Starting in 2003,  the Conestoga International Film Festival was a noble experiment conducted by Conestoga, Tulsa's science fiction convention.
 
For decades, science fiction conventions often featured film rooms, which presented popular, often hard to find movies. Before cable TV, convention film rooms were the only place fans could see classic movies and TV shows. The introduction of video tapes, DVDs and the Internet changed the situation, allowing fans access to more films and TV shows than ever before. People stopped going to film rooms at conventions because they could find whatever they wanted in the comfort of their homes. Conventions needed something new...
 
The Conestoga International Film Festival filled the void left by the con film room. It encouraged the production of independent films and provided a public forum for original artistic expression.  It also gave convention attendees something new to see. By limiting films to 20 minutes or less, it presented a challenge to producers that was met with positive results. Over a 6-year period, people attending Conestoga got to see world premiere film shorts and witness a host of amazing talent. It became a true international film festival, attracting entrees from Italy, Singapore, Canada, England, South Korea, Switzerland, Mexico, Germany, the Netherlands, China, and across America. The last Conestoga was in 2010, but the legacy of the film festival lives on. I am proud to have been a part of it all.
--Tim Frayser, Director
 
 
--Film Festival Rules--    
  •  This is a contest for amateurs-- people who do not make movies for a living, so it's not fair if you're an Oscar winner. If you just started making movies, or if you've been making videos and movies at home for years but have never earned a penny off your work, you're eligible.   
  • There is no charge to enter a film in the contest.  There is, however, a fee to enter the convention. The film festival operates under the guidance of the Conestoga convention, and must abide by its rules. Everyone attending the film festival in person must pay to attend the convention. 
  • Acceptance in the film festival does not imply free admission to the convention.  
  • Productions must be independently produced, with the film maker retaining complete editorial control. That means you can't use anything that's copyrighted by anyone else, including music and scripts based on previously published material , without written consent. If you get consent for use of copyrighted materials, copies of the consent form must be included with your entry. (This is how the big boys do it.) 
  • It is recommended (but not required) that you include with your entry photos from the production, to be used by Conestoga to help promote your film. Other materials, such as cast interviews and production notes, are also welcome.    
  • Conestoga reserves the right to use samples of winning entries in future advertisements.   
  • Entrees longer than maximum time limit may be considered for presentation at the festival, but will not be part of the competition.   
  • No nudity or excessive graphic violence, please. Try to keep productions at a PG-13 level. Exceptions may be allowed on a case-by-case basis as determined by festival judges.  
  • Directors are allowed to submit more than one entry, but a seperate entry form must be completed for each entry.   
  • Entries will be accepted on American DVD, or standard VHS videocassette, NTSC format only; productions created in other media must be converted to DVD or VHS video for entry. Only one entry per tape, please. Clearly label both entry and entry holder with title, running time, contact name, address and phone number. Conestoga is not responsible for loss or damage during shipment. Individual directors retain copyright on their original works, but entry tapes and accompanying materials become the property of Conestoga, and will only be returned when a self addressed and stamped envelope (SASE) is included.   
  • Do not send the only copy of your film. 
 
Maximum running time for each entry is 20 minutes. 
Entrees must fall under one of the following five categories: 
Science Fiction:  
Stories that involve speculations based on current or future science or technology, or postulated laws of nature. 
Fantasy:  
Stories that use magic or other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting, including fantastic elements in a self-coherent setting. 
Horror:  
The storyline should be intended to scare, unsettle, or horrify the audience, including stories with a morbid, gruesome, surreal, or exceptionally suspenseful theme. 
Documentary:  
A creative work of non-fiction, presenting political, social, or historical subject matter in a factual and informative manner. The production should tell a story. 
Animation:  
A work of any genre, created with images or artwork that give the impression of movement.
 
 
 
Winners  
of the 2008 Conestoga  
International Film Festival!  
Animation Category  
1st place: "When the World Goes Dark" produced by Anthony Paul Scalmato of Broadview Heights, OH  
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Documentary Category  
1st place: "Holland in Miniature" produced by Henri Rooijmans of the Netherlands. 2nd place: "Tapestry's Burning Man" produced by Tim Frayser of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. 3rd place: "Autumn in Park Clingendael" produced by Henri Rooijmans of the Netherlands  
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Horror Category  
1st place: "Creepers" produced by Nick Thiel, C.J. Johnson and Genevieve Wheeler of Los Angeles, California. 2nd place; "Pastiche of the Dead" produced by Jonathan S Kui of Lake Ronkonkoma, NY. 3rd place: "The Tell-Tale Heart" produced by Rob Winfrey of Somerville, TN  
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There were no awards in the Science Fiction or Fantasy categories this year  
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Best in Show:   
"Creepers" produced by Nick Thiel, C.J. Johnson and Genevieve Wheeler
 
