The Wild Bunch Film Festival 2016 is Almost Upon Us!
Cat Stevens might not be talking about The Wild Bunch Film Festival when he sings, “Oh baby baby it’s a wild world.” But it’s a solid description of the three day international film festival in Tishomingo, Oklahoma Sept 23/25th. And it’s more “wildly awesome” than it is wild, as in “out of control.” That’s because it’s schedule is bubbling over with cinema that would make folks of the Wild West proud. It’s the only film festival in the State of Oklahoma, that’s dedicated only to the Western film genre. The film festival directors are Oklahoma native and film producer Rock Whitehead and his wife, actress/screenwriter Brenda-Marie Whitehead.
“Filmmakers and actors are flying into Oklahoma from all over! It will feature multiple screenings, celebrities, gunfights, vendors, food trucks a concert and more!”
Emceeing, the entire festival as well as performing will be Branson’s own Ermal Williamson & Paula Erlene, from “THE JOHN WAYNE SHOW”. Paula Erlene is a six-time National Award Winning Yodeler and Patsy Cline impersonator, and Ermal Williamson is a SAG actor and famous John Wayne impersonator.
Friday Sept 23rd
The festival starts with a Kick Off Party at 5PM at Sipokni West’s old west town, located at 2200 S Sawmill Rd., Tishomingo, OK. Enjoy “live” music, vendors, great food, shopping, gunfights, Celebrities and even look-a-likes. The kickoff party is free to the public, but tickets/passes can be purchased online for packages, like a private VIP dinner with Celebrities at the Lost Spur Cafe new banquet room, film screenings, red carpet event and others!
Saturday Sept 24th
Indie western genre film screenings all day at The Indie Cinema (114 W Main St., Tishomingo, Oklahoma) from 10am to 6:45pm. Watch a “live” gunfight around high noon on Main Street. Celebrities will include Ermal Williamson, Paula Erlene (Emcees/performers), Allison Balson (Nancy Oleson in Little House on the Prairie), Ken Farmer (Deputy Kyle in Silverado, author), Brenda-Marie Whitehead, one of the festival directors, who also plays one of the leads in the soon to be released film “High On The Hog”, and co-writer of the new western feature film that’s in development…”Heaven With A Gun”.
Hollywood Stuntman Jerry Vance will also be attending. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic equestrian team and found a home in the late 1950’s doing live shows at Corriganville. He’s performed on the following TV shows doing stunts: The Lawman, Surfside Six, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Maverick, The FBS Files and Tombstone Territory, where he performed a standing saddle fall which he invented on the show which earned him a running part on the series. He’s jumped out of airplanes on the TV show “Ripcord” to double Ken Curtis. He’s also been on The Andy Griffith Show among others, and he drove the Black Beauty car for Bruce Lee on the TV series “The Green Hornet” (1966-67). On Caprice (1967) he doubled Ray Walston for a forty-seven-foot balcony fall. In the mid-1960’s, He also worked on “Ballad of a Gunfighter” (1964) with Marty Robbins, “A Fine Madness” (1966), and “Hangfire (1968).
The Festival Concert, 8:30pm Saturday Sept 24th in the evening at The Indie Cinema with Emcees Ermal Williamson and Paula Erlene performing, Headliner is singer/songwriter Mark Duane, a native Oklahoman residing in Tucson, AZ. Special guest include Johnny Shackleford, Roy Rogers, and Jessica Farmer. The concert is $10 online or $12 cash at the door.
Sunday Sept 25th
Includes six (Rated G) family friendly films that’ll screen from 1pm to 2:45pm. The Red Carpet Event at 4pm that features an award winning film titled “6 Bullets To Hell” (PG13) that was selected from submissions. Walk the red carpet with cast members Tanner Beard, Crispian Belfrage and Ken Luckey with a Q&A afterwards. Plus, three lucky winners are going to win an autographed poster and a free download of the “6 Bullets To Hell” game and the movie in a FREE drawing after the movie has screened! The anticipated Award Show will immediately follow.
All of The Wild Bunch Film Festival details are on the official website. Volunteers also needed. Tickets/passes can also be purchased online with several options and packages to choose from. Some tickets/passes may also be purchased at the event with cash only.
So giddy up and get your passes, and bring your camera!
