Join us for our annual high school film festival where we showcase the creative talents of young filmmakers. This event is a platform for Oklahoma high school students to express themselves through the art of filmmaking. We welcome submissions from a list of genres and styles, and we encourage participants to share their unique stories with the audience.

The festival itself will feature screenings of short films created by high school students, followed by discussions and Q&A sessions with teen and college filmmakers as well as workshops hosted by UCO, deadCenter, OCCC, and Rose State. Workshops will include lighting/sound, acting/directing, and production design. The complete schedule is below:

All filmmakers who submit a film will receive a complimentary ticket for the day-long workshops, screenings, and panels for March 28, 2026, on UCO's campus. Learn more at go.uco.edu/OKTeenFilmFest

2026 Oklahoma Teen Film Festival Tentative Schedule

10:30: Check-in, name tag table, photo op in the Liberal Arts Building

11:00 - 11:30: Opening Ceremony/deadCenter Teen Board Panel sponsored by UCO’s College of Liberal Arts (Liberal Arts auditorium)

11:30 - 12:00: Boom Town Creamery Lunch Break (Liberal Arts atrium)

12:00 - 12:50 Okla.homes Honorable Mention Screening (Liberal Arts Auditorium)

1:00 to 1:35 & 1:40 to 2:15: Workshops in UCO Communication Building

Independent production workshops: Makeup/Production Design/Screenwriting (COM classrooms)

OCCC & Rose State’s Lighting/Directing/Sound Workshop (COM studio)

deadCenter Educator/Parent Panel (COM 120) (1:00 to 2:00 p.m.)

2:20: Speed Rat Pack Coffee Break

2:30 to 3:50: Oklahoma Film & Music’s Award Winner Screening (Liberal Arts auditorium)

4:00 - 4:15: SmileTime Red Carpet Interviews and Photos

4:15 - 5:00: Torchy’s Closing Ceremony & Awards (Liberal Arts auditorium)

Awards & Prizes

1st and 2nd place winners in each category will receive free VIP entry to the event and monetary prizes ($100 for first and $50 for second).

The overall category winner will also receive a trophy and two free passes to the deadCenter Film Festival 2026.

Any film that indicates it has an Indigenous director (verification will be requested before prize is awarded) will be considered for the Indigenous Filmmaker Award of $150.

Rules & Terms

Please read carefully:

You may submit more than one film. However, the SAME film cannot be submitted to multiple categories.

The film’s director(s) must graduate high school in or after 2026 (current 8th through 12th graders).

The film’s director(s) must have proof of valid Oklahoma middle school or high school ID. Submitters will be contacted if their film is selected upon which a copy of a valid United States student I.D. is required. (Go to 'My Projects' > 'View', then use the 'Files & Attachments' tool toward the lower right side of your Project Page to upload a copy of your student ID.). Entries unable to provide proof of high school status will not be considered.

There are no limits on how many people can work on the film. Please list all contributors to your film on your FilmFreeway project page. All directors must be Oklahoma high or middle school students. Instructors may help in the production of films but cannot qualify as a directors. Only directors qualify for the prize money.

All copyrighted material used in your submission, including but not limited to music, images, titles, and footage, MUST be properly licensed. You must have permission and/or the proper rights to all content submitted.

All films that contain nudity, gratuitous violence, excessive profanity, and/or derogatory and offensive intent will not be considered.

The length of films submitted must fall into one of two categories: 3 to 15 minutes (short film) or 1 to 3 minutes (microfilm).

Film submissions submitted without valid contact information will not be considered for awards.

All films must be directly uploaded to FilmFreeway and made downloadable, or they will not be considered for selection and screening. Please ensure that in your project file's privacy settings “Download Permissions” is set to “Festivals that I submit to my download my video.”

Any film that includes the main dialogue that is not English must be submitted with English subtitles.

The Oklahoma Teen Film Fest is not a premiere film festival. This means that a film can be submitted to a festival that takes place before the Oklahoma Teen Film Festival. (The film does not have to have been made in the past year).

Award winners will be contacted via email about 3 weeks before the festival (March 9).

Prizes (including monetary awards) are per category; prizes for winners and runners-up will be divided evenly among the directors listed in the entries for the winning films in each category.

To ensure you have completed your submission, please make sure you have received confirmation of payment. To finish submitting to the festival, you must revisit the festival after uploading your film and select your category!

4 Reviews
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Networking
  • Phil Cross

    This festival is a great starting point for student filmmakers. As an instructor, the communication with the staff was amazing and helped me make sure our student entries were submitted correctly.

    My only regret is not being able to attend all the breakout sessions offered. I wish I could take it all in, but the panel for educators was just too good to leave.

    March 2026
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  • Marcus Mallard

    The Oklahoma Teen Film Festival creates a valuable network for the next generation of filmmakers across the state of Oklahoma. The festival is well organized and provides opportunities to these young filmmakers to not only show their work but also participate in workshops from professionals and educators who are active in the film industry. It's great to see so many young, talented filmmakers get the spotlight in showcasing their work!

    March 2026
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  • Reese Wood

    This festival was an absolute blast, and It was organized by such a nice and communicative group of people. Unfortunately, I had to leave early, so I did not get to participate in the tour of the facility and the award ceremony. However, my film “Don’t Overthink It” did still receive Best Film, and the staff worked with me to make sure I got my award before I had to leave. I hope this festival lives on for years to come!

    May 2025
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  • Nick G. Hickman

    For a first year film festival, hard to ask for any more. Loved this experience through and through.

    April 2025
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