drama about Dovey Roundtree's brilliant defense of Raymond Crump in the Tow-path murder trial of 1965, in which the victim was Mary Pinchot Meyer, the last mistress of JFK. It was Dovey against the vast resources of the U.S. Department of Justice. Joy White stars as the indomitable Dovey.

Location: Mills College At Northeastern University

September 15, 2024

Filmmaker Panel / Mixer

12:00pm. -  3:00pm: Filmmaker Panel - Oiff22 Filmmakers Share Their Journey Of Making Films And Telling Ehir Stories
3:00pm. - 6:00pm: Filmmaker Mixer After Learning About Who Is In The Room
6:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M: Jazz At Geoffrey's - Stay Tuned For Artist Performing

Location: Geoffrey's Inner Circle

September 16, 2024

6:00pm: 1001 Cuts

1001cuts Explores The Careers Of The Daughters Of Title Ix Through The Experiences Of Surgeons. Social And Cultural Change In The 1970's Allowed For The Opportunity To Train And Be Included Into This High Stakes Professional Environment. This Film Documents The Pervasive Stereotypes And Gender-Based Discrimination That Persist Within Workplaces Designed For, And Still Controlled By Men.

Water For Life

Water For Life explores the collision of water rights, Indigenous beliefs, and resource extraction through the lives of three community leaders in Central and South America. Our protagonists face harassment and death threats as they fight the powerful forces that threaten the environmental, cultural and economic survival of their communities.

8:45pm: Above The Roots - A Documentary Short About A Young Arborist In Oakland California

Collateral

Army veteran Adrián is suffering from PTSD after a decade in the military. An invitation by a journalist friend to share his story leads him to meet Nayeli, a mother searching for her disappeared son. Can two seemingly opposing people find a way to reconsider established ideas of victimization, peace, and justice

Stampila

A middle-aged woman decides to overthrow the powerful oligarch who controls her country. Armed with only her wit and a stolen government stamp, she must outsmart the oligarch's henchmen, evade the secret police, and trick her countrymen into sparking a revolution. Facing off against armed riot police, water cannons, and deep fakes, she must stop the oligarch from stealing the people's money and making her country the poorest in Europe.

Location: Mills College at Northeastern University

September 17, 2024

5:30pm - 7:30pm

Join Us For A Reception And Panel, Starting With A Meet And Greet With The Filmmakers At The Ko0 Labs Design Center & Production House

Brenden Anderson - Managing Director Of Media & Technology
Theo Hollingsworth - Animation Program Manager
James Earl- Rockerfeller Media Services Manager
David Roach - Founder, Oakland International Festival
Ramasses Head - History In The Making Films
Shakajamal Redmond - Olub Films
Judd Fleming - Up To Code Media

Location: 1035 7th Street Oakland, CA

September 18, 2024

6:00pm: Descendants Of Us

A compelling, artistic, and humanitarian short film that shares the stories of people whose families overcame incredible odds to build lives in America.

Keith Lamar Sweets

Keith Lamar: Sweet Is A Collaboration Unfolding Across And Over The Prison Walls. It Was Inspired By A Call Between Keith Lamar And Samora Pinderhughes (Keith Calling From Death Row), Part Of A Series Of Interviews Conducted As Part Of The Healing Project.
Keith Lamar Is A Writer, Poet, And Musician Who Has Spent Over 30 Years In Solitary Confinement On Death Row In Ohio After Being Framed For Murder Following The 1993 Lucasville Prison Riot. Our Mission, Through This Film, Is To Free Him From Prison.

The Fight For Black Lives

The Fight for Black Lives chronicles the ways that racial stress and the American healthcare system disadvantages the health of Black Americans. This health disparity is traced back to emancipation, which increased the Black mortality rate, in part, because formerly enslaved people had no access to formal health care even when they could pay. The film shows that there is nothing new about the disproportionate rate of Black mortality that was associated with the COVID-19 pandemic by showing that on almost all measures of health Black people in the United states live sicker and die younger.

8:00pm: Change The System

Growing up in America, youth do not have equitable access to resources or opportunities. Black youth in particular face historical and systemic disadvantages, leading to disparities in wealth creation later in life. "Change the System: Building Black Wealth" follows Oakland high school senior Otis Ward IV as he participates in a pilot program at UC Berkeley aimed at closing the racial wealth gap, while grappling with the pressures of leaving his hometown and charting his own path.

