Let’s talk movies today – Oklahoma’s upcoming premiere film festival by deadCenter Film and the trailer that just dropped to promote the upcoming true crime drama filmed in Oklahoma – “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
You can now buy passes for the 23rd annual deadCenter Film Festival June 8 through 11 at various locations in Oklahoma City and start making a schedule of films you want to see. This festival is the state’s largest and the only Oscar-qualifying one; MovieMaker Magazine listed it as one of its “50 film festivals worth the entry fee,” a news release noted.
Inaugural co-chairmen are Charlie Ludden and Miriam Campos.
This year, deadCenter received more than 1,900 submissions for entry and selected 165, the release noted.
Organizers are highlighting several of them, including:
• “Black Barbie,” the Opening Night film written and directed by University of Oklahoma graduate and filmmaker Lagueria Davies.
• “Fancy Dance,” the Closing Night film shot in Oklahoma by filmmaker Erica Tremblay; it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
• OKCThunder Films “Steps” debuting June 10 and featuring the story of Oklahoma City athlete Derek Loccident, who was disabled in a train accident and is currently training for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.
• Narrative films “This Closeness,” “Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls,” “My Divorce Party” and “A Pretty Good Movie.”
• Documentary features “Herricanes,” “Bad Press,” “Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom and “A Disturbance in the Force.”
• Movies from Oklahoma filmmakers like “What Rhymes with Reason” from Kyle Roberts; “Riding Legacy” from Kian Taylor; “Hell Hath No Fury” from Zachary Burns; “The Awkward Stage” from Jeremy and Kara Choate; and “Body Electric,” from Nick Demos.
• Short films covering 20 different categories, including Iranian Shorts, Avant Garde, Les Artistes, Okie Shorts and a high school block; and music videos.
• Immersive films and experiences during Film Future from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 9 and 10; these include motion capture, drones, digital animation, augmented reality and virtual reality, curated by former deadCenter Executive Director Lance McDaniel.
Actors appearing in deadCenter films include Lea Thompson, Lily Gladstone, Rumer Willis, Seth Green, Gilbert Godfrey, Kevin Smith, Weird Al Yankovic and Leslie Jordan, as well as local faces. Screening venues this year include the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Harkins Bricktown, First Americans Museum, 21c Museum Hotel Oklahoma City, JDM Place and Scissortail Park, the release noted.
“The deadCenter Film Festival is synonymous with movie magic in Oklahoma,” said Cacky Poarch, executive director of deadCenter Film, in the release.
Go online to deadcenterfilm.org for passes, details and a list of related events like parties, outdoor screenings, deadCenter University, kidsFest, Afro Cinema and more.
Movie trailer
Last week, Apple TV+ revealed the first look at the highly anticipated “Killers of the Flower Moon,” scheduled to debut at the Cannes Film Festival over the weekend and be widely released in partnership with Paramount Pictures in October.
The movie is based on the book by journalist David Grann of the same name that includes the subtitle – “The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI.” Directed by Martin Scorsese, the movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone. Find it on @AppleTV’s YouTube channel.
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