March 31, 2011

Greetings!

Happy Birthday Cesar Chavez!

Thank you for being that light of hope for your generation and those to come.

Greetings friends, family and independent film lovers!

The 9th Oakland International Film Festival begins in one week with an array of films, networking events, concerts, mixers and other activities you would not want to miss.

Our website: www.oiff.org lists this years film and schedule. 

Please bare with us. We are updating from now until the festival is over!  Being over,  seems like it may never happen.  Because, each day, we are adding new events at different venues to our schedule.

Our mission is to utilize film to improve the MENTAL, PHYSICAL & SPIRITUAL health of the  

DIVERSE POPULATIONS of THE EAST BAY THRU INSPIRING FILMS.

A few films, we believe in our line up this year that represent our mission are: 

Gang Girl - "A Mother's journey to Save her daughter," (this feature documentary will awaken you to the growing number of girls finding support outside of the home by joining girl gangs. The Amazing Mr. Excellent - a feature length narrative for the whole family...a new superhero without super powers. So Right So Smart- a documentary about the profitable relationship a business can have while considering our environment. The Hush- a feature drama shot in Oakland with little funds and a lot of heart by Vincent Cortez.  Simply Raw- Reversing Diabetes - a possible solution to a health epidemic that puts the control of good health into what we are not putting in our bodies- live/raw food. And lastly (to keep this email short) David and Kamal by Kikuo Kawasaki ( who is expected to attend this year). A story of two nine year old boys who meet in Jerusalem.  Through their conflict, this story exposes the conflict we see in the Middle East.

Let us add a few short films like - Mines- Story of the Sacred Mountain, Sick Wid it, Le Jeu des Soldats.

David, a Jewish American, comes over to Jerusalem to meet his father that he has not seen for many years. His parents are divorced, and he lives with his mother in America.

Kamal, an Arab boy, lives in an Arab district in Jerusalem with his mother, sisters and very strict grandfather. He and his grandfather have to support the family because they have no father.

The day after his arrival, David comes to the Old City and accidentally meets Kamal in the worst possible way. Kamal steals David's porch full of old coins that David has been collecting.

David chases after Kamal to get back his coins, but he loses sight of him. When he is trudging down an alley, a teenage Arab gang spots him and picks a quarrel with him. David starts running from them like hell but they pursue him. It is Kamal that saves David from this crisis.

The Oakland International Film Festival is presented by the Oakland Film Society.

The Oakland Film Society was founded in 1996 as a non-profit corporation in the state of California.

Since our inception, The Oakland Film Society, has spearheaded networking events, screenings at schools, and local theaters throughout the Bay Area to promote and network independent filmmakers.

In 2002, the 1st Oakland International Film Festival premiered at the Grand Lake Theater. SInce, filmmakers from around the world, have come to Oakland, through the festival, to experience and share the art of filmmaking.

Along with screenings during the festival, workshops and panels are conducted to network filmmakers and further expand the film industry in Oakland.

The 9th Oakland International Film festival is will take place April 7-15th, 2O11.