For 20 years, Amy Janes has worked to take the moving musical drama “Cricket” from story concept to feature film.
After making this film in Oklahoma that would have been unimaginable 20 years ago, producers and editors are excited to have its world premiere at Oklahoma City's Dead Center Film Festival, the state's largest film festival. He said he is doing so.
“It took us 20 years to get here, and we weren’t going to settle for just any festival. That’s why we’re so excited. I know how tough it is.''But to be selected here is truly monumental.'' We are forever grateful,” Janes told The Oklahoman.
The world premiere of “Cricket'' (previously titled “Cricket's Requiem''), directed by her husband, director Richard Janes, will be the highlight of this year's Dead Center Film Festival's Oklahoma narrative feature series.
The 24th Annual Dead Center Film Festival will be held in downtown OKC from June 6th to 9th and will be held at Harkins Bricktown 16, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Rodeo Cinema Film Row, Scissortail Park, Fordson Hotel ( It will be screened at the new DC hub at the former 21c Museum. hotels).
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“Founded by Oklahoma filmmakers, Dead Center always values Oklahoma work and is excited to have the world premiere of ‘Cricket’ at this festival.” Dead Center Films Kacky Porch, executive director of , said in an email.
What other opening night films will be on OKC Film Festival's 2024 lineup?
“Cricket” is the Oklahoma filmmaker’s fourth and final feature film to be announced as part of the 2024 Dead Center Film Festival lineup.
The musical drama will be shown on Dead Center's opening night, June 6th at 8:30pm at Harkins Bricktown 16 in downtown OKC.
Other opening nights at the Dead Center this year include the world premiere of “Sauced,” a documentary that explores the emotional journey of Alex Saucedo, an Oklahoma boxing champion who suffered a career-ending brain injury in 2020 It will be done. The world premiere of the supernatural LGBTQIA romance 'Hayley's Game' filmed exclusively on location, cast and crew in OKC. And there was the state premiere of La Singla, a documentary about Antonia Singla, a flamenco dancer born deaf who revolutionized the art at the age of 17.
More than 1,800 films were submitted to this year's Deadcenter Film Fest. Oscar qualifying festival passes are on sale for $200 at deadcenterfilm.org.
What is the music drama “Cricket” made in Oklahoma?
Written by Timson Duffy (Grey's Anatomy), “Cricket” follows Skye Dakota Turner, who played a young Aretha Franklin in the 2021 biopic “Respect,” who is drawn to the church. He plays Cricket Sullivan, an introverted teenager who steals candles from churches. She is a sick mother.
Caught in the act by a grieving choir director and tasked with polishing a church pew as penance, she finds an unlikely friendship that helps her unleash her true gift to the world. .
“Choir Discovery was also produced as a one-hour documentary with the idea that the documentary could be used to not only uplift the choral community but also really showcase local talent,” Janes said. Stated. The American Choral Directors Association is based in his OKC.
“So we're ready to launch this documentary in tandem with the feature to help people understand just how immensely talented local Oklahomans are.”
Where in Oklahoma was the musical drama “Cricket” filmed?
The Janes, who moved from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City in 2018, shot their lyrical film about love, loss and the resilience of the human spirit in OKC and Guthrie. Shot over 25 days in early 2022 with strict COVID-19 precautions, Cricket was shot mostly at the Filmmaker's Ranch (formerly Green Pastures) in Far East Oklahoma City.・Produced in a studio).
In 2020, Richard and Amy Janes partnered with Melody Garneau to transform the defunct Green Pastures Elementary School into Green Pastures, a 35,435 square foot building on 12 acres adjacent to the City of Spencer. – Renovated into a studio. It was rebranded last year as Filmmakers Ranch and is now being touted as Oklahoma's first film and television studio campus.
Amy Janes said she decided to use as much local talent as possible in front of and behind the camera for “Cricket.”
“I discovered this movie in 2004 when Tameson Duffy was in the graduate program at UCLA, and I was hooked. I used to sit in my car and cry and listen to Requiem. ” she said.
“It took us years to get it off the ground…and I don't think there was a better place in the world to do it than (Oklahoma). And I'm very grateful for that.” ”