We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest

2020 • 58 minutes

About this movie

Every year in Oakland, CA, hundreds of pre-K through 12th grade students compete in the Martin Luther King Oratorical Festival, performing a mix of published and original poetry and speeches. Directed and produced by Emmy® winner Amy Schatz, and produced by Emmy® winner Diane Kolyer, this documentary chronicles the months leading up to the finals of the 40th annual festival, as schools across the city send their top-placing individuals and groups to compete in the event. Showcasing a multitude of talented and diverse student voices, the 57-minute film follows the contestants from rehearsals at home and in their classrooms through district semifinals and, ultimately, to the finals where they perform in front of hundreds, speaking from the heart and paying tribute to the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.