{"id":417930,"date":"2026-08-27T04:58:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T04:58:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/417930\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T04:58:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T04:58:20","slug":"these-films-could-be-oscar-nominated-thanks-to-fort-worth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/417930\/","title":{"rendered":"These films could be Oscar-nominated thanks to Fort Worth"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Fort Worth<\/p>\n<p>The Fort Worth Film Commission is bringing back its program that helps <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/entertainment\/fort-worth\/article312313536.html\">filmmakers qualify for the Oscars.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For the third year in a row, the Academy Awards\u2019 Board of Governors is recognizing Dallas-Fort Worth as one of six Oscar-qualifying areas in the country. North Texas replaced Miami on the list that also includes Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Atlanta and the Bay Area.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/news\/local\/fort-worth\/article301598199.html\">To that end,<\/a> the FWFC launched its<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fortworth.com\/film\/premierepackage\/\"> premiere package program<\/a> last year that provides filmmakers with a free theatrical release since, per Academy rules, a film must screen for seven consecutive days to qualify.<\/p>\n<p>The package also includes an all-expenses paid trip to Cowtown to celebrate the film. Of the four projects supported by the program last year, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/entertainment\/fort-worth\/article312713259.html\">\u201cThe Pearl Comb\u201d<\/a> landed on the Academy\u2019s Oscar shortlist.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83c\udfac In case you missed it: <\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, the FWFC announced this year\u2019s program recipients.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen we launched this program, we set out to showcase why Fort Worth belongs in conversations about serious independent film. With applications doubling since last year, this tells us that the film community agrees,\u201d said Taylor Hardy, Fort Worth film commissioner, in a news release. \u201cEvery filmmaker who visits represents a potential production and every production means more economic impact and jobs created in Fort Worth. Our goal isn\u2019t just a screening, it\u2019s building new relationships and a pipeline for future projects.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>                                          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"responsive-image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/250918lww173704-2.jpg\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" title=\"250918lww173704-2.jpg\" alt=\"\u201cThe Pearl Comb\u201d director Ali Cook at the film\u2019s premiere at Texas Movie Bistro in Lake Worth on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025.\"\/>                                                                                    \u201cThe Pearl Comb\u201d director Ali Cook at the film\u2019s premiere at Texas Movie Bistro in Lake Worth on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025.                                                                                                                                                                        Fort Worth Film Commission                                                                                        FWFC announces 2026 premiere package recipients<\/p>\n<p>The Oscar-qualifying screenings for each film will be held at <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.texasmoviebistro.com\/\">Texas Movie Bistro<\/a> (3980 Boat Club Road) throughout August and September. Folks can find tickets on the theater\u2019s website.<\/p>\n<p>Then, on Oct. 28, the FWFC is hosting a red carpet screening and Q&amp;A at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth for the films. See the full list below.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBirdie\u201d- Directed by Praise Paige, a story of Black immigrant girlhood by a first-generation Nigerian filmmaker. It made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.\u201cCindy Sherman: Picture This\u201d- Directed by Sophie Chaninian, which provides a portrait of the enigmatic artist.\u201cMonitor\u201d- Directed by Michael Berardini, an animated horror short that was the opening night film for Annecy, the world\u2019s largest animation festival.\u201cPowdered &amp; Dancing\u201d- Directed by Hugh John Wyld, a compelling LGBTQ+ drama featuring lead actor Alex Lawther (\u201dThe Imitation Game,\u201d \u201cAlien: Earth\u201d).                                          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"responsive-image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/JedosDead_FWFC_July25_EMW-03348.jpg\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" title=\"JedosDead_FWFC_July25_EMW-03348.jpg\" alt=\"The premiere of \u201cJedo\u2019s Dead\u201d at Texas Movie Bistro in Lake Worth on Sunday, July 20, 2025.\"\/>                                                                                    The premiere of \u201cJedo\u2019s Dead\u201d at Texas Movie Bistro in Lake Worth on Sunday, July 20, 2025.                                                                                                                                                                        Fort Worth Film Commission                                                                                        <\/p>\n<p>In addition, the FWFC is hosting two special presentations on \u201ctheir journey to the Academy Awards.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThank You For Listening\u201d- Directed by Gene Gallerano and executive produced by Texas Monthly, a documentary that chronicles Joshua Ray Walker\u2019s journey as he battles third-generation cancer and plans his return to the Grand Ole Opry, the mecca of country music, in a captivating exploration of hope and healing. The Star-Telegram <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/entertainment\/fort-worth\/article315397539.html\">spoke to the film\u2019s creative team<\/a> earlier this year.\u201cLast Minute\u201d- Michael Cusumano\u2019s short film set in pre-internet days, about a single mother scrambling to help her son with a last-minute homework assignment. The screening is in partnership with the Louisiana Film Prize.<br \/>\n        Related Stories from  Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n<p>                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/profile\/259144728\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n                        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/BraydenHeadshot.jpg\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" alt=\"Profile Image of Brayden Garcia\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n                    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>                <a class=\"author-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.star-telegram.com\/profile\/259144728\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Brayden Garcia<\/a><\/p>\n<p>                    Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n<p>            Brayden Garcia is the entertainment reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he mainly writes about how the film and TV industry impacts North Texas, from Taylor Sheridan shows to the Fort Worth Film Commission and everything in between.\n            <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fort Worth The Fort Worth Film Commission is bringing back its program that helps filmmakers qualify for the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":417931,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[116,118,117],"class_list":["post-417930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fort-worth","tag-fort-worth","tag-fort-worth-headlines","tag-fort-worth-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=417930"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417930\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/417931"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=417930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=417930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=417930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}