The 2022 BisonBison Film Festival: A Student Competition (BBFF) is proud to announce the three jurors: Anna Dewell, Jeffrey Mundinger, and Shane Seley. BBFF will be held in Arkansas City, KS at the Historic Burford Theatre, 118 S. Summit. The dates are Friday through Sunday, April 1-3, 2022. The Festival is open to filmmakers enrolled in accredited colleges, universities and technical schools in the Mid-America Arts Region:  Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. The mission of the BisonBison Film Festival is to recognize, promote and showcase the work of emerging filmmakers. The three jurors will decide which entries receive the three Awards of Excellence of $1,000 each. The Awards will be presented at the end of the film viewings. All three jurors are professionals in the film industry and will bring their expertise and knowledge to the judging process. 

​Anna Dewell is a Marketing and Communication Specialist with over twenty years of experience in art, graphic design, film, communications, and digital media. Her experience in producing ads for all media comes from her years as a freelance communication consultant, headed the communications for Music City Texas in Linden TX, and her current position as Communications Specialist for Aramark. Anna is an Ark City native with an M.F.A. in Radio, Television, & Film, with a documentary film concentration, from the University of North Texas. Before moving to Texas, Anna obtained her B.A. at Southwestern College and an A.A. at Cowley County Community College. 

Jeffrey Mundinger is a filmmaker and media creative based out of Kansas City, Missouri specializing in cinematography and producing. By embracing the medium of film and video Jeff hopes to shed a little light on the uncertainties of what it means to be human, while connecting cultures through imagery. Jeff has been the cinematographer or producer for over eight short films in the past few years, as well as commercial productions for Visit KC and Rondevu Pictures. He currently works as the in house cinematographer for the Strange Music record label and freelance outside of that. Jeff is a 2018 BBFF Award of Excellence winner with his film “Kostym.”

Shane Seley transformed a life-long passion for history and storytelling into a film career that has spanned thirty years and included work for some of the most recognizable companies and institutions in the world. After nearly a decade working as a producer/director, in 1999 he became an entrepreneur when he co-founded Wide Awake Films in Kansas City. Twenty years, and 5 Emmys later, the company he helped create is one of the nation’s leading producers of non-fiction and educational films for streaming, broadcast, museums and non-profits. NatGeo, the History Channel, the BBC George Washington’s Mount Vernon and PBS have all commissioned projects with Wide Awake Films. As a longtime resident and business leader of the Greater Kansas City area, a diehard KU Jayhawk, proud husband and parent, he has remained devoted to his community and region, providing employment to scores of filmmakers, freelancers, historians and actors, and building a production entity that has continued Kansas City’s proud, century-long heritage as a breeding ground for creative and technical innovation.

In addition to the juror duty, Anna, Jeffrey and Shane will present an Open Panel Discussion at BBFF, on Saturday, April 2. All discussions and workshops presented by BBFF are free and open to the public. All college level or technical school students with a current valid ID can receive one (1) Free All Access Pass to the Festival by calling the Burford Theatre at (620) 442-5895.

Arkansas City's Burford Theatre is the new home of the BisonBison Film Festival, and they are working hard in preparation of the annual BisonBison Film Festival to be held April 1-3, 2022. 

The story of the Burford begins when J.R. Burford and stockholders decided that Arkansas City needed a theatre of beauty and character. The Burford was designed by the Boller Brothers who chose a Spanish Renaissance theme to develop the interior decor of the theatre. They wisely chose to build a second building to house retail businesses and offices to support the expenses of running the theatre. The Burford Theatre was opened on September 15, 1924 at 6:00pm featuring the silent movie, "The Perfect Flapper," starring Coleen Moore. Over 2,000 people attended the opening that evening in the 1,200 seat theatre. 
In the early years, the theatre staff went above & beyond when it comes to special effects. They even placed a caged crocodile in the lobby during showings of a swamp movie! While the Burford has always been home to more than just movies, cinema is a mainstay of the heart of its history. Over the years through changes of management and ownership, the beautiful design elements that originally adorned the building were slowly covered up and done away with, culminating in the buliding being divided into a three screen movie theater. In early 2004, B & B Theaters donated the Buford Theatre building to the Arkansas City Area Arts Council, and a dream for restoring the historic architectural centerpiece of downtown Arkansas City was formed. 
It took thirteen years of hard work, but on September 29, 2016 at 2:00pm, the Burford Theatre was dedicated and the doors were opened once again. A new generation now gets to enjoy this magical place through all kinds of special events from concerts to theatrical productions to private parties and of course, movies! In the spirit of carrying on the tradition in the restored 1924 version of the theatre, the Burford Theatre Arts Board of Directors couldn't be more thrilled to be hosting the BisonBison Film Festival for the first time in April 2022. 

BisonBison Film Festival is accepting submissions now for the 2022 festival! Be sure to get your submission in by December 17 for the Earlybird Deadline, or by February 4 for the regular submission deadline. Submissions can be made here. 

