Filmmakers:

The Oak Park Black Film Festival celebrates African-American stories and history, aiming to amplify Black voices and narratives within the film industry.

Films must be by a writer, director, and/or producer who is a person of color (including but not limited to East Asian, South Asian, Black, African-American, Latino, and Pacific Islander) AND/OR feature people of color in the cast/storyline.

Film submissions for the 2027 Oak Park Black Film Festival will open in January 2027 on FilmFreeway.com

 

Congratulations to the 2026 Oak Park Black Film Festival Award Recipients!

Best Feature Film

Funny Feelings (Joshua Ferrell - Director)

Best Short Film

Food For the Soul (Chisom Chieke - Director)

Best Documentary 

The Eyes of Ghana (Ben Proudfoot - Director)

Best Local Film 

Promises of Tomorrow (Akeallah Blair - Director)

Founder’s Choice Award 

Black is Beautiful (Kwame Braithwaite - Director)

Viewer’s Choice Award 

Talk to Somebody (Jamal Akakpo - Director)

How to Support the Filmmakers

Continuing to support and connect with Oak Park Black Film Festival filmmakers beyond the festival helps their stories reach wider audiences. 

93′ Til (Friday) - Alterik Miller (Writer & Director) Follow @alterikmiller Write a Review

Basement People (Sunday) - Christine Swanson (Director) Follow @cswanson44 Write a Review

The Bill Patterson Story (Tuesday) - Anthony Severo (Director) Follow @asevero51. Write a Review

Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story (Saturday) – Kwame Brathwaite (Executive Producer) Follow @kwamebphoto and @blackisbeautifuldoc Write a Review

Dawn (Sunday) – Shia Shabazz Smith (Writer, Director & Producer) Follow@shiashabazzsmithwriter and @dawnshortfilmofficial Write a Review

Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World) (Monday) – Arron Saxe (Producer) Follow @twoonefiveent Write a Review

The Eyes of Ghana (Wednesday) Ben Proudfoot (Producer) Follow @bgproudfoot and @breakwaterstudios Write a Review

Famous Enough (Friday) – Tosin Morohunfola (Writer, Director, Producer & Lead Actor) Follow @tosin.morohunfola and @famousenoughfilm Write a Review

Food for the Soul (Saturday) - Chisom Chieke (Writer, Director & Producer) Follow @chisomchieke_ / and @foodforthesoulfilm Write a Review

Funny Feelings (Saturday) – Joshua Ferrell (Producer)  Follow @the_josh_district Write a Review

Heart of Sunshine (Tuesday) – Joy Ofodu (Writer, Director & Executive Producer) Follow @joyofodu and @enjoymentendeavor 

The Heir (Thursday) – Tia A Smith (Writer, Director & Executive Producer) Follow @mztiasmith Write a Review

Heroes Among Us: Kid Electric (Thursday) – Anthony Jones (Writer, Director & Creator) Follow @foursunsstudio and @heroesamongushq Write a Review

LIMITLESS: The Dr. Chester Pierce Story (Wednesday) - Gloria Respress-Churchwell (Writer, Director & Producer) Follow @gloriarespresschurchwell and @limitlessthedrpiercestory Write a Review

Love Zuri (Friday) – Okema T Moore (Director & Producer) Follow @okematmoore and @lovezurifilm Write a Review

Montmartre (Sunday) – Leon Hendrix III (Writer, Director & Producer) Follow @yunggiftedblack and @montmartrefilm Write a Review

Paradox of Safety (Tuesday) – Khaalid Muttaqi (Writer, Director & Producer) Follow @advancepeace Write a Review

Pick Me Up (Friday) – Leanna Bringht (Writer, Director & Producer) Follow @yanna_on_set Write a Review

Please Return Your Cart (Friday) - Kendra Jordan (Writer & Director) Follow @kendrajustbelieve Write a Review

Promises of Tomorrow (Monday) - Akeallah Blair (Writer, Director & Producer) Follow @afromillennial Write a Review

Secret Sins (Tuesday) – Dedrick Weathersby (Co-Producer) Follow @dedrickweathersby Write a Review

Sr. (Thursday) – Toroes David Thomas Jr. (Writer & Director) Follow @Seniormovieofficial 

Talk To Somebody (Thursday) - Jamal Akakpo (Writer, Director & Co Producer) Follow @jamalakakpo Write a Review

White History Month (Friday) – Aaron Wallace (Writer, Director & Producer) Follow @directedbyawall Write a Review