Lone Star Film Society to Honor Sam Elliott and Abraham Alexander at This Year’s Film Festival in Fort Worth

In the highly competitive film industry, festivals play a critical role in highlighting quality cinematic works and spotlighting up-and-coming filmmakers. By organizing the annual Lone Star Film Festival, Chad Mathews and the Lone Star Film Society have ensured that Fort Worth maintains a strong presence in the festival circuit, with past honorees including luminaries like Bill Paxton, Robert Duvall, and Ethan Hawke.

Now in its 19th year, the Lone Star Film Festival returns to the Cultural District from October 30 through November 5, offering seven days of screenings, filmmaker talks, and special events. This year’s festival will honor Sam Elliott for his legendary career in film and television and Abraham Alexander for his contributions to music and storytelling that embody the spirit of Fort Worth’s creative community.

Mathews, who directs the Lone Star Film Society, says this year’s festival has been extended to seven days to accommodate more films and expanded programming. Highlights from this year’s festival include a “Meet the Filmmaker” conversation with Christian Wallace, creator of the hit podcast Boomtown, which inspired Taylor Sheridan’s series Landman.

“We felt like the film education side of our festival needed to grow,” Mathews tells PaperCity Fort Worth. “We’ve created new opportunities for filmmakers and fans to interact and network.”

Filmmaker Talks, Screenings, and Social Events

Out of around 1,000 submissions, roughly 80 shorts and feature films were chosen to screen at this year’s festival, which kicks off on Thursday, October 30, with a special screening of Train Dreams, Netflix’s highly anticipated drama. The film stars Joel Edgerton and is directed by Texas filmmaker Clint Bentley. Adapted from the acclaimed Denis Johnson novella, the film follows Robert Grainier, a railroad laborer whose life mirrors the transformation of early 20th-century America. 

With screenings at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and filmmaker talks at Fort Works Art, the weeklong event brings together filmmakers, artists, and film lovers for an immersive celebration of storytelling. At the conclusion of the festival, winners of both juried and audience favorite awards will be announced. For filmmakers seeking distribution, having an award from a prominent regional film festival matters, Mathews says. 

The recognition “adds to their resume and their film’s resume,” he continues. “We are a very strong regional/national festival. Having that laurel or award has meaning. I find that there is a value with any award, especially for those films that have not found their distribution yet. Not every film is going to find a wide release, but there is still a place for them in the market.”

Lone Star Film Festival Gala to Honor Sam Elliott and Abraham Alexander

This year’s gala event will honor Sam Elliott with the Bill Paxton Achievement in Film Award, recognizing his decades of work as one of Hollywood’s most distinctive voices and his lasting influence on the Western genre. The award, named for Fort Worth native Bill Paxton, celebrates filmmakers and performers whose careers reflect creative courage and artistic integrity.

“Sam Elliott has been on our list for many years,” Mathews says. “He has been an American TV and movie icon. Now he is going to be in Landman. He is a part of Fort Worth in the fact that he is seen here and shoots here. I think he enjoys his time here and knows that Fort Worth is a cool, laid-back town.” 

Abraham Alexander will receive the Stephen Bruton Award, which recognizes musicians whose work bridges the worlds of film and music. The Fort Worth singer-songwriter was recently nominated for an Academy Award for his song “Like a Bird” from the film Sing Sing. Both awards will be presented at the festival’s annual gala, presented in partnership with the Fort Worth Film Commission.

“With Abraham coming off an incredible thing that happened with the Oscars, we thought, ‘Why not honor him now?’ ” Mathews says. “Here’s a guy who is based out of Fort Worth. He’s one of our own. He did something that kids in this city aspire to do one day.”

Fort Worth’s Growing Role in Film

In the aftermath of the pandemic, Mathews says he wasn’t sure if his nonprofit would survive. With the help of his board and the support of partners like the Modern Art Museum, the Lone Star Film Society has rebounded, with a focus on showcasing high-quality films and training the next generation of filmmakers through annual summer camps. 

Mathews says he recently received an email from a former film camp participant who wrote that she is majoring in film at the University of Texas at Austin because of her experience with the Lone Star Film Camp. 

“Our camps are something that we are very proud of,” he says. “I think when most people think about film in Texas, they think about Fort Worth. Fort Worth’s visibility in the film world is a direct result of the Fort Worth Film Commission’s work over the past 10 years and the popularity of Taylor Sheridan’s shows. It’s an exciting time for film in Fort Worth.” 

Purchase tickets for Lone Star Film Festival here.