2011 Tulsa International Film Festival

This week I’m bringing you my weekly column which includes a report from the first annual Tulsa Film Festival. Films by James Cameron and Wes Studi were among the many new works featured at the festival.

             Down The Road with the Original Buffalo Dale

Welcome back. I couldn’t let this week go by without mentioning theupcoming Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion which will take place on October 1^st at our own national treasure, Woolaroc. You may have already read or heard about the great entertainment and good food at the event so that’s no secret. You might also guess that many of the attendees represent a “Who’s Who” of  local movers and shakers, a kind of rich and famous of Bartlesville and that is also true. But as a guest on this wonderful evening you will experience more than that. You will sit under the same bright stars that Frank and Jane sat under on their beloved ranch back in 1926when the first Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion was held.

Frank Phillips wanted this party to be an event that people would always remember where they could rub shoulders with real cowboys as well as rich businessmen and yes even outlaws. The business tycoons of the era, movie stars and outlaws such as Al Spencer and Henry Wells all enjoyed the beautiful view that you too will have eighty-five years later. The benches you will sit on down by Clyde Lake during the party once held the likes of Will Rogers, Tom Mix, Rudy Vallee  and any number of the hundreds of famous, and infamous, guests that Frank and Jane entertained at Woolaroc.

The party was also intended as a thank-you from Frank to the local community and that tradition still lives on. I hope to see ya there.

Speaking of special places, several friends just came back from The Canebrake in Wagoner and though its been some time since I’ve been down there for a good dose of relaxation, they tell me this unique, Santa Fe style resort just keeps getting better. If you haven’t been there yet, The Canebrake is a hotel, meeting center and restaurant near Lake Fort Gibson. The resort also offers spa services (which I’ve used and they’re great!), yoga classes and special events such as music and art exhibits. The restaurant showcases locally grown and raised produce, meat and poultry and the menu changes seasonally which is kinda cool. The rooms are in stand alone buildings with spacious private porches that are ideal for relaxing and enjoying the peaceful, natural setting on acres of woods and fields. But what truly distinguishes The Canebrake is the helpful, friendly and professional service guests receive. The owners, Sam and Lisa Bracken and their staff do their utmost to make every guest feel welcome and pampered. So the next time you need a relaxing weekend away check ‘em out. In the meantime you can find out all the details on their website, www.thecanebrake.com.

I’ll wrap up this week with some details about the very first Tulsa International Film Festival which I attended this past weekend. There was a total of 180 entries including feature films, short length films, documentaries and youth entries. Having just returned from a much larger and well established film festival, I can tell you that that is a very respectable number of entries. Altough the attendance was somewhat low this first year, the festival organizers told me they had expected that. The folks who were there found themselves in for a real treat as many great films where shown, many of them for the first time.

Smaller crowds also meant it was possible to have one on one conversations with some of the directors and stars and having attended a few of these festivals I have discovered that they are usually very friendly and personable.

Now for a few of the winners:

 v     Best Actor:            Stephen Chamber for his role in The  Corridor

v     Best Actress:                Se In Kim for her role in Chung-A

v     Best Feature Film:         Face to Face which was filmed in Austria and is due for release here in October

v     Best Documentary:       Bringing King to China

Next week a little information about the “Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program” and how Oklahoma is missing out on millions of dollars in possible film production revenue.

Till then I’ll see ya down the road….

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