Brockman Gallery Productions began as a non-profit affiliate of Leimert Park's Brockman Gallery. The Brockman Gallery was founded by brothers Dale and Alonzo Davis in 1967 at 4334 Degnan Blvd and soon became one of Los Angeles' most important sites for the exhibition of works by African-American artists including David Hammons and John Outterbridge.

In 1973, the creation of Brockman Gallery Productions allowed the Davis brothers to substantially expand their program to include classes, festivals and film screenings.

The description of the organization printed in their ephemera read:

'Brockman Gallery Productions is a non-profit arts organization, created as an office for creative thinking which produces annual events, symposiums and employment for artists. BGP is also active in developing its community and the greater Los Angeles area in arts participation and cultural understanding of the artists and their product. Developing out of Brockman Gallery which started in 1967, it was has grown into producing many things which include an Artist In Residence Program, Annual International Film Festival, Annual Urban Visual Artists Symposium; Public Mural Projects, Annual Sidewalk Exhibit and Festival; and yearly Street/ Park Jazz Concerts. Recognition of Brockman Gallery Production's cultural contributions to the city of Los Angeles has come from the California State Senate, the Los Angeles City Council, the Mayor of Los Angeles, the Los angeles County Board of Supervisors, in addition to citizen's groups, other art organizations, educational institutions, and museums and galleries. Our unique contribution to the community: Brockman Gallery Productions creates opportunities for local artists to reflect and reinforce the diverse cultural values which help shape the communities identity.'

[Source: Brockman Gallery Film Festival Poster, 1979]


The Brockman Gallery Film Festival began in 1975 with "An Evening of Contemporary Black Films" at the Scottish Rites Auditorium and set out to create a viable venue for African-American and under represented filmmakers to showcase their work.

The program notes from the 1976 festival read:

'The Brockman Gallery Film Festival is a culturally entertaining exploration of Black films, and how they relate to the Black experience. It is our intent to bring artists and the general public together to explore the meaning and impact of Black films.

Brockman Gallery's philosophy is centered around creating opportunities for new and up coming artisans who have produced films. For the past five years, Black films have had either a positive or negative effect on the Black community. The various films that will be viewed will display the creativity of both professional and novice filmmakers.

The seminars will engage participants in meaningful explorations on the impact of Black films in our daily lives as well as how they stimulate other artistic and social movements within our culture. Through these interchanges, we hope to dispel some of the myths associated with Black films, while creating an atmosphere of creative discussion where participants can exchange ideas relative to the filmmaking industry and Black community.

Sincerely,
Alonzo Davis
Glenn Dixon
Fritz Goode'

[Source: Brochure, Brockman Gallery Film Festival, 1976]

During the following years the festival increased in size and ambition and began to program international activist cinemas including films from Brazil, Cuba and Senegal. In 1980, UCLA graduate Ben Caldwell programmed a large festival called "Los Angeles: The Ethnic Experience" that offered the first major, local, showcase of filmmakers from UCLA's Ethno-Communications program including films by Larry Clark, Caldwell, Julie Dash and Barbara McCollough and the founders of Visual Communications.