Get ready for an extraordinary cinematic celebration! The Oklahoma Black Film Festival (OBMF) is bringing you an event like no other, and what makes it truly special is the timing. We're proud to host this festival during Black History Month, a time when we honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future.

But that's just the beginning. OBMF isn't just about movies; it's an immersive experience. Join us for captivating workshops, eye-opening tours through the historic Black Wall Street, and a moving walk through the Tulsa Massacre Museum right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Our festival isn't just about celebrating great film and the amazing filmmakers that create them; our film festival is a platform for change through 3 day of amazing events. We've gathered inspiring speakers to share their insights and walk you through the Tulsa Race Massacre museum and Black Wall Street , we're taking you back in time with a unique 1940's movie theater experience. It's not just about educating; it's about ensuring that we never forget our history because, as they say, to forget is to repeat.

So mark your calendars and be part of this unforgettable journey. OBMF promises to be a transformative experience, an opportunity to remember, reflect, and rewrite the future. Plus we get to celebrate the filmmaker that can help to create unity through their films and film sets. Join us and let's make history together."

Awards & Prizes

Best narrative short film (Shorts are 30in or less)
Best first time filmmaker short
Best student short
Best documentary short
Best animation short
Best experimental short
Best horror short
Best dance short film
Best sci-fi short
Best covid film
Best music video
Best web series
Best micro-short
Best pilot
Best women empowerment short
Best human rights‘ film
Best lgbtq short
Best female director
Best male director
Best producer
Best original screenwriting
Best unproduced short script
Best cinematography
Best editing
Best sound design
Best original score
Best composer
Best production design
Best make up
Best actor
Best actress
Best ensemble
Best trailer
Best poster

Over All Film of the Year - $1,000 (subject to change based on sponsors)

Film of the Year - $500

Producer of the Year - $250

All other winners will receive plagues and trophies

Rules & Terms

Rules and Terms:

– In order to submit a film, you must own the rights or have permission from the owner.
– Any Foreign film that is not in English must have English subtitles.
– All fees are non-refundable.
– Not all the submissions are selected for the official competition. Our Judges are free to make their own choices and no answers will be given about not selected films.
– OBFF can consider any film to be disqualified if the festival considers the content inappropriate. If you have any question regarding this decision you might contact us at our email address.
– Filmmakers can submit the film in multiple categories in order to become a multi-award film. Still, the decision about the selection is strictly determined by our judges’ team and no selection is guaranteed.
– Submitting your movie, you authorize OBFF to use, distribute and share the film poster, trailer, synopsis and movie stills in our social media.
– Films can be available online and still be entered in the competition for our festival.
– Multiple submissions and multiple category submissions are accepted.
– Films must have been completed within the past 5 years.
– Shorts must be less than35 minutes.
-We do not require premiere status.
-All entries must be submitted on a hard drive and in a DCP format. WE DO NOT
RETURN HARD DRIVES.

9 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Monica Iyah Mustelier


    Regrettably, my experience with this festival was incredibly disappointing. Despite personally confirming with the festival director that the event was still ongoing, even without the keynote speaker, there was a complete lack of communication. I traveled from Toronto, expressing my commitment multiple times, yet received no response to my emails and text messages to the festival director personally.

    The festival's official social media, website, or Facebook pages provided no updates on venue changes, screening schedules, or canceled events.

    The blame was shifted onto FilmFreeway for communication issues, but my attempts to communicate directly with the director were equally ineffective. Unfortunately, my fellow filmmakers who tried to attend shared the same frustrating experience.

    Adding to the disappointment, a short film featuring an all-white cast at a festival that is marketed for Black Voices was screened. This screening took place with only the projectionist and myself present in the basement of a public library.

    Save your money.

    March 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Monica, this is the festival director, my apologies, I truly was under the impression that I was in direct communication with you. I just double checked and the number I’ve been in contact with is the same number that’s listed on film freeway. You may want to check and make sure you have your number listed properly.

    Now, since calling Toronto is not part of my calling plan, and due to the attention "Las Olas" was getting. I personally created a What's App account and initiated communication with who I thought was you. The person I spoke to said that she was a caterer and we spoke about the festival and the schedule in depth. We spoke and texted numerous times! Was that not you? Perhaps another one of your team members from Las Olas?

    We are a new festival and we have a lot of kinks to work out. I want to assure you that we did go out of our way to communicate with you. Please email us and I will forward the screenshots of all the texts and calls that occurred between myself, and who I mistakenly thought was you. That is so strange! I want you to know that I personally went above and beyond and was under the impression we were in communication.

    As for the basement location, please view the pictures that I posted on here. That basement location is one of the best locations in Oklahoma.

    With the all white cast....it was actually an all Latino Cast. With an Afro Cuban director and a Afro Columbian writer. We latinos come in all colors. Latinos make up 19% of US population and spend over 3.4 billion a year within the movie industry. Yet they are under represented.

    Our festivals mission is to set a table where all of us, no matter your skin color, has a seat, a hot plate to eat from and full glass to drink from.

    With that being said, if your producer came and left due to her mistaking a light skin Latino cast as white, she missed your viewing. Las Olas actually had, as per checking our records, the 3rd highest viewer (67 viewers). And to show you that I indeed went above and beyond I can provide you with the screenshot of 10 minutes before your viewing, due to the long line, I called the number listed on FFW, via What’s App, to ask if you all would be having a Q&A afterwards. The picture of people leaving your viewing is posted here on FFW.

    Again my apologies if it was not you I was communicating with! Please do check the way your number is listed on on here. As that is the same number I called. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.

    Our festival rule simply states that for your film to be accepted a person of color must be included in the production or have a key role in the film.

  • Bryan Bostic

    They tried to put on a great event but I was told because lack of responses that they had to cancel. My Director and Co- Producer already purchased plane tickets and hotel for the event. This was her first movie and first film festival selection. For the experience to go like this was hard on her. I know it’s hard to put on big events so I understand. I just hope they get it together and make the next one more memorable for other filmmakers.

    February 2024
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  • Jermi Little

    They want you to come to the event by teasing you that you are going to win something. Then they don’t even post the winners or anything over a week later. Everyone is asking and wanting to know but nothing but crickets chirping is heard. Never again. I’m so glad that I didn’t go and waste my time and money for an event that didn’t even happen. Buyer beware. Very unprofessional with excuses and blatant lies.

    February 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you for the feed back. We have notified the winners and one has asked that we wait to make the announcement. With the approval of the other two winners we have to honor the request. As soon as she notifies us we will advertise the winners.

  • Deon Gibson

    We got no follow-up info after the Official selection email. No schedule, and no request for a DCP or video file to screen at the festival. The festival happened and we were not included.

    February 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Out truest apologies, we did send out several emails through FilmFreeway and it seems a lot were not received. We are looking into it now with FilmFreeway.

  • Willa Cofield

    What an honor to be a part of The Oklahoma Black Film Festival! We are extremely grateful to have won the Best Human Rights Film award from your festival - Thank you so much for the recognition! We highly recommend this film festival to all filmmakers.

    November 2022
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