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Circle Cinema to Present Girl Scout Cookie Documentary at ‘Tulsa Hot Doks’ on May 16 with Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival

    • “Tulsa Hot Doks” – a collaboration between the Hot Springs (Ark.) Documentary Film Festival and Circle Cinema of Tulsa – will return for its third year on Saturday, May 16.

    The one-day festival will feature the film “Cookie Queens”, a captivating and candid film full of heart that follows four girls ages five to twelve and their families as they navigate the annual whirlwind of selling, striving, and succeeding. The screening will include a Q&A with special guests Shannon Elizabeth (Girl Scout featured in the film), her mother Amanda (featured in the film) and Antonio Cisneros (Director of Photography). “Cookie Queens” has a unique Oklahoma connection, as Girl Scout cookies originated from Muskogee’s Mistletoe Troop in 1917.

    The film will begin at 2pm, with extras in the Circle lobby starting at 1pm with sample cookies from Antoinette’s Bakery available while supplies last created from the original 1917 recipe. Guests can also learn more about the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival and local Girl Scout initiatives and opportunities before the film. Tickets are $15 adult, $13 for Circle members or Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival pass holders, and $12 for kids 12 and under. “Cookie Queens” runs 1h31min and is not rated but suitable for general audiences.

    “The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival is one of the longest-running documentary film festivals in North America,” said Brent Ortolani, Executive Director of the Circle Cinema. “The Circle is proud to continue our partnership with this highly regarded festival and bring a preview of their film offerings to Tulsa.” 

    “In three short years, Tulsa Hot Doks has become one of our most prized annual programming events,” added Ken Jacobson, Executive Director of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute. “In partnering with Circle Cinema, we’ve been able to spotlight some special documentaries and bring in a unique roster of film guests. Tulsa Hot Doks has elevated beyond film screening to ‘can’t miss’ special event. We’ve struck gold this year with a special presentation of “Cookie Queens,” one of the best films to come out of Sundance — a delightful/fun/inspiring/delicious celebration of Girl Scouts and the annual rite of selling cookies. ‘Tulsans- What’s your favorite Girl Scout Cookie?’”

    For more information on the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, or to purchase festival passes, visit www.hsdfi.org. For more information about “Hot Doks” or to purchase tickets, visit www.circlecinema.org.

    MORE ABOUT THE FILM

    A celebration of girlhood and the complexities that come with it, COOKIE QUEENS is a coming-of-age story about the joys, pressures, and pain points woven into one of America’s most cherished rituals: Girl Scout Cookie season. Captivating, candid, and full of heart, the film follows four girls ages five to twelve and their families as they navigate the annual whirlwind of selling, striving, and succeeding.

    For these Girl Scouts, selling cookies isn’t just about Thin Mints and sisterhood – it’s a crash course in commercialism. Behind the smiles and cookie boxes lie real pressure: long hours, ambitious sales goals, and the weight of high expectations.

    Director Alysa Nahmias crafts a bold, vibrant, observational portrait that honors the girls’ perspectives and illuminates the emotional and intellectual stakes of their experiences. With humor, warmth, and a keen eye for the small moments that reveal big truths, she shows what it means to grow up in a world shaped by the tensions between community and capitalism.  

    ABOUT THE GUESTS

    SHANNON ELIZABETH AND HER MOTHER AMANDA, El Paso, TX | Age 8 | Brownie Level Girl Scout from Troop 50063
    Shannon Elizabeth is an energetic only child whose mom (and troop co-leader), Amanda raised her alone for the first few years. Shannon Elizabeth was extremely shy before she became a Girl Scout. She’s recently formed a special bond with her mom’s partner, Juan, whom she calls “Sushi.” The three of them are a mighty cookie-selling trio.

    The financial stakes are high for Shannon Elizabeth’s family this season, as they’ve committed to selling a huge amount of cookies to win the prize of a free Girl Scouts summer camp for her. Their family sells at the high school where her mom teaches, local sports fields, stores, and door-to-door. Their family is Latinx and Native American, and Shannon Elizabeth is learning about her Native American culture more as she gets older. She’s also obsessed with Karate and wants to break two boards to earn her purple belt. Of course she sells cookies at her Dojo, too. 

    While Shannon Elizabeth still carries her pink stuffed bunny, she’s also a budding leader within her large, multi-age troop that’s reflective of El Paso’s diversity. The girls in this troop truly need cookie sales to be able to afford meaningful activities like summer camp. 

    ANTONIO CISNEROS, Director of Photography
    Antonio Cisneros is an award-winning Hispanic cinematographer, Film Independent Fellow, graduate of The American Film Institute and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. The Hollywood Reporter described his work as “intimate, glossy and impeccable” and Deadline has defined him as “a maverick.” Antonio has lensed seventeen feature films, including Netflix’s THE SAINT OF SECOND CHANCES directed by the academy award winning Morgan Neville. In the last year he has shot three narrative features ODDITIES, TENDER, and MARFA LIGHTS – all slated for theatrical release 2026. Antonio lensed the series American Koko for ABC (produced by Viola Davis) and Shangri-La for Showtime. Antonio’s film MOBY DICK: THE WHALE was selected to participate in the prestigious Whitney Biennially in New York. Other clients have included HBO, Netflix, The BBC, PBS, Hulu, CNN, the MOMA, The Academy of Motion Pictures & Sciences and Participate Media. Antonio has an extensive background in documentary and is passionate about socially conscious stories. His most recent collaboration is with award winning director Nat Lezra (ROADS OF FIRE) for the documentary film ASH FALLS LIKE SNOW, which follows the mental health crisis within the wildlife firefighting community, embedding with their elite squad the Smoke Jumpers. 

