A hero once is a hero always.

Tonight, Hays High School alumni Paige Smith returns to his hometown to show his feature film, “Was Once a Hero”, Smith himself starring alongside Darby Hinton, John Carter Cash, Robert Carradine, Julie Kashmanian and Rebecca Holden.

Filmed in Maryland and parts of Pennsylvania, “Was Once a Hero” tells the story of a Civil War veteran struggling with PTSD and Dementia, played by Hinton (The Daniel Boone Show), who has become a burden to his family and makes the choice to leave and go on one last journey, but comes upon a pair of orphans in need of help.

“It’s a very important topic, these issues that veterans experience to this day,” Smith said. “The journey within the movie is where we get to see how people who are put in a position of pain and danger can help one another get to a better place. Right now, is a tough time for veterans and it’s a time to honor them and tell a story. Sharing that even in a place where you aren’t what you once were, you have enough to be that once again. You can still be that good person in your heart that you’ve always been.”

Above all, Smith is most excited to bring something he has been working towards for so long, back to the place where he found his love of cinema.

“I grew up in Hays, I grew up watching movies at the Fox back when they would show movies in the two theatres there before it was renovated,” Smith said. “My dad is a western writer so I grew up enjoying the genre. At one point in my life, I started making short films, westerns, I started going to film festivals and over the years, I’ve met a lot of people.”

Through short films, Smith made connections at film festivals and in 2020, was found by Dan Searles, who pitched a western script inspired by an old friend and actor. Searles felt pulled towards the idea of paying tribute to someone who struggled through difficult times and made an impact on his life.

In order to take the story and turn it into a feature length script, Searles sought the help of Smith, who wrote the first draft of the film, which was then molded into the vision that the two of them now shared.

For two years, the pair spent their time finding donors who would back the project in order to begin the casting and filming process. An independent film, last year, the duo saw the project to its completion and since then, the film has screened in various locations throughout the country.

Smith and Searles also brought in Director and Cinematographer Michael Tuthill, whose niche was previously within the horror genre, however, after learning of his desire to be a part of a western project, the duo became a trio as a third joined the helm.

Together, they were able to put together a strong group of actors including John Carter Cash, son of Johnny Cash and June Carter. Carter Cash and Smith had crossed paths and made connections through prior film festivals. He will portray the villain, Chance.

“With a villain type, you’ve got to get weird, and he came in with really interesting choices and he really went for it. He was just a joy to work with and a really good guy, then obviously he has the pedigree.”

The ability for Smith and his team to bring the film home speaks volumes on the support system and belief within his team from donors that got them here today.

“The thing about making a film, you have to put together enough money, you have to get people on the phone and then get them invested,” Smith said of the painstaking process early on. “These people aren’t getting involved to make their money back, it’s more of a donation than anything.”

Through their years of digesting old west cinema, the pair made a goal to tell a new story, one that stands apart from the stereotypical, gunslinging nature that audiences may associate with classics. They wanted to tell a story that more people could relate to, people from a different generation, people that may not consider themselves western fans. They wanted to create a film that connected people.

“We wanted to try and make a classic, Jimmy Stewart type western, about people and the circumstances of their lives, about family, that’s what we sought out to do,” Smith said. “It’s not a bloodbath, it’s about a family coming together, about people in need of each other coming together. It’s a western, so of course, there is danger and some violence, but it’s mostly about the heart and how we can all work together to connect and find family through despair and difficult circumstances.”

The idea of the story and the character’s journey garnered interest from not just actors, but also crew and donors who wanted to be a part of their vision. Smith believes the biggest selling point for the feature film was the heart and nature of the film: the opportunity to be a part of something that felt classic but explored modern ideas and struggles that existed all the same but have been delved into deeper in the years that followed.

“For me, it was just a dream come true to be able to say the theatre where I grew up watching movies, now the movie that I helped make gets to play there,” Smith said.

Airing the weekend prior to the 2025 Wild West Festival, Smith shared his appreciation for his hometown, stating that there could not be a more perfect time for the film to run. A homecoming for Smith, he feels there is no better way to kick off the historic weekend than taking a look back on the history of the wild west.

Tonight, Hays can be a part of Smith’s longtime dream, showing at the Fox Theatre at 7. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at thefoxtheatrehays.com for $10. Smith will be at tonight’s screening, available for Q&A following the film.