By Julissa Treviño/reporter
Fort Worth will soon be able to boast about more than its world-class museums, Stock Yards and livable community.
For five consecutive days, Nov. 7-10, downtown Fort Worth will sponsor the first annual Lone Star International Film Festival.
Besides a local-based film series, Fort Worth has not held a major citywide film festival since 2002, when the Fort Worth Film Festival came to an end.
The film festival will show at several venues in Sundance Square: the Fort Worth Public Library, Rose Marine Theatre, the Bass Hall annex, the Worthington Hotel and Four Day Weekend Theater. Events will be each day, 10 a.m.-2 a.m.
LSIFF is sponsored by the Lone Star Film Society, the same group that organized the Fort Worth Film Festival.
This Fort Worth-based, non-profit organization supports the art of film while examining its influence on world culture.
With this festival, the society wants to build recognition for Fort Worth as a film destination.
Screenings will consist of more than 60 independent, national and international films.
Categories include a documentary competition, local filmmakers, midnight movies, outdoor screenings and presentations from the UT Austin film production company, Burnt Orange.
The festival includes such films as The Unforeseen, which made its premiere at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival (produced by Robert Redford and Terrence Malick) and was named “the best film at the festival, hands down” by Film Comment’s Gavin Smith, and Aaron J. Wiederspahn’s The Sensation of Sight about a man’s search for life’s meaning knotted with a state of despair.
The better known films include Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke, which screens Thursday.
As companions to the films, the LSIFF will provide panels and workshops such as Fort Worth Filmmaking, Screenwriting 101 and Directing Your First Feature. The festival will also sponsor parties each night to celebrate the event or present honorary awards and competition prizes.
Celebrities, directors and actors will appear at most of these events.
Fort Worth native Bill Paxton, chairman of the advisory board of the film society, has worked with the organization from the festival’s inception.
Others attending the festival or the events include Robert Rodriguez, director; T-Bone Burnett, film scorer and producer; Steve-O; Fred Durst; and Martin Sheen, who will receive an honorary lifetime achievement award.
Opening night will include a party at McDavid Studio, the Bass Hall annex, with live music from the Grammy Award-winning band Brave Combo.
The party will be 9:30-11:30 p.m., and the price is $25.
Ticket prices for the LSIFF vary.
Evening and weekend movie tickets are $8 for general admission and $6 for students, seniors and Lone Star Film Society members. Weekday movies before 6 p.m. are $6 for all seats.
Centerpiece Screenings are $12 or $10 for members.
Movie passes range from $50 to $295.
Workshop and panel ticket prices are $10-$20 while parties and events start at $15.
Additionally, the festival has volunteer opportunities.
Volunteer positions include helping with film premieres, special events and customer service.
All volunteers are eligible to receive movie vouchers, passes and free movie tickets to the LSIFF. For more information about volunteer opportunities, or for general information about the festival, go to www.lsiff.com.
