San Antonio-based filmmaker Alejandro Cabrera was first introduced to Star Wars by his mother in the summer of 1996. The year prior, the original three films were re-released on VHS.
"She was playing them one day and trying to get my attention," Cabrera, 34, told the Current during a recent interview. "She was like, 'Look, that's Luke Skywalker. He has a twin sister like you. And that's Darth Vader like your father.' My parents are divorced."
Little did Cabrera know that his first experience with Star Wars 27 years ago would lead him to the release of a documentary he made about the beloved franchise. Cabrera's film, In the Lone Star Wars State, takes viewers on a journey into the films' Texas fandom and examines how they connect to the Western genre.
During the doc, Cabrera interviews Star Wars experts and collectors along with the always-fascinating fans, who take their love for the franchise galaxies beyond that of casual moviegoers. Cabrera began shooting In the Lone Star Wars State in 2015. He hopes to hold his first public screening of the film later this year.
Just in time for Star Wars Day, May 4, we talked to Cabrera about what drew him to Star Wars as a fan and a filmmaker and what he learned about the franchise as he made his documentary.
Why did you want to make a movie about Star Wars fandom in Texas?
I feel that oftentimes in film and television, these sorts of fandoms are depicted in a very comedic way. What I found very interesting was that regardless of your financial bracket, belief system, age, generation, gender, [Star Wars] is something that unifies people. I think now more than ever, we need reminders of that in this world.
Star Wars has expanded so much in the past half century, hasn't it?
You know, Star Wars is part of that change that happened in cinema in the 1970s with Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather) and Steven Spielberg (Jaws). You had all these young filmmakers who changed movie industry. I think [this documentary] is a time capsule of this moment today. I'm a '90s baby, so I wasn't around in the '70s, but I've always had that fantasy of traveling back in time to see what it was like going to the cinema back then.
There's been a lot of Star Wars content that's premiered since you started shooting your film eight years ago. Did it feel like you were making it in real time?
It did make it feel like it was in real time. I think it's added to [the film] and kept it fresh. What I thought about as I was filming was to make sure the conversations that I was having would be relevant 10 years from now. For example, I interviewed a Texas woman whose husband was dying of cancer in 2015 and was granted a last wish to see [Star Wars: The Force Awakens] before it was released. This film is a love letter to Star Wars and a love letter to Texas.
Do you consider yourself a Star Wars nerd?
For me, there are different levels of fandom. I'm a fan of the innovation behind Star Wars. What it represents for me is a thumbprint for a very special time in my childhood. I have a very visual memory, so when I think of Star Wars, I think about where I was when I saw the movies, and I get nostalgic about that time. Every generation has a Star Wars film that they relate to.
What was it like listening to people talk about their own experiences with the franchise?
It was interesting hearing about people's experiences, not only when the films came out, but when the toys came out too. We feature several collectors in the film. It was a much simpler time back then. I remember when I was a kid, I would get a Luke Skywalker action figure and it made my whole month. There's something very pure and innocent about that.
Give me an example of something you learned about the relationship between Star Wars and Texas?
I learned about all the connective tissue between Texas and science fiction. I learned that Princess Leia's hair was inspired by the women of the Mexican Revolution and how much [Westerns such as] The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly influenced Star Wars.
What do you want audiences to take away from your documentary?
Hopefully, they will be inspired. We meet a lot of different people in different places in their lives. I hope people can see themselves in these stories. I got to meet people from all walks of life. We all may have different belief systems, but we are more alike than people think. I hope this film reminds people of that.
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