Last Updated on October 5, 2023, 1:59 PM | Published: October 5, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY — As Oklahoma’s filmic footprint continues to grow and spawn buzz-making, award-winning productions from the tiniest indies to big studio standouts, the longtime leader of the state’s moviemaking community, deadCenter Film, is expanding from its lynchpin summer festival to host more year-round screenings, panels, and events than ever before.
deadCenter Film, long recognized as the tentpole of the OK film scene thanks to the now 23-year-old deadCenter Film Festival, are aiming to keep the community’s momentum rolling by dramatically expanding their slate of events beyond the stalwart festival with standalone showings and their Continuum Community Screenings.
From important, rippling works exploring deep social concerns and cultural voices to masterclass presentations and panel discussions, deadCenter are kicking off their newest evolution in style throughout October.
‘Hide’ Screening and Discussion
deadCenter’s October event slate got underway Wednesday, October 4th with a screening and crew discussion of the harrowing lockdown drama “Hide” at Rodeo Cinema.
As October is officially recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, writer/director Ben Samuels is presenting his feature “Hide” – a powerfully honest look at domestic violence during the pandemic lockdown period – in a traveling roadshow, encouraging discussion of the issue and raising proceeds for anti-violence foundations.
“‘Hide’ is an ultra-real psychological thriller about one resilient woman fighting back against her husband’s escalating gaslighting and abuse,” Samuels told Free Press before the screening. “It moves with the pace and pathos of a thriller. And then, at its core, it’s kind of a social impact conversation about the epidemic of silence that surrounds abuse.”
Indigenous Peoples’ Day at First Americans Museum – Monday, October 9th
Part of what sets Oklahoman film apart is the richly talented Native filmmaking community of our state, producing striking, evocative works that explore cultural, heritage, and often everyday life in bold, creative new ways.
To celebrate this year’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day, deadCenter is partnering with FAM to present an all-day slate of short films from Indigenous filmmakers that spans a spectrum from family-friendly to more mature, mysterious offerings.
Featuring short works from Alexander Bocchieri, Morningstar Angeline, Ajuawak Kapashesit, Charine Pilar Gonzales, ‘Wáats’asdíyei Yates, Michael Begay, Matt Barse, and Blackhorse Lowe, the day’s events are split into two programs, an early lineup fit for families, and a late-afternoon collection suggested for mature audiences.
The event is totally free and is just one part of FAM’s day-long Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations spanning the full museum and event spaces.
Family Shorts: Pride, Support & Acceptance w/ Rep. Mauree Turner – Paseo Arts & Creativity Center – Saturday, October 28th
As longstanding supporters and elevators of LGBTQ+ filmmakers, deadCenter has been an integral platform for community voices with their annual Pride selections and festival programming.
The new, monthly programming slate looks to further those efforts, kicking off with a night of family-friendly shorts spotlighting support, acceptance, and Pride itself.
The lineup includes:
-“First Down” – A true-life documentary look at an all-girl tackle football team in Utah and their coach’s decision to transition, framing a collective journey of companionship, teamwork, and acceptance.
-“Sparkle” – Filmmaker Kristen Wolf’s debut short follows a non-binary child on a quest to find the perfect Father’s Day present for a dad who doesn’t seem to understand them. Winner of Best LGBTQIA+ Short at this year’s Phoenix Film Festival.
-“Tank Fairy” – A wildly colorful, playful, and fantastical tale of young, imaginative Jojo and the magical Tank Fairy that delivers both gas tanks and encouragement for Jojo to break out of their shell and become their true self.
Following the screening, Rep. Mauree Turner of Oklahoma City’s 88th State House District will be on hand to discuss the films and what their themes mean in the face of modern discourse surrounding LGBTQ+ youth.
Festival future
Of course, even as deadCenter works to expand and evolve into an ongoing monthly slate, the summer’s film festival still reigns supreme in their plans and identity.
As the film community looks ahead to the 2024 installment, October sees the deadline for “Earlybird” submissions, offering the cheapest submission fee and waiving it completely for all Oklahoman filmmakers that submit before the cutoff.
Earlybird Submission deadline is October 15th, so now’s a great time to submit for next year’s festival.
For more information, including a look ahead at upcoming events and all festival submission requirements and deadlines, visit deadcenterfilm.org.
Brett Fieldcamp has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for nearly 15 years, writing for several local and state publications. He’s also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
