Day 9 of the 23rd Oakland International Film Festival: # Oakperience Powerful Shorts & Features
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OAKLAND, Calif. - Californer -- Posted Courtesy of Wright Enterprises Community Spotlight~~~

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Festival continues through September 20th!

"'Freedom of Speech' which is currently under assault is a core value of the Oakland International Film Festival that has uplifted the ignored filmmakers and voiceless communities to provide a platform to be heard for twenty-three years.  OIFF is needed now more than ever."  Jackie Wright

Oakland Film Society
2123 East 30th Street
Oakland, CA 94606
info@oiff.org
510-776-4178

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 18, 2025

The 23rd Oakland International Film Festival (OIFF) continues its run with a strong slate of films and events on Day 9, offering audiences a lineup that probes identity, resistance, and community storytelling.

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What's On Today – Day 9 Highlights

Session 1: 4:00 – 6:00 pm at The Grand Lake Theater

• Making Waves — The Rise of Asian America (57:30) — A documentary exploring the origins and evolution of Ethnic Studies, and how Asian American communities have engaged with activism from Berkeley and San Francisco State to today.
• We Can't Breathe (20:45) — The story of Jorge, whose life is impacted after a major oil refinery disaster in North Richmond. As his mother battles respiratory illness, Jorge must balance school, family responsibilities, and justice efforts.
• If We Don't Work (20:05) — Focusing on James Richards, a longtime activist in Bayview Hunters Point, the film emphasizes community labor, jobs, and the slogan: "If we don't work, don't nobody work."

Evening Session: 9:30 – 11:30 pm at The Grand Lake Theater

• Reckless Behavior (27 min) — Follows Michaela, her life in flux with success, a new approach to relationships, and potential consequences when boundaries are tested.
• Gem (30:02) — In a small community in Abankese, Ghana, a teenage boy's vision to improve internet connectivity clashes with personal loss and mystery when he disappears.
• The Athletics — An Ode to Oakland (26:14) — Reflecting on what the departure of the Oakland Athletics meant beyond sports: loss of identity, community memory, and what remains in its place.
• Give My Regards (7:38) — A speculative, off‑beat story in space: when an asteroid of brain‑eating worms hits an old freighter, the captain must keep her musicals‑obsessed uncle calm while trying to save him.

Complete News Release:
https://hype.news/wright-enterprises-us/spotlight-on-day-9-of-the-23rd-oakland-international-film-festival-oakperience-powerful-shorts-feature-films-community-identity-resistance-eprl8vta

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