The Tuffest, short for the Tulsa Underground Film Festival, is a bi-annual event dedicated to showcasing the best in low-budget cinema. From sci-fi and horror to mystery and the downright bizarre, The Tuffest seeks out the most unique and compelling films from Tulsa and beyond. Held in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, the festival features screenings of top films, along with discussions with the cast and crew behind them. Each selected film receives a review and official laurels, with the top feature and short films being awarded trophies. It’s a fun night celebrating b-movies, creativity, and craft beer.

Awards & Prizes

We’ll be looking for a variety of winners. We also might make up a few categories as we go. I mean, you just might dazzle us just enough we want to give you a festival shout-out.

You won’t need to submit to different categories to get different awards. One submission gets you a chance to win any listed below.

Tuffest Short
Tuffest Feature
Best Director
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Villian
Best Practical Effects
Best Laughs
Just Plain Weirdest
Audience Choice

All accepted films will also receive a written online review on TheTuffest.com website

Rules & Terms

Eligibility: Films from any year are eligible for submission. Made it when you were in high school? Let’s see it

Ownership: Submitters must legally own the rights to the film they are submitting.

Film Length:
Short Films: Must be under 40 minutes.
Feature Films: Must be 40 minutes or longer.

Submission Fees:
Free submission for residents of Oklahoma.
Non-residents may be subject to a submission fee.

Content Restrictions:
Films with excessive nudity are eligible to win but may be censored during live screenings.
Code of Conduct: Don’t be a dick. This applies to both submissions and interactions within the festival community.