Austin is rolling out the red carpet again as the 2026 Texas Film Awards return tonight at Troublemaker Studios, bringing the spotlight to the storytellers who have helped turn the city into a film hub!
Texas Film Awards roll out the red carpet to honor stars at Troublemaker Studios
Holly Herrick, head of film and creative media for the Austin Film Society, joined Trevor Scott and Sierra Waggoner to discuss what makes the Texas Film Awards a standout night for the Texas film community, who is being honored this year, and how fundraising from the event helps filmmakers keep making movies.
“Texas has an incredible and long heritage in film and TV,” said Herrick, “All the way back to a film like “Giant” starring Elizabeth Taylor, which was made here in Texas, all the way to this year’s Academy Awards, where we’ll be celebrating Blue Moon and Ethan Hawke, who’s a member of the Texas Film Hall of Fame. So you think about this long history of Texas film that we as Texans can all be proud of, and the Texas Film Awards are a way to celebrate that. To look back at that history, celebrate the present of Texas filmmaking, the past, and the future.”
Holly Herrick, head of film and creative media for the Austin Film Society, joined Trevor Scott and Sierra Waggoner to discuss what makes the Texas Film Awards a standout night for the Texas film community
The event is hosted by the Austin Film Society and serves as AFS’s biggest annual fundraiser, with proceeds aimed at supporting working filmmakers. Organizers say the night will celebrate this year’s honorees and how they represent Texas, while also marking a major milestone for a fan-favorite franchise, “Spy Kids.”
“Spy Kids was made 25 years ago right here in Austin at Troublemaker Studios. And tonight’s awards, of course, are being celebrated at Troublemaker Studios. So this is a full circle moment. Robert Rodriguez made Spy Kids as a kids’ movie that was made from the point of view of the children, and it became a global box office hit and inspired a franchise. And so it really is one of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters to come out of Texas. But it’s also entered into the Library of Congress as a historically important family film. Both for being beloved by generations of children, but also for really being the first big Hollywood movie to represent a Latino family. So Spy Kids is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and we will have the Spy Kids themselves.”
Organizers say the night will celebrate this year’s honorees and how they represent Texas, while also marking a major milestone for a fan-favorite franchise, “Spy Kids.”
Watch the full video above to learn more about this year’s honorees!
Texas Film Awards roll out the red carpet to honor stars at Troublemaker Studios