The world premiere of "The Senior" at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival earlier this month had been 16 years in the making.

The film, based on the biography of former Sul Ross State football player Mike Flynt, made its debut Nov. 9.

Flynt made history by becoming the oldest person to play in the NCAA at the age of 59 when he returned to complete his last year of eligibility in 2007 after taking a 52-year hiatus.

Flynt, who is now 75, had the pleasure of attending the event with his wife, Eileen.

"We knew our story, but we didn't know how everybody else was going to receive that," said Flynt. "It was so much fun. At the end everybody stood up and applauded. It was overwhelming and an incredible blessing."

The film was shot in Fort Worth at five different football stadiums during the heart of high school football season two years ago over a period of 52 days.

Starring Michael Chiklis and Mary Stuart Masterson as Mike and Eileen Flynt, "The Senior" earned itself a rave review from The Hollywood Reporter.

The film is directed by Rod Lurie whose work includes the 2020 film "The Outpost," "Resurrecting the Champ," "The Contender" and "The Last Castle."

Mark Ciardi, known for sports dramas such as "The Rookie," "McFarland, USA," "Miracle," "Million Dollar Arm" and "Invincible," is one of the films five producers.

Both Chiklis and Masterson are receiving high acclaim for their roles.

Chiklis is best known for his role in the FX series "The Shield" which aired for six seasons and earned him a Primetime Emmy Award.

Masterson starred in films such as "Some Kind of Wonderful" and "Fried Green Tomatoes."

The next step for the film is distribution, where "The Senior" will be promoted and finally released in as many as 2,000 theaters nationwide. There is not an official release date at this time.

"When it gets its inevitable theatrical release, this crowd-pleaser should be a potent box office attraction, especially in non-urban area. The lines are probably already forming in Texas theaters," according to the review.

Flynt gives a lot of praise to the cast and crew for their hard work and commitment in telling his life story in an hour and 39 minutes.

Above all, he hopes the film brings plenty of attention to his alma mater, Sul Ross State.

The exposure couldn't come at a better time since Sul Ross State is transitioning to Division II next year.

"The reception has been pretty overwhelming. It's really exciting about where it is," he said. "It's a sports movie, but it's about so much more than that.

"It's a family-friendly movie that everyone can go see and there's no downside to it. If by the grace of God this thing does what we all hope it's going to do — it's going to give a lot of exposure for Sul Ross State."

The Hollywood Reporter review on "The Senior" can be viewed here: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-senior-review-michael-chiklis-rod-lurie-1235645508/