deadCenter Film Festival

Overview

deadCenter Film Festival is Oklahoma's most important film festival and one of the most respected regional festivals in the American Midwest and Plains. Founded in 2001 and held annually in June in Oklahoma City, the festival screens approximately 150 films over five days and is Academy Award-qualifying in its short film categories.

deadCenter has built a reputation for genuine enthusiasm for independent cinema and for the quality of its filmmaker engagement. The festival's Oklahoma City location, far from the coastal centers of the US film industry, creates an audience that engages with independent cinema on its own terms rather than through the lens of industry calculation.

The festival's June timing, between spring and summer, gives it a distinctive calendar position among US regional festivals.

Key Sections

• Feature Film Competition -- independent narrative and documentary features
• Short Film Competition -- Academy Award-qualifying programs
• Oklahoma Film Competition -- films by Oklahoma filmmakers
• Documentary Competition -- nonfiction features
• Youth Films -- programming for younger audiences

What Filmmakers Should Know

deadCenter accepts open submissions. The Academy Award-qualifying short film competition is the most strategically important element for short filmmakers. For Oklahoma and Plains-state independent filmmakers, deadCenter is the most important regional platform.

Major Awards

• Best Narrative Feature -- jury prize
• Best Documentary Feature
• Best Short Film -- Academy Award-qualifying
• Oklahoma Film Award
• Audience Award -- across categories

Festival History

deadCenter was founded in 2001 and has operated continuously since then, establishing itself as one of the most genuine regional film festivals in the American heartland.

See Also

For independent film strategy, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.