2026 COWPOKES FILM FESTIVAL SYNOPSIS
2000 Miles From Memphis - 4 Min
The music video for this song, 2000 Miles From Memphis is made exclusively from footage from the first act of the feature film and adds musical and narrative support to the film's story.
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8 Seconds - 2 Min
A visual poetic tribute to one of the most dangerous sports in the world...Rodeo.
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A Cowboy's Journey - 5 Min
This is a short western animated film about a retired Colorado lawman who now travels the countryside with his horse and dog. Things that happened in the past are still haunting him
to this day.
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A Few Good Men From The North - 30 Min
In 1897, Finnish brothers Pietari and Verner Korpi head into the harsh frontier of Minnesota in search of their missing father.
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A Strange Trip - 26 Min
"A Strange Trip" follows the adventures of an aging hippie father and his buttoned-up lawyer son as they set off on a journey to the iconic Woodstock Museum in White Lake, New York. This cross-country escapade is brimming with comedic misadventures and unexpected detours that keep the pair on their toes. As they navigate the chaos together, they gradually rediscover their bond, transforming their relationship from one of tension to one filled with warmth and understanding. This journey is not just about reaching a destination; it’s a heartfelt exploration of laughter, love, and the rediscovery of family.
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After Hours - 4 min
During her nightly cleaning routine, an elderly janitor realizes she is being hunted by a dangerous creature. In her escape, she's forced to make a difficult choice between her own survival and that of a frightened young girl.
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Basin Bloodlines - 21 Min
Basin Bloodlines tells the remarkable true story of three PRCA world champions—
Josh Frost, Dean Thompson, and Cash Robb—who all come from the same rugged, overlooked corner of eastern Utah: the Uintah Basin. In a single historic season, each reached the top of professional rodeo in different events, an achievement rarely seen in the sport. Rooted in family, faith, and a relentless work ethic shaped by ranch life and isolation, the film explores how this unforgiving landscape forged three elite cowboys—and how their shared home continues to define who they are long after the arena lights fade.
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Blood Is My Redemption - 61 Min
After five years on the dodge, the man in black finds himself in a crossfire between four notorious bounty hunters called "The Four Horsemen" and a familiar outlaw known as "The Old Man."
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Darlin' - 6 Min
A woman rides alone across a vast desert, when a mysterious man and his group of riders appear, blocking her path with threatening intentions.
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Four Tarantulas - 11 Min
An aged outlaw, challenged by memories of past days bygone, finds himself on a journey of self-reflection.
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From The Ashes - 7 Min
Music Video from the film "MISSOURI BREAKS: The Ballad of Missouri Bill"
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Hell on Wheels - 52 Min
"Hell on Wheels" rides shotgun with rodeo’s wildest star, bareback rider Rocker Steiner,
as he tears up the circuit, battles fierce competition, and fights to claim his first gold buckle—all while living life loud, fast, and unapologetically on his own terms.
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Insensible Losses - 9 Min
A doctor puts aside concerns about her own pregnancy as she works to care for a miscarrying patient.
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Justice Hill Texas - 1 Min
A Texas Cowgirl stumbles upon a deadly situation in the Old West town of Justice Hill, Texas.
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MISSOURI BREAKS: The Ballad of Missouri Bill - 91 Min
Set in 1880 Idaho Territory, the film follows Missouri Bill McAllister-- a man haunted by ghosts of the Civil War, and the friends he lost along the way. While chasing adventure in the West and trying to outrun his past, Bill unwittingly draws the people loves into a whirlwind none of them were prepared for. At this crossroads Bill is forced to choose: confront the past and embrace his purpose, or lose everything he holds most dear.
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Redemption - 4 Min
The great news about feeling stuck in an unending rat race of fear, anxiety, and depression is that one single name can bring back the sun – Jesus. This music video is a spotlight, pathway, and celebration of what Christ has done to free us all from the snares of sin. The gift is so easy because it’s free. Rejoice in that blessing.
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Remnants - 23 Min
When a devastating wildfire ravages their land, a sixth-generation ranching family grapples with the legacy of the American cowboy in the face of government policies that threaten their livelihood and a changing culture that brands their lifestyle a thing of the past.
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Sheriff Ron - 5 Min
An old west showdown is not all it seems to be.
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So You Want to be an Outlaw - 22 Min
5 bumbling cowhands decide it would be easier to rob a bank than working.
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Stubborn - 11 Min
A horse breeder stumbles upon an injured man and discovers a gold nugget that could change her life. Driven by greed, the horse breeder descends into violence, only to become trapped
in a mysterious cycle.
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Sundown - 97 Min
Three gold miners in the late 1800s wander into a terrifying town with a strange set of rules. They must confront their own demons as they try to survive until
the sun comes up.
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The Baku - 25 Min
The story follows The Baku, an orphan raised to fight evil by "eating" ghosts, monsters and demons in mid-1800s California. The Baku is a Horror Western.
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The Bounty Hunter - 8 Min
A young detective is on a mission to find a woman who has run away from her husband.
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The Colorado Trail - 8 Min
In this humorous Western Music video, weary cowboys relaxing in a saloon at the end of a long cattle drive are taken on a surprising musical journey by one of their comrades.
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The Pastor - 22 Min
Despite the many temptations around him, the Pastor never wavers from God.
