OLLI Goes to the Movies: The Mill Valley Film Festival Experience

Course

OLLI Goes to the Movies: The Mill Valley Film Festival Experience

Friday, October 9, 2026
Friday, October 9, 2026
A leaping red-stripped carton of popcorn flying in the air

Step into the buzz of the 49th annual Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF)! In this second-annual collaboration between OLLI and the California Film Institute, you’ll go behind the scenes with a festival insider — then experience the magic firsthand with a shared day of film in Mill Valley.

 

The adventure starts with an online preview session led by Karen Davis, senior film programmer emerita of the MVFF, who will introduce the two featured films and reveal how a world-class festival lineup comes together. Then you'll head to the Festival to watch both films with fellow OLLI members — immersing yourself in the energy, conversation and discovery that define MVFF. Expect standout selections from the international festival circuit — fiction, documentary or premieres — with the possibility of guest filmmakers in attendance. Seats are limited! 

 

🍿 Part 1: The Preview

  • Friday, Sept. 18, 10:30–noon

  • Learn about the films and the filmmakers, plus what goes into programming an international film festival. 

  • This session will be livestreamed and recorded.

🍿 Part 2: The Festival

  • Friday, Oct. 9, 11 AM–TBD

  • Spend the day at MVFF! We’ll gather in Mill Valley, watch two films together, and enjoy a break between screenings to relax, reflect and connect.

  • Film-goers are responsible for their own transportation.

Showtimes, titles and more details about the day will be announced as soon as the Festival lineup is finalized. 

OLLI Goes to the Movies: The Mill Valley Film Festival Experience

Fall Registration Opens

Special Event

Fall Registration Opens

Monday, July 13, 2026
Monday, July 13, 2026

Join us for dozens of new courses that dive deep into history, politics, music, literature, film, law, the environment, and more. All taught by Berkeley faculty and other top scholars. Fall registration opens Monday, July 13 at 9 AM. Many courses — in person in Berkeley and online — begin the week of September 14, with a second wave launching in mid-October. Not an OLLI member yet? Let’s fix that! Learn about the many benefits of membership — access to 100+ courses per year, speaker events, field trips, town halls, vital aging workshops, socials, and more — plus a special offer for new members and our fee assistance program.

Fall Registration Opens

Reconnecting Democracy: The Phoenix Goes Global and Political

Course

Reconnecting Democracy: The Phoenix Goes Global and Political

Thursday, October 29, 2026
Thursday, November 12, 2026
Hands being raised against a red background

Prevailing political theory tells us that democracies thrive in cooperative environments. In short, democracies work best when they play well together. Yet over the past decade or so, many democratic partnerships and alliances have grown apart and atrophied, thereby weakening the “brand” of democracy on the global stage. Is this slow decay irreversible? Or is there a possibility for the rebuilding of democratic partnerships and alliances on the global stage in a way that ensures the vibrancy and longevity of global democracy? This course argues strongly in the affirmative.

Faculty Bio

Darren Zook teaches in political science and global studies at UC Berkeley. His areas of interest include comparative politics, human rights and international law. He has received numerous teaching awards for his creativity in the classroom, and was recently named one of the “Top Ten Most Inspiring Professors at UC Berkeley” by College Magazine. He lectures all around the world, and has published six books.

This is a Livestreamed + Recorded Course

  • Classes will stream live on the scheduled day and time
  • Classes will also be video recorded
  • You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Thursday, Oct. 29, and ends on Thursday, Nov. 12
  • Classes meet for 3 weeks, 2 hours per session (10 AM–noon)
  • All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

Member Praise for Darren Zook

Dr. Zook is one of the best teachers I've ever had and I'm 80!

Darren Zook is an amazing teacher. He's a well-organized, extremely knowledgeable, and always engaging.

I have taken several classes with Darren Zook and will take several more. His scope and depth of knowledge is extraordinary. And he is able to communicate it effectively and effortlessly. 

Faculty Q&A

Reconnecting Democracy: The Phoenix Goes Global and Political

Guided Autobiography

Course

Guided Autobiography

Thursday, October 15, 2026
Thursday, November 5, 2026
A pencil with many strands writing a single line

In this course, we will examine the “foundations of your story,” the first of a two-part examination. It will guide you through four essential themes that form the backbone of every life: the meaning of money, self-image and wellbeing, the male-female equation, and the end of life. A follow-up course, “Enriching Your Life Story,” scheduled for Winter 2027, will take you deeper into your own story.

