Lone Star Film Society History:

The Lone Star Film Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that exists to cultivate an appreciation and understanding of the moving image as an art form and to showcase the City of Fort Worth to the world. The Society accomplishes this mission through year-round presentation, education, and community collaboration. This includes an annual international film festival that is the leading event of its kind in North Texas.

The Lone Star Film Society was created in 2002 after the original editions of the Fort Worth Film Festival concluded in 2001.  The inaugural Lone Star International Film Festival was realized in 2007 through the hard work of a dedicated staff and Board of Directors.  While preserving the original event’s objective to promote artistic integrity and the independent spirit in film, the Lone Star Film Society added to its mission a goal of becoming a beneficial partner in the community of Fort Worth so that a successful November festival and year round slate of events would not only be a good thing for filmmakers, but for everyone in the city of Fort Worth and beyond.  Now in its third year, the LSFS and LSIFF have reached that goal as evidenced through the support of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, and many of Fort Worth’s most prestigious corporations, non-profits, and cultural institutions.

The film society and the festival has built a foundation that is based upon strong partnerships with the existing cultural institutions in Fort Worth.  These include the Modern Art Museum, the Kimbell Art Museum, the Amon Carter Museum, the Van Cliburn Foundation, and others.  Treating its screening and event locations as more than just venues, LSIFF seeks symbiotic partnerships within the community and has therefore established a reputation for bringing the cultural and commercial community together under the banner of cinema.  Several of its partner organizations, especially the Modern and the Van Cliburn, are committed to showcasing and encouraging emerging talent in their respective disciplines.  LSFS partners with these organizations in presenting film series that compliment their existing activities.  LSIFF strives to take from these partnerships information on how to achieve the same level of success in shepherding emerging talents in film to successful careers.    

The Lone Star International Film Festival (LSIFF) is a presentation of the Lone Star Film Society (LSFS) and represents the culmination of the society’s year round series of film screenings and events.  Featuring an impressive slate of narrative and documentary features and short films from around the world, educational panels, red carpet entrances, filmmakers, celebrity guests, and nightly parties featuring celebrated musical acts, the fall festival is quickly becoming a marquee cultural event in Fort Worth and beyond.

LSIFF has presented its most prestigious honor, the LSIFF Life Achievement Award, to Sidney Lumet, Martin Sheen, Bill Paxton, and Gregory Peck.  Additionally, the festival has welcomed such noted filmmakers as T-Bone Burnett, Harry Dean Stanton, Fred Durst, Rod Hardy, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Donal Logue, James Manos, Lauren Velez, and Robert Rodriguez, among many others.

Since its inauguration in 2007 the LSIFF Rising Star Award has celebrated the work of cinema’s emerging talents by recognizing individuals whose work has stood out among their peers and allowed audiences an inspiring look at the future of film. Past honorees have included Bryan Poyser, Jason Ritter, and Melonie Diaz.

Going forward, LSIFF will continue this tradition with even greater focus and enthusiasm by further developing programming that brings emerging talent to the forefront of the ongoing international cinematic dialogue in which festivals serve such a crucial role. Through an overall programming approach, including, the LSIFF Rising Star Award, LSIFF is working to establish itself as an authority on emerging talent.

The LSIFF is committed to being truly international. In 2007, among films from 13 different countries, LSIFF focused on Latin American films and subjects. A special series of films was programmed by Sister Cities International of Fort Worth that included one film from each of Fort Worth’s seven sister cities. In 2008 the LSIFF formed an official partnership with the American Film Festival in Moscow (AMFEST) as well the National Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Russia to bring a slate of 5 internationally recognized films and the latest and brightest talent in Russian cinema to Fort Worth.  The 2009, LSIFF, November 11 – 15, will feature more than 100 screenings including feature length narratives, documentaries, animated and short films from all over the world, representing the newest and brightest talent in international cinema.  Visiting Artistic Director Kirill Razlogov (Director of Programming for the Moscow International Film Festival) will assist in programming new films from Germany, the international focus for 2009.