On March 5, the Austin Film Society hosted the 2026 Texas Film Awards. The awards ceremony honored filmmakers and artists who have contributed to and pioneered the Texas film scene and inducted the film “Spy Kids” into the Texas Film Hall of Fame. Honorees included Sonny Carl Davis (“Last Night at the Alamo”) and Robert Rodriguez, Elizabeth Avellán, Daryl Sabara and Alexa PenaVega (“Spy Kids”). Gabriel Luna (“The Last of Us”) helped present the awards, and other attendees included co-chairs Adrian and Celeste Quesada. The Daily Texan spoke to the honorees and presenters on the red carpet to learn more about their projects, passions and advice.
The Daily Texan: What advice would you give to local or student filmmakers and artists?
Gabriel Luna: The first step (is) to really know that it’s meaningful, and have it be meaningful to you. The second thing is, just don’t stop …You must have the endurance to carry on.
Celeste Quesada: Do not be afraid to ask for help … Austin is a unique culture compared to other big cities because we’ve got that unique southern hospitality of wanting each other to succeed.
Elizabeth Avellán: Keep making films with your friends, with an iPhone. Anytime you’re together, just make another short together, don’t wait … There are so many ways to do it nowadays, and it just helps you learn how to tell stories.
Daryl Sabara: Just don’t give up. Just follow your dreams. The way that you want to do it is the right way, so do it the way you want to do it.
DT: You’ve played some very quintessentially Texan characters. What about representing Texas do you enjoy?
Sonny Carl Davis: Real people. Truth. Honesty.
DT: If you could write a film score for any movie, what would your dream project be?
Adrian Quesada: Either “The Godfather” or this really bizarre avant-garde French animation film called “Fantastic Planet”.
DT: What is an experience from the Spy Kids franchise that you will carry with you for the rest of your life?
Alexa PenaVega: The lifelong family that we made. Between the crew and the cast, they are forever going to be my family.
DT: Can you tell us about your time at The Daily Texan, your comic strip “Los Hooligans” and how that experience helped shape who you are as a filmmaker?
Robert Rodriguez: So much of drawing is manifesting, and I was telling paper stories, not knowing I could make it as a filmmaker. I loved drawing my comic strip … I did it every day for four hours a day. And then, when my movies took off, I thought, “Oh, I can keep drawing by drawing storyboards and art and the ‘thumb thumbs’ and things like that.” It was really formative, and it really taught me a lot of creative lessons. The main creative lesson I learned … (is that) you have to take action before you have an idea … If you wait for the idea first, you’ll be waiting the rest of your life.
DT: What film best encapsulates the spirit of the Texas film scene?
RR: “Spy Kids!” I dreamt it up in San Antonio; it’s based on the same kids that were in my comic strip. I knew I didn’t want it to feel like a factory movie. It needed to feel like a home-cooked meal, because those are the best, so we had to make it at home … It wasn’t your typical Texas movie. Most movies shot at that time here were Westerns. This was like a “Willy Wonka” movie … It represents Texas to me, anything you can dream up.
