On a planet called Houston in a galaxy called Texas, filmmaker Alejandro Cabrera will present a unique look at the fandom of Star Wars in a new documentary. The movie will screen on Saturday, January 27 at the Houston Toy Museum. Cabrera will be in attendance for a Q&A.
What eventually became The Lone Star Wars State began 8 years ago, when the long-awaited sequel trilogy launched with Episode VII: The Force Awakens. Cabrera was in San Antonio, and captured the excitement on a Cannon 60D camera with no crew.
“The first thing we filmed was with fans outside of a Toys R Us for the Force Friday midnight event,” Cabrera tells CultureMap. “It was the first night, and people were going to purchase Force Awakens merchandise.”
Thus started a long journey of Cabrera looking into Texas Star Wars fans. The film highlights the connections between Texas history and a galaxy far, far away. Director and creator George Lucas drew heavy inspiration both from the samurai films of Akira Kurosawa and their spaghetti western spiritual remakes that often involved Texas cowboys.
With that framing in mind, Cabrera dove deep into every aspect of fandom he could get on camera.
“It was the most weird but also unique feeling in the world.,” he says. “The viewers get to experience those moments in real time. I also loved the idea of exploring fandom from a non-stereotypical point of view. I like that many of the subjects that we meet, if you saw on the street, you would never assume they are Star Wars fans.”
One of those is web-developer Jamie McShan, a prominent member of the Central Texas Droid Builders. McShan has spent years and thousands of dollars perfecting a working model of the heroic droid R2-D2, one of the few characters that has appeared in all nine numbered Star Wars film. Cabrera shows of the incredible construction, which McShan often takes around to children’s hospitals.
Jamie McShan with his custom-crafted R2-D2 unit.Photo courtesy of Jamie McShan
It's appropriate that The Lone Star Wars State screens at the Houston Toy Museum. A space dedicated to childhood nostalgia and the magic of play, the space has an amazing collection of Star Wars figures from across the franchise’s long history. Using the toys to enhance and continue the Star Wars experience was a foundational part of many creative people’s journeys. It’s that powerful dedication to the fictional universe that forms the backbone of Cabrera’s film.
“So much about what made Star Wars so special and personal was not the films but everything that was happening around the films,” says Cabrera. “These films are like a thumbtack to some of the most special and important moments in our childhoods. That’s what makes these films so powerful. One gets to subconsciously remember those moments. It was amazing having people talk about the first time they saw the movie. They had this ability of naming every detail about their life at that time.”
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The Lone Star Wars State screens at 6 pm Saturday, January 27 at Houston Toy Museum (321 W. 19th St. Suite C.). Director and filmmaker Alejandro Cabrera will participate in a Q&A session. For tickets and information, call 281-305-8828 or visit houstontoymuseum.com. Ticket includes screening and access to museum. $16.
