Dancing Turtle Film Festival
About…
June 6-9th, 2024 marks the commencement of the 1st Annual Dancing Turtle Film Festival and Screenplay Competition. Taking place in Stillwater OK, our all inclusive genre film festival will include live screenings of all selected films, as well as staged readings of selected screenplays performed by local actors. However, attendees are also encouraged to enjoy and take part in all of the other activities Dancing Turtle has to offer…
What sets us apart from other film festivals is that we are just one part of Stillwater very own Dancing Turtle Arts Festival! Produced by the Stillwater Community Center Foundation 501(c)3, this multi-arts extravaganza includes everything from live music, dance and theater performances, art classes, metal works, vendors and demonstrators, and even a kid’s zone. The best part is, all events are open to the public, which means, more eyes on your art and more art on your eyes!
So what we're really saying is…
We want you to join us, IN PERSON, for our festival! Bring as many of your cast, crew, friends and family as you want because there are no ticket fees to any event.
The Film screenings and screenplay readings will take place at the beautiful
Sheerar Cultural Center.
Located in downtown Stillwater, this historical building sits up to 196 people and is equipped with a brand new 16ft x 20ft projector screen to feature our selected films and a 3 foot high stage for our actors to utilize in presenting our selected screenplays.
After hours, filmmakers will be able to partake in local meet and greets at the DTFF Official Sponsor, Finnegan’s Fighting Goat. Here attendees can socialize and talk shop, while enjoying food and sipping on our Official Dancing Turtle Cocktail. Finnegan’s is just a five minute walk from the Sheerar Center.
Filmmakers will be notified well in advance if their project is selected and as if they are being nominated for an award. All selections will receive our one of a kind Dancing Turtle OFFICIAL SELECTION Laurel and each winning filmmaker and screenwriter will receive our one of a kind Dancing Turtle Trophy, including a cash prize for the film festival’s Best Of Fest! Winners will be announced at the end of the 4 day festival at the BEST OF FEST Ceremony, a grand awards ceremony encompassing all art genres from the Dancing Turtle Arts Festival.
Submit Now…
Submissions for the Dancing Turtle Film Festival and Screenplay Competition will be exclusively through FilmFreeway.
Awards…
Winners in all categories listed will receive our one of a kind Dancing Turtle Trophy and our Best of Fest Winner will also receive a cash prize!
Best Film
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Score
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Of Fest (Trophy and $ Prize)
Rules and Regulations…
The following rules apply to all selected FILM projects…
1. Total runtime for submissions must be under 25 minutes.
2. All films must be submitted digitally. No hard copies, DVDs, etc.
3. No projects with offensive or illegal content, gratuitous violence or graphic sexual content will be accepted. Judges will make final determination on any questionable submissions.
3. No refunds once the call for submissions has been closed.
4. All submissions must contain original work. This includes all audio, video, writing and
graphics.
5. Project must have been filmed and edited within the last 2 years.
6. Judges have the right to refuse any submission for any reason, but try to respect freedom of expression.
7. $10 submission fee.
The following rules apply to all selected SCREENPLAY projects…
1. All screenplays must be 45 pages or less in duration
2. All screenplays must have been completed in the last 2 years
3. All screenplays must be submitted digitally. No hard copies, drives, etc.
4. Judges have the right to refuse any submission for any reason, but try to respect freedom of expression.
5. $5 submission fee.
Meet Your Hosts…
Colleen Elizabeth Miller (Dancing Turtle Film Festival Director) is a professional film and television actor and filmmaker, based in Los Angeles, CA. Originally from Chicago, she received her B.F.A. in Acting from Northern Illinois University and then went on to study at The Second City and Improv Olympic. In 2014 she moved to Los Angeles. You can stream Colleen in the final season of the Emmy Nominated tv show Better Call Saul and in the first season of Craig Robinson’s tv show Killing It. You can also see her in the charming dramedy film Unexpected, produced by Patricia Heaton, and in the feature film Fancy Dance, starring oscar nominee Lily Gladstone, releasing this June in select theaters and on Apple TV+. Both films were shot in Oklahoma. Some of Colleen’s directing credits include One-Armed Rabbit, Conversations with Myself, and Dolos, which was filmed at Stillwater’s own Town & Gown Theater. Colleen is a Stillwater High School alumni.
Cylene Walker-Willis (Dancing Turtle Arts Festival Deputy Director) received her Master’s of Fine Arts from Texas Woman’s University in Modern Dance and Community Engagement. She is currently a Co-Director for the non-profit Wildly Brave Dance Company and Deputy Event Coordinator for Dancing Turtle. She is on the board for the Stillwater Community Center Foundation and Humane Society of Stillwater. She deeply loves Stillwater and wants to help grow the arts scene here. Cylene has a passion for facilitating all types of community projects. She lives in Stillwater with her supportive husband, David Willis and their three cats.
Jim Beckstrom (Dancing Turtle Arts Festival Executive Director) is also the chair for the Stillwater Community Center Foundation. Now based in Stillwater, he and his wife, Nancy Houston Beckstrom, both graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1980 and have lived all over the world since.
Contact Us…
For inquiries specifically related to the Dancing Turtle Film Festival and Screenplay Competition please contact
For all Dancing Turtle Arts Festival related inquiries please contact info@dancingturtleok.org
Don’t Forget to Follow Us…
See you in June!
Bye!!