The IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival makes its return to the Plaza Theatre in Garland, located at 521 W. State Street. The third annual IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival, which showcases films made within the Lone Star State with a theme of True Texas Tales, will kick off on Friday, September 12 and continue through Sunday, September 14, taking place entirely within the Plaza Theatre, on the square in downtown Garland. IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival will be sponsored by the City of Garland and Garland Cultural Arts.
All-access Festival passes are currently on sale for an early-bird price of $55, offering access to the entire weekend of films and events at the Plaza Theatre, as well as discounts around the Square. All-access passes will increase to $65 on July 7, 2025. Passes available at Prekindle.com/Calendar/ItCameFromTexasFilmFest
TRUE TEXAS TALES
“The disclosure ‘based on a true story’ is something we are accustomed to seeing at the beginning of many movies. That word ‘based’ leaves a lot of wiggle room for Hollywood to tell the story.
“Words like legends, myths, reports, accounts, records, memoirs, allegories, epics, and sagas are often used interchangeably, but they are frequently far from the truth of what really happened.
“We will showcase films that share the true Texas stories through the eyes of filmmakers and see how they enhanced the stories or, in some cases, make it more notable,” said Kelly Kitchens, festival director. “Then, we discuss how the true stories unfolded with authors, historians, experts and, in some cases, family members.”
“Gordon Smith will be returning to offer his encyclopedic knowledge of films made in Texas. We are both grateful to the City of Garland and the Garland Cultural Arts team for their continued support of this one-of-a-kind film festival,” Kitchens added.
GORDON K. SMITH RETURNS TO OFFER HIS FILM EXPERTISE
Gordon K. Smith, the film historian specializing in movies made in Texas, brings his deep-dive knowledge to this effort.
“For this year’s IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival, we’ll be showcasing some award-winning films based on true stories of the Lone Star State. However much fictionalized, they played a big part in turning those stories into Texas and American legends. These include THE GREAT DEBATERS, John Wayne’s 1960 version of THE ALAMO, and 1967’s BONNIE AND CLYDE, which was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1992. I’ll talk about the facts vs. the fiction, the background on their making, and my personal connection to some of them,” Smith said.
FESTIVAL WILL INCLUDE THESE TEXAS-MADE FILMS:
Full film list and full release to come:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
THE GREAT DEBATERS (2007)
Director: Denzel Washington
Filmed in Wiley College – 711 Wiley Avenue, Marshall, Texas; Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Mansfield Studios, Mansfield, Louisiana; Palestine, Texas (Texas State Railroad); Shreveport, Louisiana; and Boston, Massachusetts.
SYNOPSIS:
Chronicles the travails of the Wiley College debate team in 1935 Texas as they explore the challenges of racial strife and the power of their voices for social change.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967)
Director: Arthur Penn
Filmed in Red Oak, Texas (Bank Robbery); Denton, Texas; Rowlett, Texas; Waxahachie, Texas; Garland, Texas; Midlothian, Texas; Pilot Point, Texas; Trinity River, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Venus, Texas (Bank Robbery); Maypearl, Texas; Lemmon Lake, Texas (Shootout); Ponder, TexasWarner Brothers Burbank Studios; Crandall, Texas, USA (as Arcadia, Louisiana); Lavon, Texas; and Albertson Ranch, Triunfo, California, USA (slow-motion death scene).
SYNOPSIS:
This classic, Oscar-winning film depicts the days of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow as they rob banks and evade law enforcement throughout the Depression-era South, in a film that pioneered cinematic techniques and movie violence.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
THE ALAMO (1960)
Director: John Wayne
Filmed in Alamo Village, Highway 674, Brackettville, Texas (the Alamo); Brackettville, Texas (San Antonio setting); and in various places in Mexico at the start of production shooting.
SYNOPSIS:
This epic, directorial effort from legendary actor John Wayne portrays the events of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836 and was known not only for its grand scale but also for its immense production cost.