Betting on Black
Oakland looks to establish itself as an incubator of Black filmmaking talent
By Lloyd B. Davis • Bay City News
August 19, 2026
OVER THE LAST DECADE, Oakland’s famous filmmakers Boots Riley and Ryan Coogler have seen massive critical and commercial success. Packed theaters for new Black Panther and Creed installments are common occurrences, and Riley’s mind-bending “Sorry to Bother You” and “I Love Boosters” are already staples in the genre known as Black Surrealism.
But what’s less well known are the smaller indie filmmakers, film advocacy groups, and film rebate programs that attract far less public attention but are helping position Oakland as a center for Black filmmaking — now and in the future.
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