    ABOUT HOT SPRINGS DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL

    The Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute is renowned for its commitment to showcasing inspiring and thought-provoking documentaries, fostering a supportive environment for filmmakers, and engaging audiences through diverse programming. From October 9 – 17,  2026, HSDFI will launch the 35th edition of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, one of the longest running documentary film festival in North America. In addition, throughout the year, the Institute curates a dynamic slate of documentary screenings and events in Hot Springs and beyond. Learn more at HSDFI.org.

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    Annalee Drain

    FESTIVAL PRODUCER

    Annalee Drain is the Festival Producer of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, stepping into the role this year after three years with the festival in other departments.

    She holds a BFA in Digital Filmmaking from the University of Central Arkansas. Annalee also serves as Programming Manager for the Persistence of Vision Film Festival, a role she has held for three years.

    Based in Northwest Arkansas, she works full time as a freelance Camera Assistant on feature films and television, and recently made her debut as Director of Photography on the documentary feature Dirty Girl (Post-Production).

    Deb Fuller

    OFFICE MANAGER / MARKETING ASSISTANT / FILMMAKER FORUM CO-PRODUCER

    Deb Fuller is a native Houstonian who has called Arkansas home for more than seven years. She has immersed herself in the Inception to Projection filmmaking program in Hot Springs over the past five years.

    She has written and directed two short narratives, two documentary shorts, and participated in the production of numerous other projects. Her filmmaking centers on meaningful storytelling, often highlighting people, histories, and issues that deserve greater visibility.

    This creative work deepens her connection to the community and amplifies voices that might otherwise go unheard.

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    Erin Williams-Weir

    SENIOR PROGRAMMER

    Erin Williams-Weir is a festival programmer, producer, and award-winning filmmaker from Canada. She programs documentary features for the Chilliwack Independent Film Festival and has worked across international sales, acquisitions, and documentary production.

    Her debut documentary, NEVER GET BUSTED!, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to receive multiple awards on the festival circuit, including the PBS Human Spirit Award.

    Sean Volk

    SENIOR PROGRAMMER

    Sean Volk is a film programmer and arts advocate based in Fargo, ND. He is a Senior Programmer at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival.

    Additionally, Sean serves as a Lead Programmer at Mountainfilm and he is the Narrative Feature Programmer at the Woods Hole Film Festival. He has previously programmed for the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and the Nashville Film Festival.

    Sean received his MA in Film Studies from Western University in London, Ontario in 2015; his scholarship explored representations of monstrosity in the films of Guillermo del Toro.

    Colleen Thurston

    SENIOR PROGRAMMER

    Colleen Thurston is a documentary filmmaker and curator from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

    With two decades experience in the festival world, Colleen has worked for festivals nationwide and specializes in non-fiction and Indigenous storytelling.

    In addition to her work with HSDFF, she is the Project Producer for Native Lens, and a programmer for MountainFilm and the Tacoma Film Festival. Her first feature documentary Drowned Land screened at Hot Springs 2025, and is broadcasting on PBS in 2026.

    Kyle Therral Wilson

    COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

    Kyle Therral Wilson is an Arkansas-native, Los Angeles-based consultant specializing in copywriting, digital marketing, publicity, and creative writing.

    He has extensive experience in the publishing industry, most notably at Disney Publishing Worldwide, where he built email marketing campaigns and wrote interactive scripts for classic Disney characters.

    Kyle also writes and produces for stage and screen; his short film SFH was an official selection at the 2024 Cinema Diverse Film Festival in Palm Springs, California.

    Annie Gerber

    PROGRAMMING MANAGER

    Oversees daily operations and logistics including venue management, sponsor communications, transportation and housing.

    Annie Gerber is a native Arkansan who has a Bachelor of Fine arts in music from Ouachita Baptist University but later switched her main focus to film and photography. Annie spent several years working as a Teaching Assistant at the prestigious photography program at the School of Cinematic and Performing Arts in both New York and Los Angeles. For the past 5 years she has maintained her position as the Director of Operations for the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival.

    Ken Jacobson

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Ken oversees all aspects of the festival including fundraising and sponsor relations, program development, management of staff and volunteers, budgeting, and producing the festival each fall.

    Ken Jacobson was most recently Senior Programmer, Documentary Films at the Sonoma International Film Festival. He has served as Documentary Film Programmer at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (since 2017) and at the DocLands Documentary Film Festival (since 2019). He is also co-creator/co-host (with Michael Merrill) of the podcast “Top-Docs: Award-Winning Documentary Filmmakers” with presenting sponsor Netflix.

    Previously, Jacobson was a senior member of the programming team at the American Film Institute (2018-2021) and Director of Educational Programs and Strategic Partnerships at the International Documentary Association (2013 – 2016). From 2008- 2013, he was Documentary Programmer and Programming/Education Outreach Coordinator at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. He has served on numerous festival juries and as a grant reviewer for the NEA, NEH, Sundance Institute, and IDA Enterprise Fund.