BisonBison Film Festival begins Friday

The time for the BisonBison Film Festival is at hand, with films set to show Friday and Saturday at The Poncan Theatre, 104 East Grand Avenue.

The mission of the BisonBison Film Festival is to recognize and showcase the work of student filmmakers enrolled in academic programs in the Mid-America region.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Friday with films beginning at 7 p.m.

An after party is set Friday night after the last film and will be held at the Astoria Boulevard Bistro and Bar, 217 East Grand Avenue, a block and a half east of the theater The party is for all ages.

STAGE TO SCREEN – ART NARRATIVES

IF ONLY By Lisandro Boccacci • Rating: PG -13 – Running time: 5 min.
A story of a love misconnection, told in one shot, filmed in a 360-rotation accompanied by a poetic piece.
STAGED By Aaron Berger • Rating: PG-13 – Running time: 5 min.
As two friends prepare to go onstage together for an audition, one snaps under the pressure and conflict ensues.
HESITATION OF AN ARTIST By Nicolas Saenz, Aaron Dhen • Rating: PG – Running time: 4 min.
An artist’s muse awakens.
SKETCHES By Savannah Rodgers • Rating: PG – Running time: 7 min.
After falling deeply in love, two women struggle with domesticity and their opposite personalities.

DOCUMENTARIES THAT ROCK

SLITHERING HOME By Andrew Gaber, Craig Pasquinzo • Rating: PG – Running time: 27 min.
“Slithering Home” takes a look inside the world of venomous snake keeping.
DETERMINATION: THE HEART OF CLIMBING By Max Muchinski • Rating: PG -13 – Running time: 7 min.
This tells the story of Adam Stackable, one of Oklahoma’s strongest climbers, and his nearly decade long project.
VOICE OF THE RAZORBACKS By Cassie Schirm • Rating: PG – Running time: 22 min.
This documentary is about Chuck Barrett, the radio play-by-play broadcaster for the University of Arkansas football and basketball programs.

DARK AND TWISTED SHORTS  (Adults Content)

FATE OF REVENGE By Elias Moreno • Rating: PG-13 – Running time: 6 min.
A man struggles with his yearning for revenge against the man who murdered his wife.
HISSTERIA By Josiah Jones, Daniel Bean • Rating: PG-13 – Running time: 5 min.
Something is stirring and purring in Southern France and it’s disrupting one man’s dinner.
BEHIND YOU By Michael West • Rating: PG-13 – Running time: 2 min.
The creeping fear someone or something is following you becomes eerily real for a young woman walking home one night.
WYTCH By Josiah Jones • Rating: R – Running time: 10 min.
A young girl summons a many-faced protector in her most dire hour.

On Saturday, free workshops will be open to the public at the Phillips 66 Clubhouse, 1500 South Fourth Street, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

From 10 am. to noon is an in-depth workshop on screenwriting with Clifton Raphael. After a lunch break from noon to 1 p.m., there will be an open panel discussion with jurors from 1 to 2 p.m.

Doors open again at the theater at 6:30 p.m. with films starting at 7 p.m. The Saturday schedule includes:

FAMILY FRIENDLY FILMS

LOVE SWEET LOVE By Jeffrey Mundinger, Amy Van Drunen, Joshua Stolberg • Rating: G – Running time: 5 min.
This is the story behind Kansas City’s iconic citizen, “Super Jesus” Michael Wheeler.
CHRYSALIS By Micah Black • Rating: G – Running time: 10 min.
Thomas’s drab, dead-end job flips upside-down when he is assigned to train Claire, a free-spirited intern.
RUNAWAY By Jordan Horsch • Rating: PG – Running time: 7 min.
A little girl runs away from home and has an adventure after a traumatic experience at home.
THE SUBSTITUTE By Allison Minor • Rating: PG – Running time: 6 min.
Gary’s kids meet to talk about his declining health, while Gary takes on a substitute teaching job.
FLYING By Jacob Hood • Rating: G – Running time: 4 min.
A woman learns to fly again after grieving the loss of her son.

COMEDY SHORTS

UNTITLED By Chad Allensworth, Jesse Pershall • Rating: PG-13 – Running time: 12 min.
Four college students are figuring out what film they want to make.
OH, LARRY By Anne Mirrop • Rating: PG – Running time: 7 min.
Larry Coward is in the dumps, from losing his wife to fumbling everything at work, what could go right?
THE WRITE WAY By Ian Storck • Rating: PG – Running time: 12 min.
Miles, an aspiring screenwriter, takes a job from a desperate man.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING SHORTS

RENOUNCE By Valentin Merlet Rating: G – Running time: 4 min.
The story of captured man and his attempts to escape.
THEY THINK WE’RE NUCLEAR By Lauren Bumgarner • Rating: G – Running time: 6 min.
A photo session leads individuals to question their worth and role within their family.
STARCH By Nathan Manning • Rating: PG-13 – Running time: 6 min.
A typical work day for neat, organized Private Starch; however, not every day can be that simple.

Following Saturday’s films, the Awards Presentation will be held, followed by the Grand Finale After Party at Astoria Boulevard Bistro and Bar.

More information about the festival can be found at www.bisonbisonfilmfestival.org.