Cinema Scholars dives into a preview of SXSW 2024. The Film and TV festival runs from Friday, March 8th through Saturday, March 16th in Austin, TX.
Introduction
March in Austin, TX is dominated by one thing. South By Southwest. Known commonly in print as SXSW (or spoken simply as “South By” among the cool kids), the taste-making event started as a humble music festival in 1987. In no time, the grassroots celebration became well-known for attracting buzz-worthy musicians and hungry A&R scouts eager to find the next big thing. Yearly accounts of indie acts nabbing record deals during the week-long extravaganza became the norm.
In 1994 the annual event expanded to include a film festival. SXSW Film soon became a bellwether for breakthrough independent films, documentaries, and Texas-centric projects. Despite its indie spirit, the festival grew to host star-studded red-carpet premieres, events, and retrospectives as well.
As the entertainment landscape changed over the years with must-see TV blurring the line between big and small screens, the fest also evolved. Now, television projects get the red carpet treatment too, attracting more star power to the impressive SXSW Film and TV lineup.
Speaking of evolving, the 2000s saw the festival explode into what was then termed the “Interactive” portion. This new entry encompassed all the shiny new trappings of the early internet. Little did OG fest-goers know, the Interactive aspect would soon umbrella the modest conference and trade show. Soon the tech presence and sponsorship exploded SXSW into virtually every corner of pop culture.
Programming soon expanded to comedy, gaming, fashion, and the ever-growing SXSW Edu, which focuses on innovations in education. Not bad for an event that started as a small music fest in the grungy bars of 6th Street. Don’t worry, those dives are still there hosting bands from around the world. No matter your SX MO, it’s nearly impossible not to hear live music. But now SXSW boasts a niche for nearly anyone wishing to expand their esoteric horizons. All while taking in the endless parties, programs, and pop-ups that dominate downtown ATX for one insane week.
With a laser focus on the film and TV side of things, Cinema Scholars will be on the ground at SXSW 2024 with more interviews and reviews from the massive fest. Here’s a look at some of the most-anticipated projects debuting at SXSW 2024.
SXSW 2024 Headliners
There’s a theme with at least two of the films headlining SXSW Film and TV this year. Re-treads of classic 80s fan favorites. For the opening night film, SXSW welcomes Road House, starring SXSW alum Jake Gyllenhaal (Source Code).
Inspired by the beloved Patrick Swayze original, this version sees its lead (also named Dalton) as a former UFC champ who escapes to the Florida Keys for the good life. Employed as a bouncer at a local dive, Dalton gets more than he bargained for at the rough-and-tumble establishment. Ardent fans of the original may seem dubious about Gyllenhaal treading on such hallowed ground. SXSW fest-goers will be among the first to see if he and director Doug Liman live up to the legend.
Sharing the what’s-old-is-new-again category, SXSW 2024 also invites another fest alum, Ryan Gosling (Song To Song), with his latest effort The Fall Guy. Gen Xers remember the 80s series with Lee Majors as a lovable stuntman/bounty hunter, Colt Seavers. In the 2024 update, Gosling stars as the knockabout Seavers, who saves the day on a blockbuster action set after the lead stuntman disappears. With John Wick co-director and stunt coordinator extraordinaire David Leitch (also a SX alum with Atomic Blonde) at the helm, hopes are high for The Fall Guy.
In addition to these throwbacks, there are many more high-profile premieres slated for SXSW Film and TV. Headliners also include Alex Garland’s Civil War, starring Kirsten Dunst. Dev Patel’s much-buzzed directing debut, Monkey Man. Babes, Pamela Adlon’s accidental pregnancy romp with Ilana Glazer. Plus, the Anne Hathaway starrer The Idea of You, directed by Michael Showalter.
Here’s the full list of films in the Headliner category.
Documentary Features and Spotlights At SXSW 2024
SXSW always boasts an impressive lineup of documentaries, and this year is no exception. From social commentary to bizarre esoterica, this category is always as diverse as it is surprising.
In the former category, The Truth Vs Alex Jones is sure to be a hot-button doc at SXSW 2024. With extensive footage from the Texas courtroom where Jones was found guilty of spreading lies about the Sandy Hook massacre, director Dan Reed takes a pointed look at rampant conspiracy theories and fake news in our country.
In a separate but similar vein, director Eva Orner shines a light on a dirty little secret of the clothing industry. Her documentary, Brandy Hellville & The Cult of Fast Fashion, centers on the popular clothing line, Brandy Melville, and dives into the darker side of the fashion industry’s toxic culture.
On the silly and obscure side of things, The Hobby looks to be a light-hearted stand-out. Simon Ennis presents a character-driven story of modern board games and their massive following of devoted enthusiasts. In Secret Mall Apartment, director/producer Jeremy Workman tells the story of… you guessed it. A secret apartment in a Rhode Island mall where eight of its builders lived for four years. And they filmed the entire time.
