I’ve been working on Kings For A Day for over two years now. What started as a first visit to Todos Santos, not fully understanding what we were witnessing, slowly became a long commitment to tell this story with care. We kept returning, building trust and spending time with families who have carried this tradition for generations, both in Guatemala and in California. It became clear this is not just a race, but a living thread of identity and connection that stretches across borders.
Right now that feels more important than ever. At a moment when so many communities are being simplified or pulled apart, this story holds something quieter and more human. It is about belonging and the ways culture continues to live and evolve far from home.
We’re now in the final stretch of finishing the film. The edit is nearly there and what remains is sound, color, and preparing it for festivals and release. We’ve carried most of this project ourselves and we’re close, but to finish it the right way and get it out into the world, we do need some support.
If this story resonates with you and you feel compelled to help us bring it across the finish line, there is a donation link in my bio. And if donating is not possible, simply sharing the film or trailer goes a long way.
Thank you for being here and following this journey. It truly means a lot.
— Aaron
After 6 years of passionate persistence, bordering on obsession, I can proudly say that my first film, “The Man with the Big Hat,” about the force of nature, Texas singer-songwriter Steven Fromholz will be making its World Premiere at SXSW on March 14th.
I’ve never been more genuinely inspired by a person that I’ve never met nor seen in real life, than the way I have been by Steven Fromholz.
All I knew, was I had to somehow bring to life the spirit Fromholz embodied, that had so quickly and profoundly affected me.
This film came together with the care, love and precision from an all-star cast of creatives that I’d go into any battle with.
Thank YOU to each and every one of you.
The Man with the Big Hat has its SXSW World Premiere on March 14th, at 3pm at Alamo South Lamar.
If you don’t have a badge, please come stand in line, and help us pack each showing.
Director & Written by: Austin Sayre
Executive Producer: Brian Easley
Editor: Nevie Owens
Director of Photography: Aaron Colussi
Producers: Stephanie Moore, David Broad, Aaron Colussi, Jay Newberg, Diana Zuniga, Cherry Brown
Original Composition: Larry Nye
Motion Graphics Designer: Matthew J. Ross
Colorist: Drew Tekulve
Color Producer: Luke Butler
Color Finish House: Umami Color & Finishing
Production Sound Mixer: Miles Blunt
Post Sound Mixer: Miles Foster-Greenwood
Post Sound Facility: Soundcrafter, Austin, TX
Music Supervisor: Julian Drucker
Additional Cinematography: David Broad & Ryan Light
Additional Productions Sound Mixer: Joe Cooke, Zachary Noblitt, Michael Velasco, Jimmy Preston
Online Editor: Will Clark
Assistant Editor: Jacob Estrada
Production Assistant: Haley Sayre-Aust
#sxsw #sxsw2026 #themanwiththebighatfilm #lylelovett #documentary
Proud to announce that The Man With The Big Hat is having its World Premiere at next month's @sxsw ! Huge congrats to @austinlsayre on his vision and dedication in capturing the spirit of a true Texas legend.
Looking back, it all started with a phone call from @aaroncolussi . He asked me to join him in Terlingua, Texas to film, among other things, a tequila-riddled funeral.
Without knowing much else, I headed down and met Austin, Stephanie, and the Fromholz family. That trip was the start of a deep dive into the life of Steve Fromholz. Steve was a titan for Texas singer-songwriters, and Austin has done a masterful job capturing his complexities, his music and his soul on screen. There couldn't be a better festival for this film to premiere at than #sxsw2026
If you're in town, come say hi and join us for one of the screenings:
- 3/14
- 3/15
- 3/17
🤠
If we've worked together, grabbed coffee, met over Zoom, or hung out in any capacity in the last 6+ years, outside of my work at Notley and Palmyra, you've probably heard me talk about the documentary film my partner, Austin, has been directing.
I am beyond humbled to share that our film, @themanwiththebighatfilm , has been selected to premiere at the 2026 SXSW Film Festival.
This has been an incredible journey, opening us up to opportunities, experiences, and relationships we never would have had otherwise. Bringing this film to life has be a labor of love in the truest sense. I am so grateful to our Executive Producer Brian Easley for his patience, optimism, and generosity, and so proud of @austinlsayre for his dedication -- blood, sweat, and tears -- to telling Steven Fromholz' story as only he could.
The film screens on 3/14, 3/15, and 3/17. I would absolutely love to see you there 😊
Over the past few years, I’ve been quietly working on a documentary called Kings For A Day, an intimate portrait of a 400-year-old Maya tradition that exists both in the highlands of Guatemala and within immigrant communities in California. At its center is the annual Skach Koyl horse race in Todos Santos Cuchumatán, a ritual of music, costume, intoxication, and complete chaos that becomes a rare moment of collective release and unity. What began as curiosity has grown into a deeply personal project about what it means to carry culture across borders in a time when those borders are increasingly politicized.
This film feels urgent right now because immigration in the U.S. is so often discussed through fear, soundbites, and abstraction rather than lived experience. Gaining access required years of returning, listening, and building trust within a community shaped by civil war, genocide, and displacement. Beneath the wild spectacle of the race is a slower, character-driven story about family and belonging. As the trailer launches, I’m looking for thoughtful partners, collaborators, and anyone who feels connected to this story and wants to learn more or help bring Kings For A Day into the world.
Thank you to those who helped make this possible. Please check out the link in my bio for a full sized version of the trailer and more info, otherwise stay tuned!
Fire Lives Here is streaming NOW on PBS and will be broadcast nationwide starting Sunday, October 5th at 5pm.
Director @aaroncolussi has been spearheading this project for the past two years, including filming on the front line of wildfires, to capture the incredibly difficult and heroic work of Colorado's forest fire fighters.
Special thanks to @nationalforests , @u.s.forestservice & @rmpbs for helping bring this story to life
Thrilled to announce that @tsavage826 's short film @oddities_short is now available to the public on the @screamfestla YouTube channel (link in bio)!
Couldn't be a more fitting day. After nearly two years, almost 30 festivals and four award wins, we're excited to share it with everyone. Special s/o to @mathematic.tv for helping push our effects over the edge. Proud to have been part of this team.
Sharing some bts and festival stills and, as always, stay for the last photo. S/O Airbnb
🎃👹
A very delayed post...from July lol
@comic_con premiered @sainttwiggg 's film Interference. The festival was everything a kid who grew up reading and selling comics (S/O @forbiddenplanetnyc ) could've wanted. From the Ambiguously Gay Dou, to Hellboy, to an inflated Han Solo in carbonite, people really went all out on costumes.
Thanks to Adam Neese and the whole programming team as well the cast and crew that brought this to life!
Guatemala. From Acatenango Volcano.
One my favorite pulls from this shoot involved flying down to Guatemala, napping until midnight and then a windy drive to a scrambly hike to the summit of Acatenango.
When we reached the peak (13,044ft) it was windy and freezing, but we captured some amazing pre dawn shots of Fuego erupting - check @aaroncolussi for those.
Then the sun rose quickly and we spent the rest of the morning jumping from one spot to another to capture unbelievable light across Guatemala's portion of the Ring Of Fire.
