United States / Mar 14, 2026 / SXSW Film & TV Festival
The Man with the Big Hat (2026)
Directed by Austin Lee Sayre
1h 25minruntime
1vote
0reviews
Overall average
5.0/10
Plot
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.
Main cast
Full cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Dan McCrimmon | Self |
| Darcie Fromholz | Self |
| Janey Lake | Self |
| Larry Watkins | Self |
| Felicity Fromholz | Self |
| Bobby Bridger | Self |
| Larry Joe Taylor | Self |
| Austin Lee Sayre | Self |
| Willie Nelson | Self (archive footage) |
| Michael Martin Murphey | Self (archive footage) |
| Stephen Stills | Self (archive footage) |
| Joni Mitchell | Self (archive footage) |
| Robert Earl Keen | Self (archive footage) |
| Ann Richards | Self (archive footage) |
| Waylon Jennings | Self (archive footage) |
Genres
DocumentaryMusic
Technical details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Original title | The Man with the Big Hat |
| Original language | English (EN) |
| Spoken languages | English |
| Production countries | United States of America |
| Status | Released |
| Production companies | Three Chords And The Truth, Bracken Films, Flintlock Pictures |
| Official site | themanwiththebighatfilm.com |
| Release date | 14 marzo 2026 |
| Executive producer | Brian Easley |
| Production | David Broad, Gill Holland, Aaron Colussi, Stephanie Moore, John Hensley, Darcie Fromholz, Felicity Fromholz, Jay Newberg |
| Writer | Austin Lee Sayre |
| Editing | Nevie Owens, Drew Tekulve |
| Assistant directors | Austin Lee Sayre |
| Music | Miles Blunt, Miles Foster-Greenwood |
Show more
| Sound | Miles Blunt, Miles Foster-Greenwood |
| Budget | 300.000 € |
Release dates
Premiere
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