by Joe O’Kane Obituary, Death – Joe O’Kane was born on June 21, 1952, and passed away on January 11, 2023. Joe O’Kane, who served as the former Film Commissioner for the City of San Jose, passed away on January 17, 2018, as he was sleeping peacefully in his sleep. He was 65. O’Kane has been promoting San Jose as a location for filming and video production for more than twenty years.
He brought a number of shows to San Jose, which resulted in increased cash and visibility for the city of his birth, which he cherished. Simply referring to Joe as a “film buff” does not do him justice. You could ask him anything there is to know about movies, and he would know the answer to every single one. Joe was regarded the most for his creativity, mentoring skills, and sense of humor, despite the fact that he worked as a writer, publisher, teacher, and theater owner. Above all else, he placed a premium on loyalty, creative problem-solving, and family. Joe received his high school education at Mitty. He received his education in marketing and filmmaking at San Jose State University.
Joe established the San Jose Film Commission in 1978 and went on to play an instrumental role in the formation of the San Jose (Cinequest) Film Festival. He developed the Joey Awards, which is an annual awards show honoring local film and video talent, as well as Locations Magazine and Film Clips, a newsletter for Bay Area film and video makers. Additionally, he published Locations Magazine.
Joe was involved with CYO and was a co-founder of Camera One Theater before he began his work as a Film Commissioner. In addition to his work as an educator at San Jose State University, he served as a board member and former president of the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art. His encouragement and support of his students, family, and friends earned him widespread fame. At the Cannes Film Festival, where he was well known and widely admired, he spent twenty years promoting San Jose as a tourist destination. In addition to those accomplishments, he was presented with the Arthur Loew Crystal Vision Award and spent multiple years as president of the International Association of Film Commissioners.
