OUR GOAL
Build a film industry in Oakland.

OUR VISION
Our vision is to promote the art of filmmaking, and all of it’s components.From the script, the sound, the lighting, each aspect together makes what we call a film. Our vision is to see each of these components promoted, celebrated, and networked in Oakland, to create a prosperous film industry within the city of Oakland.

HISTORY
The Oakland Film Society was founded by David Roach, Johnny Drake, and Sharon Norwood to support independent filmmakers in the Bay Area, especially in the East Bay. David Roach had just finished producing a feature length film, Sydney Byrd, Private Eye with his brother Paul, and realized other filmmakers locally could benefit from a film festival in Oakland.

THE OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL The 1st Oakland International Film Festival was born in 2002 at the Grand Lake Theater. Each year the festival hosts panel discussions, workshops and special events at various venues to promote the independent filmmaker.