August 8-18, 2026
★ Western Picture Showcase ★
An Evening of Frontier Legends & Silver‑Screen Sagas
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Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002 • G)
Saturday, August 8, 2026 9:45AM
Dir. Kelly Asbury & Lorna Cook • Wri. John Fusco • Stars Matt Damon, James Cromwell
A true Saturday morning matinee, with gift giveaways for the whole family. A wild mustang is captured by the Cavalry and bonds with a Lakota youth as he fights to return home. Oscar‑nominated for Best Animated Feature. Known for its blend of hand‑drawn and CGI animation and its bold choice to let horses communicate through movement and sound rather than speech. Roadrunner and Yosemite Sam cartoons, before movie.
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Once Upon a Time in the West (1968 • PG‑13)
Monday, August 10, 2026 1pm
Dir. Sergio Leone • Wri. Leone, Bertolucci & Donati • Stars Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale
A widow, a mysterious gunman, and an outlaw collide in a struggle over land coveted by the railroad. Now hailed as a Spaghetti Western masterpiece. Morricone composed the score before filming, allowing scenes to be shot to the music like an operatic showdown on the frontier.
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The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948 • )
Tuesday, August 11, 226 1pm
Dir./Wri. John Huston • Stars Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt
Three drifters hunt gold in Mexico, only to be undone by greed and suspicion. Winner of three Oscars. One of Hollywood’s earliest major productions filmed far from studio backlots, capturing rugged landscapes that mirrored its moral terrain.
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Blazing Saddles (1974 • R)
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 1pm
Dir. Mel Brooks • Wri. Brooks, Richard Pryor & others • Stars Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman
A Black sheriff rides into a corrupt frontier town and turns the West upside‑down in a riotous satire. Nominated for three Oscars and preserved in the National Film Registry. Famous for breaking the fourth wall, skewering Western clichés, and firing comedy faster than a six‑gun.
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Cowboy Poetry at Noley's
Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 5 p.m.
Cowboy Poetry at Noley’s is a signature event of the Western Heritage and Film Festival in Payson, Arizona, celebrating the spirit and storytelling of the American West. The gathering features authentic cowboy poetry and songs performed by working ranchers, and the public, offering an evening of genuine frontier culture.
3:10 to Yuma (2007 • R)
Thursday, August 12 1pm
Dir. James Mangold • Wri. Welles, Brandt & Haas • Stars Christian Bale, Russell Crowe
A desperate rancher escorts a captured outlaw to the 3:10 train, forging a tense duel of wills. Nominated for two Oscars. Shot across New Mexico’s rugged country, the film reimagines the 1957 classic with sharper character conflict and dust‑choked tension.
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The Dog Bite Murders (2025)
Friday, August 14, 2026 10am
Dir./Wri. Clint Clarkson & Gregory Shoemaker • Stars Keith Lopez, Adrianna Licitra
Set in 1910 Arizona, a defense attorney confronts frontier justice when two deserters stand accused of murder. Praised for historical detail and stark desert cinematography. Filmed on authentic ranch sites that echo the era’s rough‑hewn law and order. Directors will be present!
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Award Ceremony & Cocktail Party/Reception
Sawmill Theater, Friday, August 14 5pm
Join us for the awards program for fill entries in the 2026 Payson Western Heritage and Film Festival
Rim County BBQ Luncheon
Saturday, August 15, 2026 11AM
BBQ Luncheon at Rim Country BBQ, where noted Western storyteller Bob Boze Bell presents an engaging talk on the legendary film The Searchers.
The Searchers (1956 • )
Saturday, August 15, 2026 1pm
Dir. John Ford • Wri. Frank S. Nugent • Stars John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Natalie Wood
A Civil War veteran searches for his kidnapped niece, wrestling with vengeance and prejudice. Long considered one of the greatest Westerns ever made. Its iconic doorway shot has shaped generations of filmmakers and stands as a hallmark of frontier storytelling.
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High Noon (1952 •)
Monday, August 17, 2026 1pm
Dir. Fred Zinnemann • Wri. Carl Foreman • Stars Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly
A lone marshal faces a vengeful outlaw arriving on the noon train, the story unfolding in near real time. Winner of four Oscars. Revered for its political undertones tied to the Hollywood blacklist and its relentless ticking‑clock tension.
Breaking Camp Carpino Concert
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 5Pm
Sawmill Theater
