Through intimately filmed vérité, Homeroom follows the class of 2020 at Oakland High School in a year marked by seismic change, exploring the emotional world of an ensemble cast coming of age against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world.

Oakland High School’s class of 2020 confronts an unprecedented year. Anxiety over test scores and college applications gives way to uncertainty springing from a rapidly developing pandemic. Efforts to eliminate the school district’s police force unfold against the backdrop of growing nationwide demands for systemic change. Emmy Award-winning director/cinematographer Peter Nicks (winner of the Directing Award: U.S. Documentary at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival) captures the resilient and defiant energy of this senior class in his final chapter in a trilogy of films examining the relationship between health care, criminal justice, and education in Oakland. (APRIL 22-23)

Director’s Statement: Peter Nicks

The primary intention behind my artistic practice is to use deep access—both institutional and emotional—to build empathy pathways in the culture. I try to create space for audiences to reimagine how they see themselves and the world around them by reframing contentious national issues through intimate character-driven narrative. I seek to achieve this by avoiding polemic narrative and instead focusing a curious and non-judgmental lens on the kaleidoscope of our collective humanity. I aim for my films to allow for discovery while also being very intentional about choosing when to embark on a particular journey, thus allowing these narratives the best chance to achieve a blend of serendipity and relevance. My work is produced with a keen awareness of the shifting conversations around issues vital to both local communities and national policymakers. This work is encapsulated in the trilogy of films I am now completing. This grand narrative—told over a period of 13 years—is the coalescence of themes that reflect our broad spectrum of humanity.

Selected Filmography: The Waiting Room, The Force