Event Schedule & Tickets
Click the FilmFreeway Button Above to Purchase Tickets.
Premiere Pass Includes:
- Early admission to the entire 7-day film festival
- Access to all post-reception events
- 7 days of powerful storytelling, visionary filmmakers, and vibrant community connections
Please note: Premiere Pass does not include reserved seating; all seating is open.
Day Passes Include:
- General Admission entry and ticket for full day of films
- Open Seating
- Access to Single Day Post Reception (Excluding Sunday)
Event Schedule
MONDAY, October 5 (5pm) (SPECIAL SCREENING)
Moderator – Kevin Johnson (OPBFF Founder)
Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World) (Documentary) - Amir “Questlove” Thompson – Director)
Directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World) is a comprehensive HBO music documentary that explores the rise, legacy, and inner dynamics of the legendary band Earth, Wind & Fire. The film’s primary focus centers heavily on the brilliance, personal life, and philosophy of the band’s late founder, Maurice White.
Tuesday, October 6 (5pm) (LOCAL Films day)
Moderator – Cecil Hannibal (News Anchor – KCRA Ch. 3)
Heart of Sunshine (Short Film) - Joy Ofodu (Director)
An imaginative 10-year-old girl and her babysitter conspire to set up the girl’s single father on an unexpected blind date.
Secret Sins (Feature Film) – Dedrick Weathersby (Director)
Secret Sins tells the compelling story of Anthony Harris, a young pastor whose life is upended when he is falsely accused of a heinous crime. As he fights to clear his name, Anthony faces betrayal, church politics, and personal secrets that test his faith and strength. Meanwhile, Marshall, a once-successful businessman, is wrongly implicated in a human trafficking scandal, confronting brutal prison violence and betrayal from those around him. Their paths unexpectedly cross when Anthony’s case leads him to a prison where Marshall is incarcerated. Forced into an unlikely alliance, both men must confront their darkest hours, relying on faith and resilience to uncover the truth and seek redemption. Together, they both embark on a journey of trials, tribulations, and triumph.
The Bill Patterson Story (Feature Documentary) – Anthony Severo (Director)
This is the untold story of Bill Patterson, who dedicated seven decades to public service in Oakland and along the way mentored some of the greatest people who ever lived—Curt Flood, Bill Russell, Joe Morgan—champions who changed the world, even as forces worked to destroy the Black community he served.
Paradox of Safety (Feature Documentary) – Khaalid Muttaqi (Director)
In Sacramento, California the impact of gun violence reaches far beyond the headlines. The Paradox of Safety is a documentary that explores the ongoing cycle of community violence and the grassroots efforts working to break it.
Double Stuff (Short Film) – Xavier Smalls (Director)
Double Stuff is an autobiographical short film by actor and director Xavier Smalls that explores the emotional, cultural, and professional complexities of being multiracial.
VIP Reception at Esther’s Park
wednesday, october 7 (5pm)
Moderator: Kevin John (Sports Anchor – ABC 10)
LIMITLESS: The Dr. Chester Pierce Story (Feature Documentary) - Gloria Respress-Churchwell (Director)
Limitless explores the life of a man who made extraordinary strides nationally and globally. From the beginning, he broke barriers by becoming his high school’s first Black student president and was the first African American to play intercollegiate football against a white team in a former Confederate state. His work as a psychiatrist saw him going to Antarctica to carry out research, to NASA to help select astronauts, and to Sesame Street to help educate a new generation of preschoolers. This documentary commemorates the contributions of this Renaissance man and uncovers the steps in forming this exceptional individual.
The Eyes of Ghana (Feature Documentary) – Ben Proudfoot (Director)
THE EYES OF GHANA is a stunning feature documentary following 93-year-old documentarian Chris Hesse—personal cinematographer to forgotten African icon Kwame Nkrumah—as he races against blindness and time to rescue and repatriate a secret trove of over 1,000 films that captured the birth of African independence in the fifties and sixties. Yet unseen by the public, these films may not only rewrite Ghanaian and African history—but world history itself.
VIP Reception at Fixins Soul Kitchen
thursday, october 8 (5pm)
Moderator: TBA
Before you Let Go (Short Film) – Jalen Blot (Producer)
On the bittersweet morning of her late husband’s birthday, a widow’s peaceful routine is disrupted by a broken coffee machine and an unexpected guest, unraveling a tender journey through grief, nostalgia, and renewed hope.
Sr. (Feature Film) – Blayre Pichon & Sean Banks (Directors)
After a struggling father takes his two kids on the run from social services, he tries to shield them from their harsh reality with a promise of the beach, but as his son Junior patiently waits for him to keep that promise, he’s forced to grow up early and challenge his father’s demons to get his family to their happy place.
Intergalactic Ingenue (Short Film) - Nathan Deshawn Bouie (Director)
On the night he’s supposed to integrate with his Hive-mind alien girlfriend, James, a man with deep commitment issues, discovers his ex is also dating the same Hivemind.