Jona

Jano, a kleptomaniac girl, steals a mobilephone in a party and her friends discover her. Her friends decide to make justice for themselves. As a consequence they take advantage of her and they upload a video in Internet making fun of her.

Chelladurai

In The Cruel Dance Of Time, Mothers And Fathers Who Forsake Their Flesh And Blood Face A Punishment More Severe Than Any Earthly Retribution. Their Children, Discarded Like Seeds In The Wind, Are Left To Grow Into Towering Trees, Bearing Witness To The Neglect That Shaped Their Roots. Yet, Amidst The Shadows Of Abandonment, Do These Trees Offer Solace To The Forsaken? Their Branches May Stretch Wide, Casting Shelter Upon The Weary And The Condemned, Whispering A Silent Plea For Redemption. For Even In The Darkest Corners Of Neglect, The Resilience Of The Human Spirit Yearns For The Embrace Of Compassion.

Location: Mills College At Northeastern University

September 19, 2024

5:30pm: Papa Joe Day

Papa Joe is one of the original and the oldest active member of the black motorcycle club, The East Bay Dragons. On this day, the city of Oakland, CA, officially dedicates 8.19.2023 as Papa Joe day. Community and Culture have always been what the Dragons are all about. This mini-documentary captures the wholesome energy on Papa Joe's day in a community that its own local government is picking apart.

Project 212

Life isn't fair, and that's especially true in the world of high school robotics competitions. Project 212, a robotics team from Ygnacio Valley High School, faces more challenges than most. Experience is short and resources are limited. Project 212 believes in itself though. But is grit, devoted mentors, and an unwavering focus on teamwork enough to compete against the best teams in the world?

A Little Hope For Chicago

Part Narrative Performance Film, Part Documentary, A Little Hope For Chicago Is A Walk Through The Life Of A Chicago Hustler, Narrowly Avoiding The Devastating Consequences Of Death And Incarceration, As He Reflects On The Systemic Root Causes Of The Violence And Trauma That Consume Youth In Urban Centers Like Chicago.

8:00pm: Huey

Huey, the short film looks at the final days of Dr. Huey P. Newton's life to try and look at the plausible possibility, "Was Huey P. Newton randomly murdered or was it an orchestrated assassination by the United States government?" By taking public information from government agencies and private sources such as news agencies and media outlets and publications who have interviewed key players as well as Dr. Newton's loved ones and personal friends, this film revisits the days and month leading up to the fateful day he was murdered and the circumstances surrounding his death/execution.

She Wins

BT Kingsley is an up and coming LA comedian finally looking for a meaningful relationship with the right woman in a city who's streets are infamously paved with the good intentions of those whose champagne dreams didn't quite materialize into reality or the desired outcome. That being said, even after several years of trial and error… and more than his share of frolicking misadventures along the way, BT is still no quitter.

Location: The Grand Lake Theater

September 20, 2024

Knead

When an alien landing mysteriously drives people around the world to achieve their deepest dreams, an aspiring baker in an unhappy marriage wonders why she hasn't been affected at all—forcing her to take matters into her own hands.

God-Given Talent - The Creative Life Of Charles Curtis Blackwell

Charles Curtis Blackwell: the Oakland poet, painter, playwright and teacher — takes us on an intimate journey into his past and present. From his challenging upbringing in both California and Mississippi, to his current creative life, we follow as he discusses loss, love, pain, and redemption — all through the prism of his artistic endeavors.

Bottled Spirits

50-something Louise is a native of West Oakland, California; a community once known as the Harlem of the West, and which gave birth to the Black Panther Party. Gentrification has turned her beloved community into unfriendly and unrecognizable territory and the weight of being Black in America now threatens to crush her. She straps on the daily armor of alcohol, cigarettes and a sharp tongue to block out the constant ache of losing everything that ever mattered. On this day however, a door she has been banging on for years magically opens, an ancestor arrives to help and Louise battles her demons - and herself - in a desperate attempt to find the courage to walk the difficult path toward redemption.

Sorry We're Dead

Cinema and reality blur with comic deconstruction when Lana's movie falls through the ceiling into her life.

Location: Mills College at Northeastern University

Date: September 12 - 20, 2024

Location: Various Venues In Oakland, CA

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