deadCenter Film Festival, the premiere spot for independent film in Oklahoma, is set for June 7th through June 10th this year. With every year that Oklahoma City grows, deadCenter gets even bigger and better with 2018 looking to be a continuation of the previous years’ success. deadCenter is the epicenter of Oklahoma’s independent film driven by the local film community.
The festival runs for four days and includes screenings of local and independent films, parties, filmmaking panels and most recently, virtual reality showcases. deadCenter’s 2018 film line-up is diverse and looks to pack a real punch with audiences across the spectrum. To help give you a jumping off point for this year’s exciting festivities, I’ve selected a few of this year’s most essential films and when and where to see them during the festival.
NARRATIVE FEATURES
Directed by Bart Layton
One of this year’s darlings from the Sundance Film Festival, American Animals is likely the highest profile feature playing at deadCenter. Existential college woes lead four teens in Kentucky (Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner, Jared Abrahamson) to attempt a massive art theft in their university’s special collections library. Of course, not everything goes as planned.
This impossibly true story will have two screenings:
Thu, Jun 7th, 8:00 PM @ Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Sat, Jun 9th, 7:30 PM @ Devon Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinema
Directed by Laron Chapman
Oklahoma Film
Racial identity is dealt with as much humor as it is with sincerity and seriousness in Oklahoma native Laron Chapman’s debut feature You People. A black man (Joseph Lee Anderson), having been raised by an adopted white family, has an identity crisis of what it means to be a black man in America as he grows older. An autobiographical picture from Chapman, You People aims to please the audience as much it wants to have them question how they deal with race.
You People will have its world premiere on:
Thu, Jun 7th, 8:30 PM @ MidFirst Bank Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinema
A subsequent viewing will be:
Sun, Jun 10th, 6:00 PM @ MidFirst Bank Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinema
Directed by Ryan Bellgardt
Oklahoma Film
A mix-match of Jurassic Park meets The Hunger Games meets The Condemned comes to fruition in The Jurassic Games. Ten of the most dangerous death row inmates are chosen every year to compete for freedom amongst blood-thirsty dinosaurs and each other.
There’s only one chance to catch this action-packed film on screen:
Fri, Jun 8th, 7:00 PM @ Devon Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinema
Directed by Sonny Laguna & Tommy Wiklund
Those who don’t know what they are getting into with the Puppet Master films may be greatly taken aback with the thirteenth entry, Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich. The puppets are back for more bloodshed during theToulon Murders anniversary convention is being held. A comic book nerd, his girlfriend, and his best friend have to stop these malicious puppets by any means necessary. The screenings for this will almost certainly bring the audience laughter right before they wince at the grisly special effects.
The Littlest Reich screens twice:
Fri, Jun 8th, 9:30 PM @ Tapstone Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinema
Sat, Jun 9th, 9:15 PM @ Tapstone Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinema
DOCUMENTARIES
Directed by Amy Scott
Oklahoma Film
Hal Ashby was one of the pioneer directors of New Hollywood, an auteur led movement in the mid-to-late 60s to the early 80s that took influence from French New Wave. The Harold and Maude director is finally getting a career spanning documentary that looks to examine everything the late director did for the film industry. Judd Apatow, Ben Foster, and Jane Fonda are a few interviewed for this documentary.
Hal is screening twice this weekend:
Fri, Jun 8th, 8:00 PM @ Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Sat, Jun 9th, 7:00 PM @ MidFirst Bank Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinema
Directed by Dana Adam Shapiro
This film documents the untold story of the controversial Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders through the eyes of Suzanne Mitchell, the den mother of the team. Thought to be sexually exploitative, The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders became a brand of their own merit and reflected a country that was slowly opening up about its repressed sexuality.
Daughters of the Sexual Revolution will be screenings twice:
Thu, Jun 7th, 5:30 PM @ Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Sat, Jun 9th, 2:30 PM @ Devon Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinema
In addition to feature films and documentaries, there are many short film collections being screened all weekend including but not limited to, Okie Shorts, Femme Fatale Shorts, High School Shorts, and kidsFest , a collection of 10 shorts aimed at kids.
Notable shorts this year from Oklahomans include Kyle Roberts’ The Grave (showings on: Sat, Jun 9th, 2:00 PM @ MidFirst Bank Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinema & Sun, Jun 10th, 1:00 PM @ MidFirst Bank Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinema) and Lance McDaniel’s Homecoming Trilogy (showings on: Sat, Jun 9th, 8:00 PM @ Oklahoma City Museum of Art& Sun, Jun 10th, 3:30 PM @ MidFirst Bank Theater at Harkins Bricktown Cinema).
There are several panels taking place on Friday and Saturday spanning the topics of producing films in Oklahoma with a panel including producers Josh McKamie and Jeannie Barbour; a production design panel including Sean Lynch and Toni Marlo; how to film a documentary with HAL director Amy Scott, and much more.
Parties are a-plenty this year with an Opening Night Party at the Jones Assembly, a Film Row Frolic, The Big LebowskiPJ Party at 21c Museum Hotel, the Awards Night After Party and a Sunday Brunch.
deadCenter honors Oklahomans in the film and entertainment industry that have gone on to have great success in their mediums and bring a positive light to Oklahoma. This year’s winners of the Oklahoma Film Icon Award include four-time Emmy Award winner Alfre Woodard, Ryan Merriman of Disney fame and VR filmmaker Kim Voynar.
deadCenter is a bountiful feast for film lovers and The Cinematropolis is excited to be your guide to reviews, interviews and much more coverage from deadCenter 18! Keep your eyes peeled to the website for more throughout the weekend.
