The count down is on for the first ever Okotoks Film Festival.

With just under two weeks to go, the OFF board of directors are busy getting everything organized, and with 750 film submissions, that hasn't been an easy feat.

Katie Fournell, festival director, says they have 60 features all lined up and they're ready to press play.

"We have over 60 films, most of them are international but 9 of them are from Okotoks, or have some sort of connection to the Foothills." Fournell also says, there's more to the festival than films.  "We have 3 workshops for film makers looking to expand their horizons. We also have two big parties happening, our opening and closing parties, and leading up to the International Festival we have the 48 Hour Film Fest."

The 48 Hour Film Fest is a precursor and a creative warm-up to the full festival.

Fournell says the 48 Hour Film Fest features a challenge for local film makers.

"We have a film making challenge that starts at 6 PM on Friday.  Participants will be given a package and in that package, they will have a line of dialogue, a genre and a prop, which they will use to make a movie within  48 hours. The film must be shot, edited, and back to us by 6pm on Sunday."

All teams that hand in a completed video before the deadline and meet the guidelines of the challenge, will be screened during the O.F.F's 48 Hour Screening.

Awards will be presented for Best Film, Best Use of Prop, Best Use of Line, Best Use of Genre and Audience's Choice.

The Okotoks Film Festival will be more then just popcorn, and films on the big screen though. 

Katy Fournell says workshops provided by industry professionals will be held all weekend as well.

"We're bringing in professional film makers to teach workshops, the first is called chat with a film maker, with Margo and Doug. Theyre going to talk a little bit about their life and what it means to be a film maker.  On Saturday we are going to host a panel of film makers from all different experiences, and theyre running a panel called how to get your short film made." Fournell shares her excitement about Sunday's workshop "Sunday a cinematographer from Edmonton, named Chase Gardener will be hosting, he is teaching how to get professional style lighting on a budget."

The Okotoks Film Festival will take place June 2nd - 4th.

You can click here to purchase tickets, and find more information.

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