Faculty Bio

Sara Orem, PhD has taught at OLLI for more than a decade, bringing both academic expertise and practical wisdom to her popular workshops. As a founder of OLLI's Vital Aging program, she has helped countless adults discover the power of personal storytelling. Her academic study is in positive psychology and the ways in which we can enhance our emotions to live a more satisfying and fulfilling life.

This is an In Person Workshop

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Thursday, Oct.15, and ends on Thursday, Nov. 5
  • Classes meet for 4 weeks, 2.5 hours per session (9:30 AM–noon)
  • All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through Dec  31

 Member Praise for Sara Orem 

"Sara is a marvelous instructor! So happy I took this class!"

"Sara gave me the tools to capture the important things in my life and to express them to the important people in my life. A treasured gift indeed. Thank you, Sara!"

I found this course to bring many emotions to the surface in my 83-year old body. Tears flowed liberally. Life is so short."

Guided Autobiography

Space Race: The U.S., the U.S.S.R., and the Battle to Be the First (1945-1972)

Course

Space Race: The U.S., the U.S.S.R., and the Battle to Be the First (1945-1972)

Thursday, September 17, 2026
Thursday, October 22, 2026
An astronaut on the moon

This course chronicles the “Space Race” between the United States and the Soviet Union, examining how competition in rocket technology — initially driven by ballistic missile development — shifted toward the launch of artificial satellites and the exploration of space. We'll trace this evolution from early unmanned missions through the race for human spaceflight, culminating in the achievement of a manned lunar landing.

Faculty Bio

Bebo White is retired from the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, the U.S. National Laboratory at Stanford University where he worked as a computational physicist. He currently holds faculty appointments at multiple academic institutions.

This is a Livestreamed + Recorded Course

  • Classes will stream live on the scheduled day and time
  • Classes will also be video recorded
  • You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Thursday, Sept. 17, and ends on Thursday, Oct. 22
  • Classes meet for 6 weeks, 1.5 hours per session (1:30–3 PM)
  • All course materials will remain in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

Faculty Q&A

Space Race: The U.S., the U.S.S.R., and the Battle to Be the First (1945-1972)

The U.S. Supreme Court: Full Speed Backwards

Course

The U.S. Supreme Court: Full Speed Backwards

Monday, October 5, 2026
Monday, November 2, 2026
A blind lady of justice in the background holding the scales of justice in foreground

Join us for a critical look at how the U.S. Supreme Court has shaped — and reshaped — the Constitution through competing interpretations, from its historical foundations to modern doctrines like originalism and the shadow docket. With an unflinching lens on expanding judicial power, the course explores how the Court increasingly operates as a dominant force across branches of government, with special focus on immigration, reproductive rights, and the high-stakes 2025–2026 term. 

The first class will feature guest speaker, Erwin Chemerinsky, renowned constitutional scholar and the Dean of Berkeley Law.

Faculty Bio

Bill Sokol is a Bay Area labor and employment lawyer, a lecturer at SF State University, a gubernatorial appointee to the CalSavers Retirement Investment Board, and was a talk show host on Pacifica Radio for 25 years. He holds a J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law.

This is an In-Person, Livestreamed + Recorded Course

  • Classes meet in person at the Golden Bear Center, Suite 202/204 (2nd floor), at 1995 University Ave., Berkeley
  • Classes will also stream live simultaneously, and be recorded
  • You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.

Schedule Highlights

  • Course starts on Monday, Oct. 5, and ends on Monday, Nov. 2
  • Classes meet for five weeks, two hours per session
  • The Oct. 5 class runs from 11 AM – 1 PM
  • The remaining sessions are 10 AM–noon
  • All course materials will remain in Member Dashboards through Dec. 31

Member Praise for Bill Sokol

This class was GREAT! Bill Sokol really understood the topics his audience was interested in, he knew the BEST speakers to engage for each topic and he did a fabulous job of moderating the questions and engaging in relevant/smart conversation with the guest speakers.

I was a little cautious in taking this course as I thought it might be way above my head. Instead, everything was presented in a most intelligent, interesting, and understandable way.

The U.S. Supreme Court: Full Speed Backwards

What Is Economic Justice? The International Edition (Best of OLLI)

Course

What Is Economic Justice? The International Edition (Best of OLLI)

Monday, July 13, 2026
Thursday, December 31, 2026
A stack of coins of different varieties

America may have its own economic woes, but how does the United States compare to other countries in terms of achieving economic justice? Could the Nordic model, with its high taxes in exchange for generous public services, work in America? Or should we seriously be reconsidering democratic socialism as a solution? This course will focus on pathways to economic justice paved in other countries to ask if they really are the success stories some have claimed and if so, whether they would be feasible as solutions in the United States.

