The TeePee Drive-In, a Route 66 icon seeing a resurgence since reopening in April of 2023, has already seen an uptick in attendance with its popular summer program where tickets are sold per carload instead of individually on Wednesdays. The fact that the TeePee’s hometown of Sapulpa was name-dropped in the recent “Twisters” sequel didn’t hurt, either.
But instead of resting after a successful summer showcase, the TeePee is using the momentum to draw more visitors to the big screen on The Mother Road with a new initiative to showcase the talents of local filmmakers.
According to a statement sent to the Sapulpa Times, the TeePee will be screening short films made in Oklahoma for the first time this season. These films will be shown before the first-run feature films at their regularly scheduled times.
“The TeePee Drive-in is more than a movie. We’ve always been a place for nostalgia, experience and community,” says Chuck Foxen, the Programmer and General Manager of Teepee Drive-In. “We’re excited to extend that spirit to Oklahoma filmmakers. We can’t wait to share your stories with our audience under the stars.”
Oklahoma filmmakers are encouraged to submit their short films, but they must meet certain criteria regarding length (no more than 20 minutes) and filming location (must be produced within the state of Oklahoma). Foxen says they also prefer films completed within the last year.
The TeePee Drive-In team will then review submissions and pair films with appropriate feature films for a thematic double-feature experience. All selected filmmakers will be contacted directly by the TeePee.
Filmmakers interested in submitting their projects are instructed to send a screening link, a short bio and any additional information to teepeedrivein@kantegroup.com.
