Boots Riley's 'I Love Boosters' Named Centerpiece Film of 69th San Francisco International Film Festival

The West Coast premiere of the new movie will take place in Oakland as part of the annual film festival.

Published on Mar. 3, 2026

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The 69th San Francisco International Film Festival has named Boots Riley's new movie 'I Love Boosters' as the Centerpiece film for this year's festival. The West Coast premiere of the film will take place at the historic Grand Lake Theatre in Oakland, California on April 28th, with a moderated conversation and a second screening later that evening.

Why it matters

The selection of 'I Love Boosters' as the Centerpiece film highlights Riley's status as a prominent Bay Area filmmaker and the festival's commitment to showcasing culturally significant cinema. The film's setting in the Bay Area also makes the local premiere an anticipated event.

The details

The first screening of 'I Love Boosters' at the Grand Lake Theatre is set for 6:30 p.m. PT on April 28, followed by a moderated conversation. A second screening will begin at 9:30 p.m. PT after a moderated introduction. Tickets are currently available to SFFILM members and will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday. The film, which stars Keke Palmer, LaKeith Stanfield, and Don Cheadle, is about a crew of professional shoplifters who target a cutthroat fashion maven.

  • The West Coast premiere of 'I Love Boosters' will take place on April 28, 2026.
  • The first screening is set for 6:30 p.m. PT on April 28, 2026.
  • A second screening will begin at 9:30 p.m. PT on April 28, 2026.

The players

Boots Riley

The director of 'I Love Boosters' and a prominent Bay Area filmmaker.

Keke Palmer

One of the stars of 'I Love Boosters'.

LaKeith Stanfield

One of the stars of 'I Love Boosters'.

Don Cheadle

One of the stars of 'I Love Boosters'.

SFFILM

The organization that runs the San Francisco International Film Festival.

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What they’re saying

“I'm hyped as hell to bring I Love Boosters to SFFILM since they were the first organization to recognize me as a filmmaker and to support me in my filmmaking journey. It's going to be extra special to premiere in my hometown at Grand Lake Theater [where] I've been going to since I was a kid. This film is my best work and it's going to be special to see this movie, which is set in the Bay Area, play here.”

— Boots Riley (wbal.com)

What’s next

The movie will premiere on March 12, 2026 during the opening night of the SXSW Film & TV Festival.

The takeaway

The selection of Boots Riley's 'I Love Boosters' as the Centerpiece film of the 69th San Francisco International Film Festival highlights the director's prominence in the Bay Area film community and the festival's commitment to showcasing culturally significant cinema with local ties.