Fist Up Film Festival

At the Fist Up Film Festival...
We believe watching a good film can change your life…
We believe some films are made to be discussed…

The Fist Up Film Festival presents films that are intended to create impact, inspire discussion and foster understanding. By placing emphasis on the connected experiences between global and local communities, The Fist Up Film Festival creates visual parallels between people’s lived experiences and stories from around the world.

We are a majority volunteer and 100% POC led film festival. We are unique in that we do not require folks to pay to participate or submit their films and we do not charge for our community to come and watch the films. We aim to build authentic and lasting solidarity among Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), in order to undo Native invisibility, anti-Blackness, dismantle white supremacy and advance racial justice. The festival will also help to connect communities with the frontline organizations that serve them, allowing all participants to deepen community knowledge, learn from existing community wisdom, and provide opportunities for direct action and activism. "We firmly believe that “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” Audre Lorde

Films are shown in October at different venues throughout the Bay Area, California. We believe that Social Justice films don't have to make the audience feel horrible about the state of the world. We focus on uplifting stories that show our power!