Rodeo is, like the Renaissance writer Ben Jonson’s Bartholomew Fayre, a comedy in which the place itself, the rodeo, becomes a dominant character: some come to enjoy the rodeo, others to judge it and its inhabitants. All are eventually affected by it.
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Mrs. W, on a quest to rescue her daughter ,Harper, is accompanied by Reverend Busy, her “protector,” a braggart prone to malapropisms, and Busy’s nephew, Harrison, Harper’s unwilling intended. Their plans are thwarted by Coyote McGraw, a rodeo clown, philosopher and mischief maker who soon has these city folks entangled in his web. Coyote convinces Busy that Charlene, a young woman who dresses as a male, “Charlie,” while the rodeo is in town, is Cody McGraw the young man they seek! When Harrison sees Charlene, the female, version riding the barrels, he is enchanted. But his uncle, Busy, is already suspicious that Charlene and Charlie are the same person.
Coyote convinces Mrs. W that, given her expensive attire, she’ll be taken for a rustler. He suggests she dress in more appropriate rodeo attire. Next time we see her, with Coyote’s assistance, she is dressed as a rodeo clown!
Enter Bullwhip Betty, rough and tough and seeking a man. She finds Busy alone and agrees to help him find his lost companions.
Soon there is total confusion! Mrs. W, dressed as a rodeo clown, is rescued from the arena by Doyle McGraw, Cody’s father who figures out Mrs. W is a woman, not a man.
Meanwhile, Busy, thinking Charlene and Charlie are the same person—which they are—determines that the two-in-one are really a man who dresses as a woman. Wrong! Bullwhip Betty tries to correct him, but he’s determined!
Finally, the entanglements of New York society and the rodeo resolve themselves. Cody and Harper; Harrison and Charlene; and, Mrs. W and Doyle all find love at the rodeo.
--Bridge Fest. Official Selection, 2020.
--Austin Comedy Festival. FINALIST,, 2020.
--Houston Comedy Festival. FINALIST, 2020.
--Portland Comedy Festival. FINALIST, 2020.
--Semi-finalist. Filmmatic Comedy Screenplay Award, 2020
-- OFFICIAL SELECTION, Beyond the Curve International Film Festival. , 2020.
-- OFFICIAL FINALIST, Mockfest, 2020.
--OFFICIAL SELECTION. Oaxaca FilmFest, 2021
--QUARTER FINALIST. Page Turner Screenplays, 2021.
--QUARTER FINALIST. Creative World Awards 2021.
--FINALIST, Bright International Film Festival, London, 11/21/2021
--AWARD WINNER, Gold Star Movie Awards, 11/21/2021
--FINALIST, World Film Carnival, Singapore, 1/29/21.
--FINALIST, 4th Dimension Independent Film Festival, 11/29/21
-- OFFICIAL SELECTION Vegas shorts. , 12/5/21.
--FINALIST, 4th Dimension Independent Film Festival, 12/5/21
--AWARD WINNER, Dreamz Catcher International Film Festival, 11/21/2021
--AWARD WINNER. Calgary Independent Film Festival, 1/2/22
--SEMI-FINALIST, Dallas Movie Awards Festival, 1/19/22
--AWARD WINNER, BEST ROM-COM, Cowpokes International Film Festival, 6/13/22
--AWARD WINNER. Wild Bunch Film Festival. 10/26/22
--AWARD WINNER. Movie Play International Film Festival. 12/7/22
--FINALIST, Ediplay International Film Festival, France, 3/2/2023
--FINALIST, Indiefare International Film Festival, 3/9/23
--AWARD WINNER, Best Romantic Drama, Lonely Wolf Film Festival (London), 4/29/23
--NOMINEE (currently Semifinalist). Denver Movie Awards, 6/2/23.
--AWARD WINNER, Accolade Global Film Festival. 6/2/23
--OFFICIAL SELECTION, Sydney World Fest, 6/3/23.
--FINALIST, Multi Dimension Independent Film Festival, 6/7/23 (London)
--AWARD WINNER, FilmNest International Film Festival, 6/15/23
--AWARD WINNER, Sweet Democracy Film Awards (Cannes), 7/5/23.