2020 Festival Schedule

Film Viewing - Friday April 3, 7:00pm  - Carolyn Renfro Event Center, 445 Fairview, Ponca City
She and Others
   Poolside - by Halle Frieden, Tulsa Community College. Rated PG, 8 minutes
   Missing - by Jasmine Jones, Southeast Missouri State University. Rated PG, 11 minutes
   My Sappho - by Mahryn Rose, University of Missouri: Kansas City. Rated PG, 6.5 minutes
   The Sum of 3 - by Sara Dulin, Johnson County Community College. Rated G, 6 minutes
   Wildflower - by Emily Harris, University of Missouri: Kansas City. Rated PG, 8 minutes
   The Offer - by Shelby Hagerdon, Wayne State University. Rated PG-13, 16.5 minutes

15 min intermission

It’s A Crime Not to Laugh
   The Big Kid - by Josh Eliot, Oklahoma City University. Rated PG-13, 8 minutes
   The Alibi - by Jared Thomas, Southeast Missouri State University. Rated PG-13, 10.5 minutes

Like A Phoenix
   Black Wall-Street: From Tragedy to Triumph - by Modupe Airehrour, Rogers State University. Rated G, 17 minutes

The Dark Side of Love
   Here Be Lions - by Shane White, University of Arkansas. Rated R, 9 minutes
   Lovesick - by Katherine Lundahl, Wayne State University. Rated R, 11 minutes

Free Workshops - Saturday April 4, 10:00am  - Carolyn Renfro Event Center, 445 Fairview, Ponca City
   10:00am  “I Wanna Be a Producer . . . Wait, What Does A Producer Do?”
   11:00am  “Kids, Critters and Contracts”
   Lunch Break
   1:00 pm  “What do Jurors Want” An Open Panel Discussion with Ricki Maslar, Christopher Sneed and Al Mertens

Film Viewing - Saturday April 4, 7:00pm  - Carolyn Renfro Event Center, 445 Fairview, Ponca City
At Intersections
   Bridges - by Josh Combs, Butler County Community College. Rated PG-13, 13 minutes
   Drowning - by Zachary Klink, Tulsa Technology Center. Rated PG, 3 minutes
   Omarr - by Russell Gummelt, Missouri Western State University. Rated PG-13, 17 minutes
   The Prisoner - by Blaise Webster, Friends University. Rated R, 20 minutes

15 min intermission

Reflections
   Motivation Monday - by Kevin Nail, University of Texas:  Arlington. Rated PG-13, 6 minutes
   SimianScope: The Making of King Kung Fu - by Nathan Light, Wichita State University. Rated PG, 28 minutes

10 Min intermission

Presentation of Awards of Excellence

In the words of the great WC Fields, “Never work with animals or children,” BisonBison Film Festival: A Student Competition is having a workshop about that subject. Attorney Jennifer Tunder will discus the legalities of working with animals and children in films.  

Jennifer Tunder is an attorney licensed in Oklahoma and California. Her film practice includes entity formation, contract review, document/contract drafting, researching, educating and consulting. Her clients include local filmmakers and out-of-state filmmakers, many of whom film in Oklahoma to  utilize the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program for film and Television. Prior to practicing law, Jennifer gained 11 years experience in entertainment while living in Los Angeles. For six of those years, Jennifer was a DVD producer for a variety of films and TV shows. She had the privilege of working with studios, such as Disney, 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros., in creating compelling, award winning content for “The Big Bang Theory,” “Fringe,” and the epic documentary re-release of the “40th Anniversary of Woodstock.” Jennifer received her B.A. in Mass Communications from Oklahoma City University, and a Certificate in the Business and Management of film, TV and new media from UCLA Extension. She received her J.D. from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family, reading crime fiction, watching Britcoms, going to the DeadCenter Film Festival, traveling and enjoying her home state of Oklahoma.

BBFF workshops will be Sat. April 4 starting at 10am and are free/open to the public through the generosity of the Ponca City Arts and Humanities Council. All workshops will be held at the Festival Venue, Carolyn Renfro Event Center/Hospice of NCO, 445 Fairview Ave, Ponca City OK.

DARRYL COX, a professional film/TV actor/stunt coordinator for over 35 years, will present a workshop on basic film set safety procedures. Mr. Cox’s film credits include Robocop, Bottle Rocket, Wildlife, Necessary Roughness, A Perfect World and Arlington Road. His TV credits include Prison Break, Friday Night Lights, Dallas, LA Law, General Hospital, North and South and In Plain Sight. He has worked with such directors as Francis Ford Coppola, Wes Anderson, Clint Eastwood, Terrence Malick, Oliver Stone, Bille August, and Paul Dano. Currently, Cox teaches “Acting for the Camera” in Los Angeles, Dallas, and at the University of Oklahoma. He is a former officer in the U.S. Navy, serving on the destroyer U.S.S. Forrest Sherman and now resides in Norman, Oklahoma.

CRAIG PASQUINZO will present a workshop on how a documentary project is started. Mr. Pasquinzo is a highly accomplished leader with experience in documentaries and academia. He has over ten years of experience in television, film, live events, development of international production, editing and screenwriting. Currently on the faculty of the University of Arkansas, Pasquinzo instruct students in the creation of documentary short films, including script writing, videography, and editing. He recently finished a University of Arkansas documentary project: Tibetans in Exile Today, which was chronicled the Tibetan struggle starting from the Chinese invasion in 1959 to the present day. He also organized 16 university students on a three-week videography trip to India, in 2015 and 2017, to record interviews of Tibetan subjects.

The Early Bird deadline is Wed. December 19, 2018. A $5 discount is applied to the submission fee, making the fee $25 instead of $30.  As of today, we have 11 films submitted from Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. Hey students in Nebraska and Oklahoma, let's see your submissions! Remember the final deadline is February 2, 2019.

WE would like to introduce the 2019 Festival Selection Committee:
L to R, seated: Mindy Littlecook, Sam Stuart, Gayle Williams
L to R, standing: Dolley Rolland, Chris Littlecook, Stephe Long, Jeri Casey Nash, Todd Stuart, Shane Bereman, Carla Rafferty
Not Pictured: Winston Henry, Jose Cervantes, Lance Garret
Remember: WE'RE WATCHING!