It's Fall. It's Film. It's Fort Worth.
ABOUT THE LONE STAR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The Lone Star International Film Festival (LSIFF), Fort Worth in Sundance Square is a presentation of the Lone Star Film Society. In addition to showcasing the best in American independent cinema, LSIFF is committed to being truly international as well as establishing itself as an authority on emerging talent.
Representing the most dynamic talent in international cinema, the fall festival is quickly becoming a marquee cultural event in Fort Worth. LSIFF 2009 features more than 100 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, and Norris Conference Center in Sundance Square, as well as the Scott Theatre, Modern Art Museum, and Kimbell Art Museum in the Cultural District.
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 include Bryan Poyser, Jason Ritter and Melonie Diaz. LSIFF 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.
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 actors, producers, and directors as Robert Rodriguez, T-Bone Burnett, Fred Durst, James Manos, Lauren Velez, Rod Hardy, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Paul Soter, Donal Logue, and Harry Dean Stanton.
In 2007, among films from 13 different countries, LSIFF focused on Latin American films. In 2008, LSIFF formed an official partnership with the American Film Festival in Moscow (AMFEST) as well as the National Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Russia to bring the newest and brightest talent in Russian cinema to Fort Worth. The international focus for 2009 is Germany.
Some of the many films that first screened at LSIFF 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).
ABOUT THE LONE STAR FILM SOCIETY
The Lone Star Film Society (LSFS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to raise the level of film appreciation within Fort Worth to that of the other arts. After two years of successfully presenting the now internationally recognized Lone Star International Film Festival (LSIFF), in 2009 the Lone Star Film Society has taken a major step forward in its evolution by developing a year round series of programs that include more than 50 screenings, lectures, master classes and social events in various partnerships with Fort Worth's other major cultural and educational institutions. With this major supplement to this year's LSIFF, November 11-15, 2009, and a diligent focus on international and educational initiatives, the Society moves within striking distance of its objective of making film a permanent fixture in the celebrated cultural landscape of the city.