An unsung pioneer of 1970s Texas Progressive Country, Steven Fromholz had a knack for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Revered by legends like Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett & John Denver, he remained commercially unknown. He sought redemption on the Rio Grande as a river guide until a debilitating stroke erased his musical memory, stripping Fromholz of his artistic identity. With an almost obsessive persistence bolstered by newly discovered archives as well as never-before-heard recordings, this intimate and impressionistic portrayal unveils the evolution of Fromholz, and reshapes the notion of success and artistic fortitude.
One night in November 1976, after his car breaks down on a road outside Dallas, Randall Dale Adams accepts a ride from teenager David Harris. Harris is driving a stolen vehicle and, later that night, when Dallas police officer Robert Wood pulls the car over to check its headlights, he is shot and killed. A jury believes Adams is the killer, but stylized reenactments and interviews with key figures, conflicting testimonies and evidence are presented to argue that Adams was framed by a corrupt justice system, ultimately leading to his exoneration.
Rosa is a Mexican woman who, at the age of 17, migrated illegally to Austin, Texas. Some years later, she was jailed under suspicion of murder and then taken to trial. This film demonstrates how the judicial process, the verdict, the separation from her family, and the helplessness of being imprisoned in a foreign country make Rosa’s story an example of the hard life of Mexican migrants in the United States.
Filmmaker Jonathan Caouette's documentary on growing up with his schizophrenic mother -- a mixture of snapshots, Super-8, answering machine messages, video diaries, early short films, and more -- culled from 19 years of his life.
Explores the rich and diverse history of Texas, from its early exploration by Spaniards in 1519 to its eventual statehood in 1845. It highlights the various nations that governed Texas, the establishment of missions, the struggles of early settlers, and the significant battles for independence, such as the Alamo. The film also discusses the impact of immigration, the cattle ranching industry, and the discovery of oil, which transformed Texas into a land of opportunity. It celebrates the spirit of resilience and the cultural contributions of various immigrant groups, ultimately illustrating Texas's unique heritage.
Armadillo Man: The Trips of Jim Franklin tells the story of the iconic poster artist who helped establish the Austin music venue, Armadillo World Headquarters, and is credited with making Austin "weird."
In the United States, there is an active shooter incident every 12 days. In Memoriam shows the wrenching perspective of wounded survivors, grieving relatives, and heroes of the horrific attacks at the Las Vegas Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, the Sutherland Springs Baptist Church in Texas, and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Drawing on real-time, firsthand accounts and using official bodycam and audio, FRONTLINE, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune reconstruct the chaotic response to the Uvalde school shooting and examine the missteps.
Filmmaker S.R. Bindler profiles Texas contestants trying to win a truck by keeping one hand on it longer than everyone else.
A flamboyant restaurateur, a good ol' boy and a political ingénue, walk into a small town political contest and compete head to head to head, for the non-paid mayoral seat of the Tomato Republic. What happens next is anyones guess. The only thing that could slow this race down is a freight train. Let the takeover begin. - Written by Whitney Graham Carter
Scott Panetti was tried for the capital murder of his parents-in-law on September 8, 1992 in Gillespie County, Texas. He was subsequently sentenced to death on September 22, 1995. Panetti has an extensive history of mental illness, including schizophrenia, manic depression, auditory hallucinations and paranoia. Panetti was hospitalized, both voluntarily and involuntarily for mental illness fourteen times in six different hospitals before his arrest for capital murder in 1992. Following his conviction, Panetti’s former wife, and daughter of the victims, Sonja Alvarado, filed a petition stating that Panetti never should have been tried for the crimes as he was suffering from paranoid delusions at the time of the killings.
Once a year Houston, Texas becomes the street racing capitol of the world. Hosting vehicular machines with upwards of upwards of 2000hp, Houston is the stage for all those whole think they have what it takes to whoop some ass on the street to show the world what they’re made of. Continuing the Texas Streets franchise, we bring you Texas Streets EVADE!
Jim Marrs looks at the Aurora Crash. According to a news story that appeared in The Dallas Morning News, an "airship" crashed in Aurora Texas on April 17th, 1897. According to the news report, published two days later, the "airship" crashed into the windmill at Judge Proctor's place and the pilot -- a "Martian" -- was killed in the crash and later buried in the town cemetery. In 1897 a UFO crashed in Aurora, Texas where it hit a windmill and exploded. The remains of an alien body were recovered and buried in the local cemetery. This documentary was premiered at the first annual Aurora Alien Encounter on Saturday, April 16th, 2016 - An event to commemorate the historical incident
This documentary by independent filmmaker Ken Harrison provides a look into the contemporary Texas art world of the mid-‘70s. Shot in 1975, Jackelope is loosely divided into three segments, each focusing on three young artists: James Surls, George Green, and Bob Wade. The documentary captures each artist in the more casual moments of their lives, capturing their ideas about art, the artistic process, Texas, and other topics in the process.
A visually compelling look at America's Lone Star State, Texas. Originally filmed in the IMAX format, this film captures the state through breathtaking aerial photography stunning moving pictures of landscapes, cattle, horses, and cowboys. It's Texas like you've never seen before. From the Panhandle to the Rio Grande and from West Texas to the Gulf of Mexico, the Texas landscape is as diverse as the people who live there. Discover how Texas innovation and ingenuity have led the way in exploration, from the depths of the Earth to the far reaches of outer space. This larger-than-life movie explores the boundless horizons and big dreams of the great state of Texas. Funded by the Texas State History Museum Foundation, Southwest Airlines, ExxonMobil, and the State of Texas.
In the early 1830s Texas was about to explode. Although ruled by Mexico, the region was home to more than 20,000 U.S. settlers agitated by what they saw as restrictive Mexican policies. Mexican officials, concerned with illegal trading and immigration, were prepared to fight hard to keep the province under their control. Caught in the middle were the area's 4,000 Mexican Texans or Tejanos. With war on the horizon, the Tejanos had to pick a side. Many chose to fight with their Anglo neighbors against an army sent by Mexico City. The conflict pitted brother against brother and devastated the community. The Tejano gamble for a more prosperous future in an independent Texas proved tragic. Following the revolution, the Tejanos were overwhelmed by a surge of Anglo immigration -- leaving them foreigners in a land they had fought to defend.
Using two separate filmmaking teams (an all-white crew filming white residents and an all-black camera crew filming black residents), TWO TOWNS OF JASPER captures very different racial views by townsfolk in Jasper, Texas, the location for a racially motivated murder of an African American man in 1998.
The corruption runs deeper than you'd ever imagine. A multi-billion dollar industry you've never heard of. This is the world Patent Trolls thrive in: A world created for them by our own U. S. Patent system. You can be sued for clicking on a hyperlink, using your own scanner, or sharing your Wi-Fi! It sounds insane, but the reality is even crazier. Patent Trolls look for obvious ideas, patent them, and then sue anyone they claim is infringing on their idea. People's lives and businesses are being destroyed.. and they have no way out. “The Patent Scam” exposes the underbelly of this system, and the people that commit this practice.
Roam the Wild West frontier land of the Rio Grande’s Big Bend alongside its iconic animals, including black bears, rattlesnakes and scorpions.
This U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) video uses expert testimony and computer-animated reenactments to describe and discuss its detailed investigation into the March 23 2005 explosion of the ISOM (isomerization) unit at the BP (British Petroleum) refinery at Texas City, Texas. The explosion killed 15 workers, injured 180 others, and cost BP billions of dollars.