Faculty Bio

Darren Zook teaches in political science and global studies at UC Berkeley. His areas of interest include comparative politics, human rights and international law. He has received numerous teaching awards for his creativity in the classroom, and was recently named one of the “Top Ten Most Inspiring Professors at UC Berkeley” by College Magazine. He lectures all around the world, and has published six books. 

This is a Best of OLLI Course

  • Best of OLLI courses are popular courses recorded a previous term
  • Videos are available to watch the moment you sign up through Dec. 31
  • Available for $75 to Annual Plus, Premium Plus, Best of OLLI and Fee Assistance members. Learn about membership.
  • Current Annual and Premium members can upgrade to Annual Plus or Premium Plus for an additional $10

Member Praise for Darren Zook

Dr. Zook is one of the best teachers I've ever had and I'm 80!

Darren Zook is an amazing teacher. He's a well-organized, extremely knowledgeable, and always engaging.

I have taken several classes with Darren Zook and will take several more. His scope and depth of knowledge is extraordinary. And he is able to communicate it effectively and effortlessly. 

Faculty Q&A

What Is Economic Justice? The International Edition (Best of OLLI)

Tracking the Progress of AI (Best of OLLI)

Course

Tracking the Progress of AI (Best of OLLI)

Monday, July 13, 2026
Thursday, December 31, 2026
AI techno scene of lights and circuits

The best way to understand the pace of progress in artificial intelligence is to look at how far we’ve come in the past 12-18 months. In this continuing series we will look at the latest developments in AI models, tools and research to understand the shape and pace of AI progress. We'll combine hands-on demonstration and DIY experiments with a peek at the latest academic research to help you build an experiential grounding in humanity’s most consequential invention.

This course is appropriate for both newcomers to the world AI and those who've already tried their hand at it, including those who've taken Robert's classes before. To bring everyone up to speed — and to faciliate a rapid, hands-on start to the class — an "AI Primer" video with Robert Todd is posted in Member Dashboards. It provides a general overview of AI, serving as a good introduction and/or helpful refresher.

Faculty Bio

Robert Todd is an innovator and tech executive who now writes, teaches about, and builds products and companies using technology that learns.

This is a Best of OLLI Course

  • Best of OLLI courses are popular courses recorded a previous term
  • Videos are available to watch the moment you sign up through Dec. 31
  • Available for $75 to Annual Plus, Premium Plus, Best of OLLI and Fee Assistance members. Learn about membership.
  • Current Annual and Premium members can upgrade to Annual Plus or Premium Plus for an additional $10

Member Praise for Robert Todd

Robert Todd is engaging, knowledgeable and humorous (the last being important to me, maybe not to other people). I learned a lot and am using AI every day.

The class's far ranging history and knowledge of technology, knowledge transfer, and AI was terrific. Fun to see a professor so excited about their topic.

Faculty Q&A

Tracking the Progress of AI (Best of OLLI)

Alexander von Humboldt’s Hero’s Journey to South America (Best of OLLI)

Course

Alexander von Humboldt’s Hero’s Journey to South America (Best of OLLI)

Monday, July 13, 2026
Thursday, December 31, 2026
A postage stamp featuring Alexander Von Humboldt

Alexander von Humboldt was the most famous scientist of the 19th century. His writing influenced generations of scientists and artists including Charles Darwin, John James Audubon, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. As part of our ongoing investigation of nature as the consilience of art and science, we will follow von Humboldt’s five-year journey to South America and his resulting groundbreaking scientific studies and published books.

Faculty Bio

Eric J. Simon, Ph.D. has been a professor of Biology for over 25 years. An avid traveler and award-winning photographer, Eric leads educational international trips for both undergraduates and lifelong learners. Prof. Simon earned his Ph.D. at Harvard and is the author of a widely used series of college biology textbooks used by students in over 40 countries.

This is a Best of OLLI Course

  • Best of OLLI courses are popular courses recorded a previous term
  • Videos are available to watch the moment you sign up through Dec 31
  • Available for $75 to Annual Plus, Premium Plus, Best of OLLI and Fee Assistance members. Learn about membership.
  • Current Annual and Premium members can upgrade to Annual Plus or Premium Plus for an additional $10

 Member Praise for Eric Simon

Extremely engaging instructor who clearly loved his topic and was very knowledgeable. His enthusiasm was contagious. Very receptive to questions — would start each class by answering questions he'd received and researched.

Thoroughly engaging presentations which were organized, lively and moved at a good pace. I appreciated Professor Simon's enthusiasm, clarity and sense of humor.

Faculty Q&A

Alexander von Humboldt’s Hero’s Journey to South America (Best of OLLI)
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