The 4th Annual Oak Park Black Film Festival returns October 7–12, 2025 at the historic Guild Theater in Sacramento — and your Premiere Pass is the key to experiencing it all.

Premiere Pass Includes:

Early admission to the entire six-day film festival

Access to all post-reception events

Six days of powerful storytelling, visionary filmmakers, and vibrant community connections

Please note: Premiere Pass does not include reserved seating; all seating is open.

After August 22, Premiere Passes increase from $100 to $125 — don’t wait!

Event Schedule

Tuesday, October 7 (5pm)

Mr. Advocate – Stacie McClamm (Director)

In an urban elementary school obsessed with test scores, a former corporate worker turned teacher clashes with his rigid principal as he fights to implement afternoon recess, believing unstructured play is key to improving both student well-being and academic performance.

Picture Perfect – Xavier Smalls (Director)

Picture Perfect is a short film that explores the complexities of troubled relationships. Frank, a man deeply affected by past trauma, turns to painting as a way to cope with his anger. He creates a portrait of the woman he plans to propose to, only to uncover a devastating secret that turns his world upside down.

Love is Blind – Parnielle Walker (Director)

In the bustling heart of Los Angeles, where dating is already a challenge, Chris—a cautious germaphobe—reluctantly agrees to a blind date set up by his best friend Bobby’s no-nonsense fiancée. To his surprise, his date is drop-dead gorgeous, and for a moment, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot. But what starts as a promising evening quickly spirals into chaos.

Moses – Fran Guajarro (Director)

In San Francisco, a man enduring homelessness for two decades connects with passersby to be seen among the invisible, a skill he learned from a promising music career cut short in the 70s, and one that will ultimately transform his life.

Happy Birthday MikeMike – Mohammad Gorjestan & BJ McBride (Director)

‘Happy Birthday MikeMike’ is a film from the 1-800 Happy Birthday project, documenting Michael Brown’s 10th heavenly birthday party organized by his mother Lezley McSpadden on May 20, 2024.

Withered – Alana Smith (Director)

When a clairvoyant on the run from the government steals a highly valued photo, he uses his supernatural abilities to find his family before a lunar eclipse erases everything in his memory.

 

wednesday, october 8 (5pm)

She Runs the World (Feature Documentary) – Allyson Felix (Film Subject)

She Runs the World is the electrifying story of Allyson Felix, the most decorated Olympic track and field athlete in history, who risked everything to fight for what she knew was right.

At the peak of her career, Allyson and her husband learned she was pregnant, yet their delight was tempered by a concern that her sponsor—Nike—would financially penalize her. Their worst fears were realized; a public fight for maternal protections in sports ensued. Nike had proposed slashing her salary by nearly 70% even though it still planned to use her image widely. Although Nike eventually was willing to agree to special protection for Allyson, one of their most forward-facing women athletes, Allyson was adamant that maternal protections for all female athletes be promised by Nike, not just those few with clout. Nike refused. Instead of accepting the favorable conditions offered to her specifically and letting other women battle for themselves, Allyson refused to back down and went public with their disagreement. She walked away from the guaranteed income from Nike and launched her own sneaker brand, the first ever designed specifically for women’s feet—and went on to unprecedented Olympic glory.

Allyson had successfully turned her personal and professional battles into a movement, compelling a billion dollar industry to change. She Runs the World is a testament to how each of us can make a difference by being true to our own values.

The ReWrite (Short Film) – Terry Dawson (Director)

A struggling screenwriter revisits the characters in his script in real life to do a rewrite of his latest draft in order to save his dying career.

Knocking on Doors (Short Documentary) - (Louis Bryant)

Submitted by Sac Observer about Dwante Early and Flo Cofer’s Run for Mayor

thursday, october 9 (5pm)

Proceed and Be Bold (Feature Documentary) – Amos Kennedy Jr. (Film Subject)

Soul of the City (Short Film) – Roger Melvin (Director)

Ways to Fly (Short Film) – Kirby Marshall-Collins (Director)

The Ohio, Texas Remix (Short Film) – Ya’Ke Smith (Director)

Untold Secrets: The Flip Side (Short Film) - Dwayne Ricardo Brown (Director)

 

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10 (5PM)

Love Offside (Feature Film) – Dale S. Lewis (Director)

Can You Stand the Rain (Feature Film) – Eden Marryshow (Director)

 

saturday, october 11 (5pm)

Jules (Short Film) – Tiffany M. Abney (Director)

Zeke (Short Film) – Kerry Codett (Director)

Platanero (Short Film) – Juan Frank Hernandez (Director)

The Late Night Creep (Feature Film) – Jamal Dedeaux (Director

Goodnight, My Love (Short Film) – Chyna Robinson

Black Voices from the Ivory Tower (Short Documentary) – Khalid White (Director)

 

sunday, october 12 (1pm)

Shaka Senghor: How to Be Free

Wait Until Tomorrow (Feature Film) – Osato Dixon (Director)

Outdoor School (Feature Film) – Ime Nyong Etuk (Director)

Awards Presentation