Other noteworthy documentaries include biography films like Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie, about the infamous stoner sketch team. Stormy, Sarah Gibson’s honest first-person look at the notorious adult film star Stormy Daniels. And also, Clemente, a look back at the life and career triumphs of baseball superstar Roberto Clemente.
And the Documentary Feature and Spotlight list goes on and on…
SXSW 2024 Narrative Features and Spotlights
Among all the high falutin’ hubbub, SXSW Film and TV also features a plethora of good old Narrative Features and Spotlights. Here are a few pinging our radar with some early festival buzz.
Connections with other people often happen when you least expect it. In Bob Trevino Likes It, director/writer Tracie Laymon tells the heartwarming real-life story of a woman who goes looking for her father but ends up befriending a stranger with his name. Sounds like a great premise for an awesome feel-good fest film. Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo star.
Nicolas Cage stars as a desperate father protecting his sons from night creatures in the dystopian horror/thriller Arcadian. Nic Cage and Night Creatures? Yes, please, and thank you. With a career in visual effects (including Lead Visual Effects Artist on Everything Everywhere All At Once), director Ben Brewer will hopefully bring the goods with the creature’s work. Arcadian, filmed in Ireland, will celebrate its world premiere at SXSW 2024.
Doin’ It finds YouTube sensation Lilly Singh as Maya, a virginal teacher tasked with instructing high school Sex Ed. With well-known character work under her belt, it will be interesting to see Singh play it relatively straight in this late bloomer coming-of-age comedy. Doin’ It also stars fellow funny ladies SNL alum Ana Gasteyer and Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Stephanie Beatriz. Sara Zandieh directs.
Though technically in the “Visions” category, the horror/mystery Dead Mail also tops this year’s must-see list. The film, written and directed by Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy, is set in the 80s when snail mail still ruled the communication landscape. An anonymous blood-soaked missive finds its way to a “dead letter” investigator at the central post office. From there, the expert must deal with strange revelations and even stranger people while sussing out the meaning of the message.
There are so many more in the narrative categories. Sasquatch Summer, directed by indie darlings/brother duo David and Nathan Zellner, promises more quirky goodness with “a year in the life of a singular family.” Said family includes Riley Keough and Jessie Eisenberg. And German director Tilman Singer’s much-hyped horror/thriller, Cuckoo, ups the fear factor of the narrative category with its international premiere at the fest.
Here’s a list of the entire Narrative Feature and Spotlight lineup.
TV Premiere, Spotlights, and Independent Pilots
Over at the TV section portion of the fest, high-profile premieres are celebrated right along with smaller shows and even independent pilots. The fifth and final season of Star Trek: Discovery is sure to please the fanboys/girls and casual fans alike. For those not in the know, the Paramount+ original series was created by The Walking Dead hit-maker Alex Kurtzman and stars fellow Dead alumni Sonequa Martin-Green as the commander of the U.S.S. Discovery. In addition, the cast and showrunner will be on hand to walk the SXSW red carpet for the series’ world premiere.
The new sci-fi series, 3 Body Problem, from powerhouse producing trio David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo, also makes its world debut at SXSW. The adventure drama, about the threat of an alien invasion with roots in the Chinese Cultural Revolution, is poised to be the latest must-see viewing from Netflix when it airs later in March. But festival goers will be the first to weigh in on the ambitious scope of the project when the series premieres at SXSW 2024.
Among the Independent TV Pilots, Bonnie Discepolo’s Neo-Dome is slated for its Texas premiere. The story follows a woman making her way to a domed refuge in the aftermath of a colossal nationwide economic meltdown. As she journeys across the landscape, she becomes all too aware that the only person she can trust is herself. The dystopian action/thriller stars Anna Camp (who also produces) and Michael Mosley.
SXSW frequent flyers Mark and Jay Duplass return to the festival to present their Indie TV Showcase. The TV Spotlight program features four projects produced under the Duplass Brothers Productions banner.
The Broadcast is a zany futuristic story of two scientists tasked with managing society’s single surviving news source. Psychedelic folk singer-songwriter Ryley Walker gets the docuseries treatment with Ryley Walker and Friends, featuring Bridget St. John in this first outing. In Penelope, Megan Stott plays a teen so disillusioned with society that she embarks on a new way of life out in the wild. Mark Duplass appears alongside director/writer and co-star Barret O’Brien in The Long Long Night, a story about friends who haven’t learned to bury the hatchet.
Check out the full list of TV Premieres, Spotlights, and Independent Pilots coming up at SXSW.
Conclusion
That just barely scratches the surface! With short film programming, Midnighters, XR films and events, and the 24 Beats and Music Video competitions, there are endless opportunities to entertain. SXSW Film and TV kicks off the festival on Friday 3/8 with music following on Monday 3/11. Both the Music and the Film and TV portions of the event run through Saturday 3/16. For information about ticketing, screenings, venues, and more, visit sxsw.com to find out all the details about the epic festival.
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