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The Path - 34 Min
What is the most important life lesson a father can teach his child? This is that story. "The Path" is Wes's debut in writing and is inspired by actual events in his life. It is a faith-based family drama about a 63-year-old single dad split raising his only child, a teenage daughter. through a dream, he realizes that tomorrows are never promised and that he must ensure his daughter knows "The Path" to Salvation. He takes her on a heartfelt road trip full of life lessons, traditions, stories from his Special Operations military past, faith and bonding moments. The trip is cut short, just shy of their destination, by his vision of tragedy. He leaves behind a legacy of love, purpose and commitment to faith... and that endings are also beginnings.
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The Wilson 3 - 16 Min
A Documentary about the Wilsons, a rodeo family that was swept away by the July 4th tragedy in 2025 Texas.
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Toxic Abuse - 20 Min
As ambitious Det. Rachel doesn't realize how her alcohol addiction is ruining her career professionally and personally. Like all alcoholics, Det. Rachel doesn't see the path awaiting her.
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Trouble - 4 Min
Music Video by Keith Michael, Texas artist from the film "Crude"
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Vapor Trails - 11 Min
Mandy has just given Jethro an ultimatum, quit vaping or else. His friend Chuck thinks its going to be easy to quit.
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A Fistful of Christmas
A grief-driven cowboy hunting his wife’s killer is shaken by a mysterious
stranger dressed in red, forcing him to reckon with whether vengeance
betrays the love he’s trying to avenge.
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7 Bullets
After surviving a church massacre, a preacher hunts the men who burned his congregation for gold—marking each with a deadly sin—while a young girl under his protection forces him to confront whether vengeance can coexist with mercy.
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Desert Ghost
When betrayal makes him the target, the Desert Ghost becomes the predator.
In the unforgiving borderlands, a betrayed CIA Ground Branch operative wages a one-man war against a ruthless cartel and the traitors within his own ranks. Branded an outlaw, hunted across Mexico’s deserts and into the canyons of Big Bend, Jace Rawlins must outthink and outfight his enemies to uncover the truth. But every step toward justice risks dragging him deeper into a cycle of vengeance from which there may be no escape.
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Emmaline
Based on the true story of a rape survivor who gets revenge but reclaims her identity only after uncovering dark family secrets surrounding the rape and disappearance
of her grandmother.
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Justice Hill Texas
A Texas Cowgirl stumbles upon a deadly situation in the Old West town of Justice Hill, Texas.
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Summer of 71
“One summer. Two brothers. A fight for freedom they’ll never forget.”
Summer of ’71 is a nostalgic coming-of-age drama set in rural South Western Oklahoma. When their parents leave for college classes, two long-haired California brothers are placed under the stern watch of their Bible-thumping Mamaw, an old farmhand, and a small-town preacher determined to “make men” of them. What begins as a summer of chores, discipline, and church turns into a season of rebellion and discovery. The boys find refuge in a secret hideout, clash with country kids, and endure trials of hunger, storms, and fire. For Steve, the younger brother, the struggle becomes more than survival — it’s about finding his own voice, faith, and freedom. Based on true childhood memories, the story blends humor, heart, and grit in a timeless tale of brotherhood and resilience.
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Sunka Wakan
It is 1794. In the tobacco fields of Virginia, Abraham endures the relentless cruelty of an overseer, unaware that fate is about to pull him into a journey more extraordinary and perilous than he could imagine.
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The Last Outlaw
Buffalo Bill Cody sets the stage in Electra, Tx. while trying to keep his Wild West show with the times of 1913 America.
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The Path
63-year-old single dad is split raising his only child, 16-year-old daughter Kaylee, and realizes that tomorrows are never promised. He takes her on a weekend road trip to teach her the most important life lessons of all family first and The Path to salvation.
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Putney's Crusade, The Knights of the Rising Sun
In 1871, Deputy U. S. Marshal Nahum Putney is assigned to investigate and apprehend members of a militant racist group that is terrorizing former slaves in the area of Fort Worth, Texas.
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The Bronc Peeler
Billy Park was about ready to give up snappin' broncs with the big outfits. He was starving when he rode into Jim Steel's ranch. Steel had broncs to break, cattle to work and a widowed daughter-in-law. All would figure into Billy's future as he moved from bronc rider to rancher.
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The Last Outlaw
Buffalo Bill Cody, while recruiting new talent, meets a man named Brushy Bill Roberts. Cody convinces himself that Roberts is, in reality, William Bonney, aka Billy the Kid. Cody sees this meeting as an opportunity to revive his failing wild west show.
2026 COWPOKES SCREENPLAY / MANUSCRIPT SYNOPSIS
6th Annual
April 10-12 2026
114 N Waggoner St, Electra, TX 76360
#COWPOKESFF
Cant attend? You can still Donate and help support the CIFF
SPONSOR ONE OR MORE OF THE CIFF AWARDS AT THE 2026 AWARD SHOW! Just let us know which award you, or your business name would like to sponsor, & we'll mention you or your business name prior to that specific award! It's that easy!! You can also be kept anonymous. If you have any questions, email us at [email protected]
A list of "Award Nominees or Award Nominations" such as "Best Actor", "Best Actress", "Best Feature Film", "Best Short Film", etc., is now listed on the 'Award Nominees' tab above. The deadline for becoming an "Award Sponsor" is April 2nd 2026.
Cant attend? You can still Donate and help support the CIFF
Cant attend? You can still Donate and help support the CIFF
Cant attend? You can still Donate and help support the CIFF
