Oakland Ilokana Film

A short documentary by elenita makani o’Malley

Oakland Ilokana follows a 90-year-old Filipina American grandmother — one of the first Filipino children born in 1930s Oakland — as she reflects on a lifetime shaped by migration, community, and resilience. Her stories become a bridge across time and place, carrying the weight of a family’s legacy and revealing the untold histories of a community finding its place in America.

Seen through the lens of her granddaughter — a filmmaker tracing the threads of their shared past — four generations of Bay Area Filipinas come into focus. The film explores displacement, cultural inheritance, and the enduring power of memory to connect us across generations, across place, and across life itself.

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Upcoming Events

Denver, CO | APIAHiP Forum

Friday, Sep 11, 2026 | 4-5:30PM
Watch Oakland Ilokana in a panel with other API-directed films and enjoy a Q&A after the screening.
Conference ticket required
2026 National Asian & Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation Forum

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Oakland International Film Festival

Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 | 5-8PM
Watch Oakland Ilokana in a film block with three other films, followed by a Q&A with the directors after the screening.
Elenita will be in attendance.
Tickets required
Northeastern University-Oakland (formerly Mill’s College) - Jeannik Méquet Littlefield Concert Hall

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Seattle, WA | Diwa Filipino Film Festival

Saturday, Oct 3, 2026 | 10AM-12:15PM
Watch Oakland Ilokana in a panel with other Filipino-directed films and enjoy a Q&A after the screening.
Tickets required
Tateuchi Story Theatre, Wing Luke Museum, Seattle

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Hayward Public Library

Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | 1-3pm
Watch the film and participate in a cultural preservation workshop to learn how to document your own history.
Elenita will be in attendance.
No RSVP required | Free
Hayward Public Library

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Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival

Sunday, Oct 25 | 4:30-7:20PM
Watch Oakland Ilokana in a panel with other API-directed films and participate in a Q&A after the screening.
Elenita will be in attendance.
Ticket required
AMC Sunnyvale 12 Theater

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San Francisco, CA | APAture Festival

Tuesday, Oct 27, 2026 | 6:30-8:30PM
Watch Oakland Ilokana in a film block with other films, followed by a Q&A with the directors after the screening.
Elenita will be in attendance.
Tickets required
Roxie Theater, San Francisco

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