The Oak Park Black Film Festival wasn’t just about films. It was also about moments — moments that made the audience cry, reflect, and remember that Sacramento’s Black storytellers are claiming space, one frame at a time.
This year’s festival, held Oct. 7-12 at the Guild Theater, brought together a strong mix of local and national talent, with screenings that spanned from deeply personal documentaries to imaginative short films.
I will admit that “She Runs the World,” the feature documentary on Olympian Allyson Felix, moved me to tears. The film follows Felix’s fight for maternal protections for women athletes after her sponsor, Nike, threatened to cut her pay during pregnancy.
“This story is not just about me,” said Felix, appearing on a panel with Oak Park Black Film Festival founder Kevin Johnson. “It’s about standing up for what is important, even if it costs you something. I wanted other women to realize that their courage can change an entire system.”
Between screenings, attendees connected at vibrant receptions across Oak Park, from Fixins Soul Kitchen to Oaxaca, where filmmakers shared stories behind their work. The week featured a rich mix of narratives, from “Love Offside,” a heartfelt feature about a physical therapist who risks her career to help a famous rugby player’s recovery using a bold mix of Jamaican herbal remedies and modern therapy, to “Proceed and Be Bold!,” a documentary on American visual artist Amos Kennedy Jr. that reminded audiences of the beauty in following one’s calling.
Panel moderator, producer, and director Williamena Kwapo, left, and director Louis Bryant III celebrate with Dr. Dawnté Early. Roberta Alvarado, OBSERVER
Local filmmakers also were spotlighted. On Local Films Day, Stacie McClamm’s “Mr. Advocate” tackled the pressures of standardized testing through a teacher’s fight to bring play back into the classroom, while Parneille Walker’s “Love Is Blind” offered a comedic yet chaotic take on dating in Los Angeles.
Fran Guajarro’s moving documentary “Moses” follows a man experiencing homelessness in San Francisco as he reclaims his dignity through human connection. Xavier Smalls’ “Picture Perfect” explored the pain of love and betrayal through art, and “Happy Birthday MikeMike” by Mohammad Gorjestan and BJ McBride honored the late Michael Brown with a powerful portrait of remembrance and resilience.
Rounding out the day, Alana Smith’s “Withered” brought a supernatural twist to the lineup, blending memory, time, and survival into a story that lingered long after the credits.
The OBSERVER premiered its documentary “Knocking on Doors: Two Cities, Two Historic Campaigns,” directed and produced by Louis Bryant III and Williamena Kwapo. The short documentary followed Dr. Dawnté Early and Dr. Flojaune Cofer as they ran for mayor in their respective cities, spotlighting the challenges and hopes of Black leadership in modern politics.
“It was an honor to capture such a historic moment in this region’s history,” Kwapo said. “I hope this film serves as a reminder to future generations of Black women who aspire to run for office to have the courage to get out there and try.”
Bryant discussed the importance of preserving the Black community’s history now more than ever.
“I have had a perspective shift recently. Instead of being just a storyteller, to be a memory preserver,” Bryant said. “We wanted to be authentic with this film and document history being made here in Sacramento.”
Faye Wilson Kennedy, lead advocate for the Sacramento Poor People’s campaign who is featured in the film, said she was excited to watch it for the first time.
“I was a little hesitant initially to be part of the film. However, once I conducted my research on things of the past and connected it to the present, I felt more confident,” she said. “Watching the film was exciting.”
The OBSERVER’s Williamena Kwapo leads a panel discussion with directors Terry Dawson (“Rewrite”) and Louis Bryant III (“Knocking on Doors: Two Cities, Two Historic Campaigns”) at the Guild Theater on Oct. 8. Roberta Alvarado, OBSERVER
Kennedy, who attended the first Oak Park film festival in 2022, said the festival gives Black people a crucial platform to share their stories.
“We have to make sure this festival continues because it makes sure our stories are continually told,” Kennedy said.
As for me, “Knocking on Doors” left me inspired. “The Rewrite,” a feature film directed by Terry Dawson, made me question my choices. It is the kind of film that forces you to pause and ask where your story is headed and if you are being true to yourself.
“I wanted to make a film that is reflective of what many Black creatives in Hollywood go through as we struggle with gatekeepers to showcase our authenticity,” Dawson said.
It’s clear that the Oak Park Black Film Festival has become more than an annual event; it’s a movement. It’s a celebration of resilience, creativity, and community that continues to grow each year. And with local filmmakers stepping up, and The OBSERVER proudly entering the documentary space, the future of Black storytelling in Sacramento looks brighter than ever.
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