Oscar has been diagnosed with cancer. “Paper Bag Plan,” the latest film from San Francisco State University alum Anthony Lucero, inspired in part by his own life, kicks off with this distressing discovery. By the end of the night, Oscar has decided to teach his disabled son, Billy, how to cook a meal for the first time. As Billy’s primary caretaker, Oscar cannot fathom the reality the two of them now face: one where Oscar can no longer provide for Billy’s needs. Yet, Oscar races against time and trains Billy how to bag groceries, hoping to get him a job at their local corner shop. This is an independent film in the truest sense, financed by its filmmakers and distributed at a local level, including at San Francisco’s Vogue Theater. Directed by a Bay Area local, shot and set in Oakland, “Paper Bag Plan” is a film by the Bay and, in some ways, about the Bay. The community of Oakland plays a large part in the film, while the city as a backdrop feels very natural. Lucero’s journey toward...