Be sure to read up before entering. We are looking for certain types of films.

The Tuffest, short for the Tulsa Underground Film Festival, is an 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.

To be clear, we're looking for weird, fun stuff. We're not here to take your money and run. Documentaries, well-constructed dramas, music videos, and things of that nature will most likely not be selected. We appreciate filmmaking and filmmakers, and we'll probably love your work, but just not for this festival. So please take that into consideration before submitting.

Held in mid-town Tulsa, Oklahoma, the festival features screenings of top films, along with discussions with the cast and crew behind them. Each selected film receives official laurels, with the awarded feature and short films given trophies. It’s a fun weekend of 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 that 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 of the items listed below (though we also add new awards as we go)

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

Rules & Terms

Eligibility: Films from any year are eligible for submission. Did you make 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.

Content Restrictions:
Films with excessive nudity are eligible to win but may be censored during live screenings.

We are NOT accepting films made exclusively with AI. If your film has AI elements that are not main components, this will be acceptable.

Code of Conduct: Don’t be a dick. This applies to both submissions and interactions within the festival community.
14 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Nathaniel Davis

    Awesome fest!, highly, highly recommend!

    February 2026
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  • Wes DeHart

    Bill and Tonya and everyone at Cabin Boys Brewery were great! I love this film festival and can't wait to check out the other great films they showcase there next time!

    January 2026
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  • Hedwig Schreck

    Thank you so much for the HONORABLE MENTION we received for our film MANHATTAN ZODIAC '77. Hope everyone had a great time!

    December 2025
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  • Igor Ambrósio Faria

    Excellent festival! I was honored to have my short film selected as best animated short, and everyone at the festival was incredibly kind. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend in person, but I watched from afar and saw the positive impact it makes on the site. Congratulations, and long live TUFFest!

    October 2025
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  • Michael Dorfman

    Fantastic films and filmmakers! Thank you so much for selecting and screening our art!!

    October 2025
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