A process for producing a highly oriented graphene oxide (GO) film, comprising: (a) preparing either a GO dispersion having GO sheets dispersed in a fluid medium or a GO gel having GO molecules dissolved in a fluid medium; (b) dispensing the GO dispersion or gel onto a surface of an application roller rotating in a first direction to form an applicator layer of GO and transferring the applicator layer to a surface of a supporting film driven in a second direction opposite to the first direction to form a wet layer of GO on the supporting film; and (c) removing said fluid medium from the wet layer of GO to form a dried layer of GO having an inter-planar spacing d002 of 0.4 nm to 1.2 nm and an oxygen content no less than 5% by weight. This dried GO layer may be heat-treated to produce a graphitic film.