OKC’s deadCENTER lines up 106 films for viewing

The deadCENTER Film Festival has selected 106 films to be screened at the 16th annual festival, scheduled for Wednesday, June 8 through Sunday, June 12 at five locations in downtown Oklahoma City.

More than 1,200 films were submitted for the 2016 festival, creating the most competitive field in the festival’s 16-year history.

“We were blown away by the quality of films submitted to the festival this year,” said Kim Haywood, director of programming for deadCENTER. “Our international reputation has greatly increased the number of submissions. And, Oklahoma filmmakers continue to create outstanding, unique stories that can compete on a national stage.”

Of the 106 films selected for the festival, 22 are feature-length and 84 are short films. Twenty-three of the films were made in Oklahoma and six debuted at Sundance Film Festival.

Feature films with an Okie connection include: District Up!, a documentary about the rise of Oklahoma City’s cultural districts directed by Dennis Spielman from Norman; Electric Nostalgia, a sci-fi thriller from Oklahoma City-based writer/director Jacob Burns; and Great Plains, a narrative feature directed by Blair Hayes and shot throughout Oklahoma that explores domestic violence issues.

Also with Oklahoma roots: Heartland, the story of a heartbroken Oklahoma artist directed by Maura Anderson, which won the Audience Award for Narrative Feature Drama at Cinequest Film Festival; and O, Brother! a comedy directed by deadCENTER Artistic Director Lance McDaniel, shot in Oklahoma City and featuring local comic Spencer Hicks.

Heartland is of note, since it is an LGBT themed film, written by Oklahoma native Velinda Godfrey, and filmed in Oklahoma. The story is about Lauren, a 26-year-old artist in suburban Oklahoma. She has moved back in with her mom, Crystal, following the sudden death of her girlfriend. Her mother thinks that means Lauren is headed back to the ‘straight and narrow,’ but Lauren is only following her mom’s traditional plans for her future in order to stave off the pain of the recent tragedy.

When her brother comes home with his uptight fiancée Carrie to help launch a local winery, Lauren, eager for a distraction, enlists Carrie to help design labels for the wine bottles. As Lauren starts to regain her sense of adventure, and Carrie starts to question her own predictable future, their excitement for the project develops into a passion for each other. And when the two take cover in a bathtub during a tornado, their closeness sparks a sexual affair that can’t remain secret for long.

Heartland may be viewed Saturday June 11 at 5:30 p.m., and Sunday June 12 at 3:45 p.m. at the Harkins Theater, 150 E. Reno Ave in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown District.

DCFF is Oklahoma’s largest film festival, recognized as one of the “Top 20 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” according to MovieMaker magazine. More than 30,000 people attended deadCENTER Film Festival screenings in 2015, generating an economic impact of approximately $4.25 million for Oklahoma City. 

All Access passes are available online for $150, and gains the holder priority admission to every film, party, panel and special event. Individual tickets may be purchased for $10 at the door prior to each screening. Admission priority is given to pass holders. 

DCFF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, providing year-round events to support its mission to promote, encourage and celebrate the independent film arts. Learn more about deadCENTER Film Festival at www.deadCENTERfilm.org.  

The Gayly – June 3, 2016 @ 8:20 a.m.