Warriors Coach Steve Kerr Wins Oscar for Documentary Short

Kerr was an executive producer for "All the Empty Rooms," which chronicles how families have memorialized the bedrooms of children killed in mass shootings.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 10:24pm

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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is now an Oscar winner. Kerr was one of the executive producers for the documentary short film "All the Empty Rooms," which won the Oscar on Sunday night. The 35-minute film tells the stories of how families have memorialized the bedrooms of children killed in mass shootings. Kerr, whose father was killed in a 1984 shooting, has long been an advocate for common-sense gun regulation.

Why it matters

Kerr's involvement in the Oscar-winning documentary short highlights his longstanding advocacy for gun reform and his desire to give a voice to the families impacted by gun violence. The film's powerful message aligns with Kerr's public stance on the issue and provides a platform to further the conversation around this critical societal problem.

The details

Kerr was approached about a year ago to be an executive producer on the film, which he said was a "no-brainer" given his passion for the issue of gun violence. The film, directed by Joshua Seftel, chronicles how broadcast journalist Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp told the stories of how families have memorialized the bedrooms of children killed in mass shootings. Kerr did not have a direct role in the filmmaking but helped promote the project in recent weeks, including writing an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times.

  • The film "All the Empty Rooms" won the Oscar for documentary short on March 12, 2026.
  • Kerr was approached about being an executive producer on the film around a year ago.

The players

Steve Kerr

The head coach of the Golden State Warriors and a nine-time NBA champion as a player and coach. Kerr's father was killed in a 1984 shooting and he has long been an advocate for common-sense gun regulation.

Joshua Seftel

The director of the Oscar-winning documentary short "All the Empty Rooms."

Gloria Cazares

The mother of a 9-year-old girl killed in the 2022 Uvalde, Texas school shooting. Cazares accepted the Oscar on stage and spoke about her daughter's bedroom being "frozen in time."

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What they’re saying

“What mattered to me right away was how the film listens to families. It gives them room to speak about their children without exploiting their stories into politics or spectacle. There's a dignity in that choice, which is difficult to find in the way our country usually talks about gun violence.”

— Steve Kerr

“My daughter Jackie was 9 years old when she was killed in Uvalde. Since that day, her bedroom has been frozen in in time. Jackie is more than just a headline. She is our light and our life. Gun violence is now the No. 1 cause of death in kids and teens. We believe that if the world could see their empty bedrooms, we'd be a different America.”

— Gloria Cazares, Mother of Uvalde shooting victim

What’s next

Kerr plans to continue using his platform to advocate for gun reform and raise awareness about the impact of gun violence on families and communities.

The takeaway

Kerr's involvement in the Oscar-winning documentary short "All the Empty Rooms" underscores his longstanding commitment to addressing gun violence in America. The film's powerful message and Kerr's advocacy work aim to give a voice to the families devastated by mass shootings and inspire meaningful change around this critical issue.