Last Updated on October 30, 2023, 12:46 PM | Published: October 30, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY – deadCenter Film hosted “Pride, Support, and Acceptance” Saturday, a screening of Pride-centered short films curated by Oklahoma Representative Mauree Turner. A discussion followed with the Representative.
The films focused on themes of support and acceptance, with an emphasis on trans/non-binary dialogue.
The event is one of many year-round events hosted by deadCenter as part of the “Continuum” programming and was held at the Paseo Arts Creativity Center.
Admission was free to the public and made possible by grants from Allied Arts and the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.
‘Pride, Support, and Acceptance’
As a cold rain poured down in the Paseo Arts District, it was the perfect setting to show the thought-provoking shorts, shown alongside contemporary mixed media art, lining the gallery walls.
Turner, the current Representative for Oklahoma’s 88th House District is also the first non-binary person ever elected to a state-level position in US history. Turner spoke about their decisions behind choosing each of the films and discussed the film’s themes relating to current issues affecting LGBTQ+ youth.
“I have loved any and all things film and TV ever since I was a kid,” Turner said. “I am forever indebted to the folks at deadCenter for creating a local film festival that allows other folks to get in touch with film.”
The evening began with a showing of “First Down,” a documentary about an all-girls football team in Utah and their coach’s transition as a transman.
It’s a story about companionship, teamwork, and acceptance and explored themes of body positivity, family dynamics, depression, anger, and addiction. Turner chose “First Down” to show the importance of a sense of community both for adults and youth. They also said the inspirational aspect of the film is something that isn’t seen in Queer stories as often.
“I think there’s something to be said of Queer and Trans stories being told that aren’t always at some tremendous loss or some tremendous heartbreak,” Turner said.
The second film shown was “Sparkle,” centered around Sage, a non-binary child trying to find the perfect Father’s Day gift for a father who doesn’t understand them. “Sparkle” is a suspenseful and emotionally complex film that is sure to keep viewers engaged. It was the winner of the best LGBTIA+ Shorts at this year’s Pheonix Film Festival. Turner chose to show this film to show the importance of young Queer voices.
“I think it’s really important to show not only what youth are going through at this point in time, but also what parents are likely going through,” Turner said. “House District 88 also houses a youth shelter called SISU, which predominantly houses LGBT folks who leave homes or are kicked out of their homes to survive. I think about all the resources that they are trying to create and make sure that we are amplifying to take care of the youth of Oklahoma.”
Actor Ethan Fletcher Daly played Sage in the film and joined in the discussion with Representative Turner after the showing.
“I just feel like it was a great opportunity and a great way to support this community,” Daly said. “It was an amazing way to show that I am in support of it.”
The final film of the night was “Tank Fairy,” a colorful and playful tale of young Jojo and the magical Tank Fairy, a fairy godmother-like character, that encourages Jojo to break out of their shell and become more truly themselves. Tank Fairy stood out to Turner when they were asked to judge the films for deadCenter’s Pride Jury in 2022.
“That film is just burned in my brain ever since,” Turner said about “Tank Fairy.” “I just absolutely love it every time I see it. From the cinematography to the Cinderella story elements, I just think it’s amazing.”
Each of the films struck different tones – inspirational, suspenseful, and jovial – but all of them explored similar themes of acceptance, especially regarding non-binary and transgender individuals.
“I just think all three of the stories and so many others really stuck with me in a big way, so I wanted to be able to make sure I was trying to share that with folks in the district,” Turner said. “To be able to show Queer life in film, does so much for the youth of Oklahoma, and the hope is that we’d be able to continue to do things like this and share these stories beyond just deadCenter film festival in the summer.”
The Continuum Series
The deadCenter Film Festival in Oklahoma City has been running for 23 years every summer. This year, Continuum aims to offer programming throughout the year. The three films shown on this night were also shown as a part of the deadCenter Film Festival, but this event gave an opportunity for those who couldn’t make the festival to see the films, which is part of the mission of Continuum.
Sunrise Tippeconnie, Director of Programming at deadCenter, said another mission of Continuum is to make these screenings free and inclusive in community-oriented spaces.
“Continuum is aimed at connecting all sorts of diverse communities all across Oklahoma with audiences through programs that are inclusive and providing access to information and resources that might not have happened otherwise,” Tippeconnie said.
This was the first time for Paseo Arts and Creativity Center to host an event like this, but the gallery’s executive director Amanda Bleakley said it was something she’s been wanting to do for some time and was excited to put on a community event like this.
Tippeconnie said deadCenter has collaborated with community partners like the First Americans Museum (FAM), the Asian District Cultural Association, OKC Latino Young Professionals, OK Pride Alliance in the past, and a big part of the mission of Continuum is furthering those relationships and establishing more relationships to make programming even more accessible.
“All of those relationships we hope continue to grow and inspire deadCenter’s mission to inspire and connect people and have some sort of excitement about film-making and the industry,” Tippeconnie said.
The first Continuum event occurred earlier in the month, the first of which was a workshop at the OSU-Tulsa campus October 5th.
This event showed multiple films as well as a conversation with filmmakers and industry professionals. Tippeconnie said he would be interested in continuing to highlight Tulsa filmmakers as a part of deadCenter programming.
“Tulsa filmmakers are such an important part of the OKC film community, so we want to make sure they’re included,” Tippeconnie said.
On Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 9, deadCenter also showed various short works in partnership with FAM and as a part of their Continuum programming.
Coming up next …
Tippeconnie said there are roughly three more Continuum programs to come during November. Interested attendees can keep an eye on deadCenter’s social media and website for the most up-to-date information on upcoming events.
On November 14th, deadCenter will team up with Respect Diversity and Better Together at OCU for a screening of the documentary “Refuge,” about a former leader of the KKK accepting his acts of prejudice.
The next Continuum program will take place on November 18 with an event titled Stolen Sisters, featuring a screening of a documentary short, “Who She Is,” about missing and murdered Indigenous women. deadCenter will partner with Moms Demand Action, Matriarch, NOISE, and FAM for that screening.
“This is an important issue, especially as it relates to the recent release of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Tippeconnie said. “As an epidemic in the United States, Indigenous women are murdered 10 times more than the national average. I’m excited to see how we can create dialogue, awareness, and support with this event.”
In addition to regular paid exclusive screenings, December will hold more Continuum events like a winter showcase, more free and accessible film screenings, and discussions from industry professionals.
“It’s so awesome to be able to do year-round programming where we collaborate and organize with community members,” Parris Burris, a short-film programmer at deadCenter. “And we’re putting on inclusive screenings and trying to broaden the horizon of movie-watching for many of our audiences and always trying to diversify our programming.”
This year promises exciting momentum for film enthusiasts, as the Continuum series will continue to offer inclusive and free screenings to expand deadCenter’s programming and reach more Oklahomans.
Zoe Travers has spent her career covering local musicians, artists, politicians, and everyday folks. She is also Oklahoma City’s most enthusiastic connoisseur of cheese danishes.