The Heir (Short Film) – Tia A. Smith (Director)
The story centers on “a grieving granddaughter” who inherits her grandmother’s home in a gentrifying Washington D.C. neighborhood. She is caught in a web of family tensions and generational scars, forcing her to choose between preserving her family’s tradition or redefining her legacy.
Talk to Somebody (Short Film) - Jamal Akakpo (Director)
A teenage boy whose freedom hangs by a thread, enters his final court mandated therapy session only to discover his therapist has emotional wounds of his own that run just as deep.
Heroes Among Us: Kid Electric (Short Film) - Anthony Jones (Director)
Get ready to be shocked and electrified by a new hero on the horizon. Kid Electric! This young speedster is new on the scene and has always wanted to be one of the comic book heroes he’s read about as a child. In this story we journey with him as he finds out exactly what it means to be a superhero.
VIP Reception at La Venadita
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 (5PM)
Moderator: Brandi Cummings (KCRA News Anchor)
93′ Til (Feature Film) – Alterik Miller (Director)
Rahmell, a struggling Philadelphia painter facing eviction, meets Yannie, a vintage clothing seller preserving her late mother’s legacy, at a job fair neither wants to attend. They ditch the fair and spend one perfect day exploring the city—record stores, art galleries, soul food restaurants —falling in love through vinyl, art, and presence in a world obsessed with screens.
Famous Enough (Short Film) – Tosin Morohunfola (Diretor) & Brian Arkamian Nelsonn (Film Subject)
A self-obsessed actor walks through an airport and meets fans, foes and flirts along the way. As he juggles his celebrity, social media and his thirst for fame, he learns the hard way who not to trust when he is suddenly kidnapped.
White History Month (Short Film) – Aaron Wallace (Director)
On an eventful day in the principal’s office, a disillusioned teacher (Wesley Jonathan) and a troubled student (Chance Mamo) form an unlikely connection, setting in motion a life-altering encounter that will change both of their futures forever.
Pick Me Up (Short Film) – Leanna Bringht (Director)
A day in the life of a ride-share driver and passengers as they navigate interpersonal conflicts.
Love Zuri (Short Film) – Okema T Moore (Director)
Left alone with his non-verbal daughter for the weekend, a father’s fears about her autism give way to joy when her song teaches him how to truly hear her.
Please Return Your Cart (Short Film) – Andrew St. Juste (Director)
Please Return Your Carts is a comedy-romance short film written and directed by Kendra Jo (Kendra Jordan). Executive produced by ColorCreative and Issa Rae’s team, it follows a 65-year-old former soldier working as a grocery store cart attendant who gets a second chance at love.
VIP Reception at Oak Park Brewing Co.
saturday, october 10 (5pm)
Moderator: Melanie Townsend (Fox 40 News Anchor)
Black is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite
Story
(Feature Documentary) – Kwame Brathwaite (Director)
Everyone knows the phrase “Black is Beautiful,” but few know of the man who helped popularize it. Little known Harlem based photographer – freedom fighter and activist – Kwame Brathwaite took 500,000 photos across his 70-year career, always devoted to celebrating the joy and beauty of African American life. This feature documentary tells the story of Kwame and the “Black is Beautiful” movement.
The Food for the Soul (Short Film) – Chisom Chieke (Director)
The Food for the Soul short film is an 18-minute romantic comedy-drama about a young couple balancing personal ambitions, family expectations, and cultural differences. [1, 2]
Funny Feelings (Short Film) – Joshua Ferrell (Director)
Funny Feelings is a romantic comedy about the thin, complicated line between best friendship and romance.The story follows Nick (Tristan Mack Wilds) and Zoey (Pretty Vee), two college friends who turn their undeniable comedic chemistry into a massive comedy empire.
VIP Reception at Fixins Soul Kitchen
sunday, october 12 (2pm)
Moderator: Courtney Dempsey (News Anchor – Good Day Sacramento)
Montmartre (Feature Film) – Leon Hendrix (Director)
The story follows a disillusioned woman named Jo (Ito Aghayere) who travels to Paris to clear her head, only to fall for a poetic local tour guide played by Jesse Williams.
Dawn (Short Film) – Shia Shabazz Smith (Director)
On the anniversary of her parents’ death, Dawn awakens to the quiet ache of a life unfulfilled. She’s spent years drifting — her dreams of becoming a therapist buried beneath grief, her heart walled off behind the comforting rituals of pouring wine at a cozy San Francisco bar
Basement People (Short Film) - Christine Swanson (Director)
Seven-year-old Tina is left in the care of her extended family after a traumatic event exposes the fault lines of a volatile household. Sensitive and emotionally fragile, she navigates a home ruled by control, neglect, and barely contained rage. As tensions escalate into violence, Tina retreats into the basement, seeking refuge from the chaos above.
Awards Presentation
NO VIP Reception