About LSFF

The 6th Annual Lone Star Film Festival: November 7-11, 2012 in Sundance Square

Visit the submissions page to submit your film.

Click here to download the 2011 LSFF program guide.

About the Lone Star Film Festival

The Lone Star Film Festival (LSFF) Fort Worth in Sundance Square is an annual event hosted by the Lone Star Film Society. The festival seeks to uncover and platform emerging films, talent, trends,production methods and distribution models that will shape the future of film.  Simply put the LSFF brings the most talked about films of the year to Fort Worth, many of which will otherwise never be seen on a screen in our city. Juxtaposed with these high profile titles are the undiscovered gems by some of today’s most promising emerging filmmakers.  Not only does the LSFF screen these films, but it provides mentorship and resources to help the films and filmmakers find the audiences that are critical to their success. In pursuing these objectives the LSFF fulfills the LSFS mission of celebrating film as an art form and promoting the City of Fort Worth to the world. By helping to develop a new dimension to Fort Worth’s vibrant cultural landscape, the LSFS adds cultural depth to the city and contributes to economic development through quality of life and tourism.

Representing the most dynamic talent in international cinema, the fall festival is quickly becoming a marquee cultural event in Fort Worth. LSFF 2012 will feature screenings from all over the world including feature length narratives, documentaries, animated and short films as well as educational panels, red carpet entrances, celebrity guests, and nightly parties featuring celebrated musical acts. Venues include the AMC Palace Theatre, the Four Day Weekend Theatre, the Modern Art Museum, and Kimbell Art Museum in the Cultural District.

In 2011, LSFF films represented no less than 24 awards and 126 nominations. Titles included the Academy Award Best Picture nominated titles THE DESCENDANTS, THE ARTIST, UNDEFEATED and PARADISE LOST III as well as SHAME, PARIAH, ORDINARY FAMILY, THE TURIN HORSE, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN and more. Guests of the 2011 festival included Willie Nelson, T Bone Burnett, Troublemaker Studios head Elizabeth Avellan, Oscar winning screenwriter Callie Khouri, Hollywood icon Piper Laurie, stage and screen legend Betty Buckley, Clarke Peters of  THE WIRE fame, indie darling Melonie Diaz, cult TV icon Michael Hogan,and legendary producer Ted Hope.

Since its inauguration in 2007, the LSFF 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.  LSFF enthusiastically continues this programming tradition by bringing emerging talent, a prime focus of the ongoing international cinematic dialogue in which festivals serve such a crucial role, to the forefront.

LSFF has presented its most prestigious honor, the LSFF Life Achievement Award, to Sidney Lumet, Martin Sheen, Bill Paxton, and Gregory Peck.  Additionally, the festival has welcomed such noted actors, producers, and directors as Jeff Bridges, Kris Kristofferson,  Marty Bowen, John Lee Hancock, Scott Cooper, Robert Rodriguez, T-Bone Burnett, Fred Durst, James Manos, Lauren Velez, Rod Hardy, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Paul Soter, Donal Logue, and Harry Dean Stanton.

Some of the many films that first screened at LSFF then returned to play Fort Worth after highly successful festival runs or have gone on to receive accolades and distribution include: SUNSHINE CLEANING (Overture Films, 2008 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Nominee), 12 (Sony Pictures Classics, 2008 Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film Nominee), A QUIET LITTLE MARRIAGE (2008 Austin Film Festival Audience Award Winner, 2009 Slamdance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Winner), THE NEW YEAR PARADE (2008 Slamdance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Winner), GRACE IS GONE (The Weinstein Company, 2007 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award), BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD (THINK Film), NANKING (THINK Film, 2007 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Nominee), WAR/DANCE (THINK Film, 2008 Academy Awards Best Documentary Nominee), CONTROL (The Weinstein Company, 2008 BAFTA Awards Best British Film and Most Promising Newcomer Winner, 2007 Cannes Film Festival Golden Camera Special Mention and Prix Regards Jeune), LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Magnolia Pictures, 2008 Tribeca Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Winner), WENDY AND LUCY (Oscilloscope Pictures, 2008 Independent Spirit Awards Best Picture Nominee).