Bare Bones Film Festival marks 25th Anniversary for being friendly

May 1—People have made lots of friends at Bare Bones Film Festival over the past 25 years.

"That's how we're known to be the friendliest film festival in the world according to those who attend," festival organizer and filmmaker Shiron Ray said. "And we nurture filmmakers, so we have alumni who tell other filmmakers about it. I guess that's our accomplishment, by being friendly and nurturing."

This year's silver anniversary festival runs Thursday through Saturday at several Muskogee locations. The Bonehead Awards Ceremony will cap off the festival at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Roxy Theatre.

When Bare Bones began in the late 1990s, there was only one other film festival in Oklahoma, a short subject festival in Tulsa, Ray said.

"Now there are close to 20," she said. "We're still going. We're the longest lasting, but we're not the biggest. Dead Center in Oklahoma City is the biggest and they have a paid staff."

Bare Bones also has become recognizable around the world, attracting filmmakers from the Netherlands, Iran, Japan, New Zealand and other countries, Ray said.

"We have always been international," she said. "Up until the pandemic, we had lots of international filmmakers traveling here."

Barebones films are now streamed internationally, she said.

Thursday films focus on music videos, soundtracks and music documentaries.

A Script-2-Screen symposium and panel and live readings will be at 10 a.m. at the Roxy.

The Okie From Muskogee Filmmaker Welcome Reception and opening feature will be 5:30 p.m. Thursday at 3 Rivers Bed & Breakfast.

A Community Heroes award will be presented to musicians Craig Morgan and Andy Sanchez.

"Craig has had several businesses, including Downtown Lady and worked at the Down Home Blues Club and he's taken his music to nursing homes," Ray said. "Andy Sanchez, who works at Love Bottling, works with Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and has taken on leadership roles."

A feature "Thank You Amelia Earhart," will premiere at 7 p.m. The producer, Al Martens, will get a Script-2-Screen award.

"He first submitted a script two years ago, then he made his movie," Ray said. "When someone does that, it's always a joy point of the festival because we feel we were part of the foundation of making it happen."

Friday movies, all at the Roxy, will focus on speculative fiction, horror, fantasy and science fiction.

One movie, "Echoes" at 2 p.m. is a post-apocalyptic vision about God reinventing Adam and Eve after humanity is wiped out. According to a media release, the movie poses questions about fate, free will, faith and "humanity's propensity for self-destruction."

The movie's director, Tim Ritter, will be part of a filmmakers panel, 10 a.m. Friday at the Roxy.

Visitors are invited to help make a music video 9 p.m. Friday at the Roxy.

"We put out a call for some classic cars or low riders, maybe some motorcycles or Jeepers, they're all welcome," Ray said.

Saturday will have a youth focus at the Roxy.

"We have films that have youth in them," Ray said. "And we have several animations."

One film, "Indiana Jones and the Treasure of the Aztecs" features an all-youth cast out of Arkansas.

"It's like a fan film," Ray said. "And they take their roles seriously."

Around noon, there will be a photo shoot with as many youngsters as possible dressed in "Star Wars" costume, to celebrate "Star Wars Day."

Also on Saturday, documentaries will be shown all day at Muskogee Public Library and short films will be shown at Muskogee Civic Center. Tickets are available at the Roxy website.