The Public Secrets Film Festival is an annual documentary film festival presented by the Center for Public Secrets in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
We showcase short nonfiction films that uncover overlooked histories, amplify underrepresented voices, investigate systems of power, and preserve stories that might otherwise be forgotten.
Inspired by the idea that some of the most important truths are hidden in plain sight, the festival seeks films that explore Oklahoma history, Black and Indigenous experiences, labor and environmental struggles, community memory, journalism, public accountability, culture, identity, and social change.
We welcome filmmakers, journalists, historians, artists, advocates, and storytellers whose work challenges audiences to see familiar places and stories in new ways.
As a Tulsa based festival, we are especially interested in films connected to Oklahoma, the American South, the Great Plains, tribal nations, and communities whose stories have been historically overlooked or erased.
The Public Secrets Film Festival believes documentary film is more than entertainment, it is a tool for preservation, investigation, accountability, and public memory.
Stories hidden in plain sight deserve to be seen.
Awards Categories:
Best Documentary Short (Grand Prize)
Best Oklahoma Story
Best Student Documentary
Special Awards Categories:
Public Secrets Award
(For a film that reveals overlooked or hidden truths)
Community Impact Award
(For a film that inspires civic engagement, awareness, or action)