 
Winners of the 2007 Conestoga International Film Festival 
Science Fiction Category  
First Place:  "D.I.P.S," produced by Chrisi Talyn of Sherman Oaks, California. Second Place: "Oops!" produced by David Brigham of Cincinnati, Ohio  
Animation Category  
First Place: "Lullaby," produced by Leonard Manevich of Everett, Washington. Second Place: "Cest la Vie," produced by Wook Sang Chang of Suwon, South Korea. Third Place: "The Cock & Bull Story," produced by Maria DelCarmen Espinosa and Fidencio Carrillo of  Veracruz, Mexico  
Documentary Category  
First Place: "10,000 Emotions," produced by Henri Rooijmans of the Netherlands. Second Place: "Muharram: an Ode to Peace," produced by Imran Syed of Singapore  
Fantasy Category  
First Place: "The Granite Orchard," produced by Shiron Butterfly of Muskogee, Oklahoma. Second Place: "Lord of the Rings-- a Toroidal Epic," produced by Guerrilla Productions of Tigard, Oregon  
Horror Category  
First Place: "Timmy," produced by Marc Hall of Muskogee, Oklahoma. Second Place: "The Statement of Randolph Carter," produced by Guerrilla Productions of Tigard, Oregon. Third Place: "Innsmouth Legacy," produced by Guerrilla Productions of Tigard, Oregon  
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Best in Show:   
"Lullaby," produced by Leonard Manevich 
 
 
Winners of the 2006 Conestoga International Film Festival:   
Science Fiction Category  
First Place: "Wayfarer 1– E2: Destination Home," produced by Alx Cruz of Braintree, Massachusetts  
Animation Category  
First Place: "The Tragical Historie of Guidolon, the Giant Space Chicken," produced by Frank Wu of Palo Alto, California. Second Place: "Dandelion," produced by Jim Minton of Dallas, Texas  
Documentary Category  
First Place: "Look, I Am Flying," produced by Henri Rooijmans of the Netherlands  
Fantasy Category  
First Place: "Quien Es Pilar," produced by Andrea Appetito and Christian Carmosino of Rome, Italy  
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There were no awards in the Horror category this year.  
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Best in Show: "The Tragical Historie of Guidolon, the Giant Space Chicken," produced by Frank Wu
 
 
Winners of the 2005 Conestoga International Film Festival 
Science Fiction Category 
1st Place: "Chick Magnet" produced by Christopher Garcia of Mountain View, California. 2nd Place: "Super-Anon" produced by Deb Sears of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 3rd Place: "The Nightwalker" produced by Brian Holomb of Atco, New Jersey 
Fantasy Category 
1st Place: "Kaze, Ghost Warrior" produced by Timothy Albee of Fairbanks, Alaska. 2nd Place: "Moonlight" produced by Shawn Early of Norman, Oklahoma 
Horror Category 
1st Place: "Hell to Pay" produced by Patrick Rea of Lawrence, Kansas. 2nd Place: "Last Stop to Midnight" produced by Robert Cabrera of Aurora, Colorado. 3rd Place: "Portraits" produced by Claudio Dezi of Colleferro, Italy 
Animation Category 
1st Place: "Santa's Nightmare" produced by Fabian Giessler of Weimar, Germany. 2nd Place: "Rise of the Vampire" produced by Steve Darnley of Yorkshire, England. 3rd Place: "C-Flat" produced by Jim Minton of Dallas, Texas 
Documentary Category 
No Awards for Documentaries This Year 
 
 
Winners of the 2004 Conestoga Short Film Festival: 
Science Fiction Category First Place: "Type Five Dhead" directed by Thomas H. Korzeniowski of Ontario, Canada. Second Place: "Earthbound" directed by Federico Anastasi of Italy. Third Place: "Wayfarer 1: Chapter 1 and Beyond" directed by Alx Cruz of Melrose, MA 
Horror Category  First Place: "The Nightmare Stumbles Past" directed by Roland Clements of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Second Place: "A Few Miles Back" directed by Patrick Rea of Lawrence, Kansas.  
Animation Category  First Place: "Kinetic Sandwich" directed by Eric Dyer of Baltimore, MD 
Documentary Category  First Place: "The Only Daughter"directed by Xu Guigin, Song Shuting, and Song Shilong of China 
Fantasy Category First Place: "Argent Liquide (Cashflow)" directed by Shaun Andrews of Switzerland
 
 
Winners of the 2003 Conestoga Short Film Festival:  
Science Fiction Category First Place: "Immune" directed by Patrick Rea; Second Place: "The Elorum Cargo" directed by Patrick Rea and Ryan Jones; Third Place: "Hi-8 Wars" directed by Steve Latham.  
Animation Category First Place: "The Evil Awakens" directed by Patrick Rea  
Horror Category First Place: "A Man and his Finger" directed by Patrick Rea and Ryan Jones; Second Place: "Disturbances" directed by Patrick Rea; Third Place: "The Walls" directed by Patrick Rea.  
Documentary Category First Place: "Forry" directed by Jimmy Hollaman.  
Fantasy Category First Place: "Terminis Est" directed by Per Malm; Second Place: "Two Ninjas" directed by Steve Latham
Page updated January, 2012