--HONORABLE NOMINEE , Denver Movie Awards, 7/6/23.
--HONORABLE MENTION, Clown International Film Festival (Paris), 7/9/23
--AWARD WINNER, 8& HalFilm Awards (Rome), 7/10/23
--SEMIFINALIST. Seattle Filmmakers Awards, 7/12/23
--FINALIST, Stingray International Film Festival (France), 7/15/23
--OFFICIAL SELECTION. Chicago Indie Film Awards, 7/28/23
--OFFICIAL SELECTION. Lake Travis Film Festival, 8/2/23
--OFFICIAL SELECTION. International Gold Awards (New York), 8/3/24.
--SEMIFINALIST in Atlanta Movie Awards, 8/15/23
--QUARTERFINALIST, Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition (2022), 7/20/22
--OFFICIAL SELECTION. London Movie Awards, 9/3/23
--currently SEMI-FINALIST. Paris International Short Festival. 9/12/23
--currently SEMI-FINALIST. Madrid Arthouse Film Festival. 9/12/23
--OFFICIAL SELECTION. Golden Earth Film Awards (Texas), 9/19/23
--AWARD WINNER, Goldspire International Film Festival (Paris), 9/25/23
--OFFICIAL SELECTION. Anatolia International Film Festival (Turkey), 9/26/23
--FINALIST. Pageant Film Festival (India), 9/28/23
--HONORABLE NOMINEE, Swedish International Film Festival, 10/17/23
--AWARD WINNER, Madrid Arthouse Film Festival, 10/13/23
--SEMIFINALIST, Nashville Independent Filmmakers Festival, 10/28/23
--AWARD WINNER, Swedish International Film Festival, 10/31/23
--SEMIFINALIST, Orlando Independent Film Festival, 11/10/23
--OFFICIAL SELECTION, Zeal International Film Festival (Paris), 11/13/23
--SEMIFINALIST, Nashville Independent Filmmakers Festival, 12/2/23
--AWARD WINNER, Big Screen Blast Film Festival, 12/4/23
-- SEMIFINALIST, Atlanta Movie Awards, 12/20/23
--AWARD WINNER, Best Unproduced Feature Screenplay, International Cosmopolitan FF of Tokyo, 12/21/23.
--AWARD WINNER, Buster Keaton in Paris Frida Film Festival (France), 12/28/23
--FINALIST, Sunvale Screenplay Contest, 12/30/23
--SEMIFINALIST, Edinburgh Film Awards, 1/11/24
--OFFICIAL SELECTION, Beverley Hills Film Festival 2/15/24
--OFFICIAL SELECTION, the Pinx Film Festival (India), 3/1/24. Best game script writer.
--OFFICIAL SELECTION, the Pinx Film Festival (India), 3/1/24. Best game story writer.
--OFFICIAL SELECTION, The Filmshort Creative Award, 3/20/24
-AWARD WINNER, Filmshort Creative Awards (USA), 12/28/24
--OFFICIAL SELECTION, Beverly Hills Film Festival 4/13/24
--SEMIFINALIST, Calgary Indie Film Awards, 5/1/24
--SEMIFINALIST, Santa Barbara International Movie Awards, 5/19/24
--QUARTER FINALIST, ScreenCraft Comedy Competition, 6/5/24
--QUARTER FINALIST, TSL Free Screenplay Contest, 6/5/24
--QUARTER FINALIST, Emerging Screenwriters Action and Adventure, 6/20/24
--AWARD WINNER, Best International Feature Script, Wild Filmmaker, Route 66 Film Fest 2024, 8/6/24
--AWARD WINNER, Best Writer, Wild Filmmaker, Special Event at 81st Venice International Film Festival, 8/31/24 (ITALY)
--AWARD WINNER, Best Writer, Wild Filmmaker Awards at the American Film Market in Las Vegas 2024, 11/5/24
BULLWHIP BETTY: Folks ‘round here call me Bullwhip Betty. Flick a cigarette out of man’s mouth at ten paces, and a cell phone from his pocket at twenty, or the belt off his britches if I’m real close. Don’t let my way of speakin’ trouble you, sir. Underneath you’ll find an ace-high lady. A soft, loving woman. Very soft, loving woman, if you catch my drift.