Boots Riley I Love Boosters West Coast Premiere Set as San Francisco Film Festival Centerpiece

Director Boots Riley latest feature film, I Love Boosters, will premiere on the West Coast as the Centerpiece of the 69th San Francisco International Film Festival, representing a homecoming for the Oakland-based filmmaker. The film, which follows a crew of young women who transform shoplifting into an act of defiance, will screen twice at Oakland historic Grand Lake Theatre on April 28, with showtimes at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Riley will appear for an onstage conversation following the screenings. The narrative centers on protagonist Corvette, played by Keke Palmer, and her crew as they travel across Oakland, acquiring coveted items and selling them at discounted prices to make fashion more accessible. Their activities draw the attention of fashion mogul Christine Smith, portrayed by Demi Moore, leading to a final heist involving supernatural allies and time-bending technology. The Centerpiece screening represents a significant milestone for Riley, who stated that SFFILM was the first organization to recognize him as a filmmaker and support his creative journey. The filmmaker noted that premiere at the Grand Lake Theatre, a venue he has frequented since childhood, adds personal significance to the San Francisco Bay Area setting of the film. Tickets will be available to SFFILM members beginning March 2, with general public sales starting March 4. The San Francisco International Film Festival runs from April 24 to May 4 across San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland, with the full program scheduled for announcement on April 1.