Tulsa-based filmmaker shares joys and challenges of his journey

Apr. 12—The film industry in Oklahoma has long been on the scene, and Tulsa-based filmmaker Lisandro Boccacci has long played a role in that reality.

He's a director, producer, writer, cinematographer, actor and editor — and he's been filling those roles for more than two decades.

Boccacci, 37, has become known for his distinctive storytelling and artistic vision.

His feature documentary film "Lisandro Boccacci's Feature of Short Films Volume 1" will premiere for the first time ever at the 11th annual Red Dirt Film Festival held in Stillwater Thursday through Sunday. The screening will be at 11:30 a.m. April 20 at the Stillwater History Museum at 702 S. Duncan St.

The film marks a milestone for Boccacci, showcasing his cinematic journey and vision to a wider audience.

His full project, the double feature "Lisandro Boccacci's Feature of Short Films Volume 1 and Volume 2," narrates his evolution as a filmmaker and is a testament to his dreams, reflecting his passion for cinema and his pursuit of excellence.

Volume 2 of his feature was selected for screening at the Bare Bones International Film and Music Festival in Muskogee.

"Over a decade ago, I was honored as Indie Auteur of the Year, despite operating on a shoestring budget," Boccacci said in a press release. "Now, returning with Volume 2, I'm reminded of the journey and the unwavering passion that fuels my pursuit."

Boccacci was the first Oklahoman at the Bare Bones festival to win the award in 25 years.

Boccacci's passion for the arts began in childhood. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Boccacci was a third-grader when his family relocated to the United States.

"Essentially, it all started ... with the arts and theater and exploring that same drive through the camera," Boccacci said. "And being fascinated by actors and filmmakers like Charlie Chaplin who were introduced to me by my grandpa."

As a teenager, Boccacci took as many theater and film classes as he could, but he said acting wasn't his strength at the time, so he turned to stage craft and running lights.

"I would get to watch all the actors rehearse," Boccacci said. "That was me — kind of on the outside looking in."

But he didn't let that deter him. As a 17-year-old, he began shooting his own low-budget features in parts of Tulsa, where back then, he could walk out into the street to get a shot.

He studied at Tulsa Community College after high school, but there wasn't a school for filmmakers. He became president of the Film Club and continued studying theater.

Now, he has 17 zero-budget feature films to his name, not including documentaries he's produced.

In the past decade, Boccacci has worked as a personal assistant and an extra for five years on multiple TV and films with high profile names.

"It's been a real joy to be around these professionals and all the crew and just soak it in," Boccacci said. "It's a dream come true, because I've always been 'me and my camera.' I don't have connections."

During the filming of "Killers of the Flower Moon," he was the crew's COVID-19 personal assistant, where he was first on set and made sure the crew had been properly tested. He enjoyed watching as sets were repaired and T-models used in the film rolled in from across the nation.

But he isn't content to be a personal assistant, and yet following his passion hasn't been easy for Boccacci.

An Italian by birth, Boccacci was once passed over for an acting job because, although he said he looks Native American, he's not part of a sovereign nation. Sometimes he's felt alone, so he's looked for a local community of Italians in Tulsa, but there is none.

Filmmaking is an expensive art form, he said, and although he's applied for grants, he often doesn't receive funding or support that other filmmakers receive.

Without funding, filmmakers turn to exhibiting features in theaters, which can make or break an independent filmmaker.

Typically, independent filmmakers feature their work at festivals instead — where often they are pitted against more well-known filmmakers.

"People say, 'Why are there so many festivals in Tulsa now or Oklahoma?'" Boccacci said. "It's because the festivals that do exist aren't paying attention to the local (filmmakers). ... and sometimes it's like, 'Well, what about us?'"

In addition, Boccacci said although he does understand that there are different film genres, sometimes the hyper focus on specific film genres, such as Hispanic or LGBTQ+ film festivals, has almost "accidentally segregated" filmmakers.

"What happened to everybody coming to the festival because we're celebrating film?" he asked.

Boccacci partners with local theaters and venues to screen feature films from Oklahoma filmmakers, including partnerships with the Gypsy Coffee House in the Tulsa arts district and the Geaux Shows Theatre in Broken Arrow. The feature films screen on the first three Mondays of every month, and, so far, he's been able to screen 24 feature films.

He's constantly finding ways to promote Oklahoma filmmakers through efforts with a collective of independent filmmakers in Tulsa.

"Without the support of one another, you realize, 'Who is here to support me?'" Boccacci said. "You just realize, 'Oh, it's the same people who think like me, who want to do the same thing.'"

It's not easy to find work on outside film crews who come to Oklahoma, he said, because often film crews from locations such as Los Angeles don't know who he is and don't often work with local filmmakers. He feels "invisible," he said, in the filmmaking scene in Tulsa.

"And I think being invisible, as an artist who has something to say, is probably the worst nightmare you could possibly have as an artist," Boccacci said.

But Boccacci isn't giving up. He plans to pivot and focus on other work, including teaching painting and getting back into acting, the latter of which takes money, training and workshops to develop.

"For me, everything that I approach, it's a craft, it's me trying to master the craft and master myself," Boccacci said.

Boccacci said the Oklahoma film scene is changing, with workshops, studios and businesses popping up, and he hopes outside film crews recognize the talent, knowledge and skill that Oklahomans filmmakers and crews have.

"I'm hoping more people (in Oklahoma) get signed on as actors and writers," Boccacci said. "You have people who ... have been here and who have been developing a talent and community."

"For me, everything that I approach, it's a craft, it's me trying to master the craft and master myself." — Tulsa-based filmmaker Lisandro Boccacci {related_content_uuid}cee2ddff-a0bf-4ad9-8427-5ce80f0f3251{/related_content_uuid}