Usually, it’s the films that are loud at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in Austin. This year, however, the parade of personalities in the City of the Violet Crown will be creating plenty of thunder including Blake Lively, Jenna Ortega, Michelle Obama, Disney co-chairman Alan Bergman, Amazon and MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke, Sen. […]Usually, it’s the films that are loud at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in Austin. This year, however, the parade of personalities in the City of the Violet Crown will be creating plenty of thunder including Blake Lively, Jenna Ortega, Michelle Obama, Disney co-chairman Alan Bergman, Amazon and MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke, Sen.
Usually, it’s the films that are loud at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in Austin. This year, however, the parade of personalities in the City of the Violet Crown will be creating plenty of thunder including Blake Lively, Jenna Ortega, Michelle Obama, Disney co-chairman Alan Bergman, Amazon and MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Conan O’Brien fresh off the Oscar Dolby Theatre stage.
There are an intriguing amount of sit-downs here at SXSW this year after the fest kicks off Friday, rivaling the number of sidebar chats at a San Diego Comic-Con and certainly towering over the few at this past year’s Sundance, where the best chats were off-menu and not contained in any program: Elvis Mitchell’s conversations with Bill Murray and Quentin Tarantino.
In a déjà vu to Comic-Con, O’Brien will be on stage twice: once in a Sunday comedy event with Robert Smigel and another on Tuesday talking up the next phase of video games with Blizzard Entertainment president Johanna Faries.
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At one end of the festival you have Lively making a fierce public appearance in the face of her very public legal battle with It Ends With Us’ Justin Baldonifor the world premiere of her Amazon MGM Studios movie Another Simple Favor, which opens the fest tonight. Meanwhile, over at the Convention Center tomorrow, Warren will be talking with journalist Kara Swisher about the constitutional crisis sparked by Donald Trump, Elon Musk’s hostile takeover of the federal government, and the future of the Democratic party.
While Obama’s appearance with her brother Craig Robinson, the National Association of Basketball Coaches executive director and podcast host of Ways to Win, will indeed be leaning toward the types of projects she’s developing at her production house Higher Ground, the anticipation is that the former first lady will talk about more pressing topics at a time when America is besieged by looming tariffs and Russian cronyism.
At a festival where the moviegoers at Austin’s Paramount Theatre on Congress Avenue scream as loud as those at a Harry Styles concert, look for the Motion Picture Association to create waves. On Friday afternoon, before the world premiere of Simple Favor 2, MPA chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin is sitting down with Salke and Amazon MGM Studios Streaming and Theatrical Head of Film Courtenay Valenti to talk about their theatrical strategy (that 28-day window to Prime for Red One being a hot topic) and how female-driven productions are rebounding in Hollywood. On Sunday, the MPA’s EVP and Chief Content Protection Officer Larissa L. Knapp will be sharing details about “how to catch a digital pirate.” Elsewhere during the fest, Disney’s Bergman and Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro will be chatting about the future of parks and technology, the latter a key cornerstone of SXSW, with previous guests including Elon Musk who in 2018 here laid out his plans for SpaceX Mars settlements.
Among the other big studio pics here at SXSW this year are A24’s Death of a Unicorn starring Jenna Ortega, Paul Rudd and Will Poulter at the Paramount on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CT, Amazon MGM Studios’ Ben Affleck sequel The Accountant 2 that same night at 9 p.m. CT at the Paramount, and Blumhouse/Universal’s The Drop on Sunday at 9:30 p.m. CT.
Sales agents haven’t turned their backs on recognizing SXSW as a lightning-rod festival for launching new talent, even if sales are historically slow out of Austin (even slower than this year’s Sundance). One example: the Sydney Sweeney-Paul Walter Hauser movie Americana from SXSW 2023, which didn’t get picked up until SXSW 2024 when Lionsgate boarded. Indie titles will always find a home, sources say, even if it means delivering P&A separately through non-traditional means.
Here are some of the hot titles up for sale at SXSW 2025 (all times CT). Only the world premiere location and date are listed; all other times can be found at sxsw.com.
American Sweatshop
In a device-driven world, American Sweatshop takes a searing look at the toll of social media through the eyes of Daisy, who finds herself sucked into the underbelly of the internet. Daisy, and a motley group of co-workers, toil in a cottage industry of agencies that evaluate harmful and offensive pictures and videos uploaded to social media. With detached caution and a deranged sense of humor, they examine the millions of posts that get “flagged for review.” But one particularly violent video grabs hold of Daisy, luring her out of this office, away from the safety of her keyboard and into a dangerous world as she obsessively seeks to hold someone accountable. Uta Briesewitz directs. Producers are Anita Elsani, Uta Briesewitz, Jason Sosnoff, Barry Levinson, Tom Fontana. Cast: Lili Reinhart, Daniela Melchior, Jeremy Ang Jones, Josh Whitehouse, Tim Plester, Christiane Paul, Joel Fry. UTA selling. Zach Theatre, March 8, 9:30 p.m.
Asco: Without Permission
The pic challenges the limits of documentary conventions to tell the story of a revolutionary Chicano art group who turned 1970s L.A. into their defiant canvas. Merging activism with radical art-making, ASCO challenged the established order of Hollywood, museums and media and are now considered amongst the 20th century’s most significant artists. Director Travis Gutiérrez Senger mirrors the group’s boundary-breaking spirit through a groundbreaking approach, weaving nonfiction and fiction together with a new generation of artists. The result is more than a profile – it’s a reimagining of what’s possible in art and cinema, celebrating iconoclasts who were decades ahead of their time. Producers are Andrew Renzi, Nick Boak, Kyzza Terrazas, Santiago Maza, Sabrina Coulston, Colin Cadarette, Travis Gutiérrez Senger. WME selling. Hyatt Regency, March 10, 6 p.m.
Rocket Power LLC
The Astronaut
After returning from her first space mission, astronaut Sam Walker is placed under NASA’s care at a high security house for rehabilitation and medical testing. However, when disturbing occurrences begin happening around the property, she fears that something extraterrestrial has followed her back to Earth. Jess Varley directs. Producers are Brad Fuller, Eric B. Fleischman, Chris Abernathy, Cameron Fuller. Cast: Kate Mara (doing double duty at SXSW, she’s also in Dutchman), Laurence Fishburne, Gabriel Luna, Ivana Milicevic, Macy Gray. CAA and UTA selling. Zach Theatre, March 7, 7 p.m.
The Baltimorons
After cracking a tooth on Christmas Eve, newly sober Cliff embarks on an unexpected May/December adventure through Baltimore with Didi, his emergency dentist. Jay Duplass directs. Producers are David Bonnett Jr., Michael Strassner, Drew Langer. Cast: Michael Strassner, Liz Larsen, Olivia Luccardi. CAA and Submarine Entertainment selling. Alamo Lamar, March 8, 11:15 a.m.
Frank DeMarco/Andre Gaines
The Dutchman
Clay, a successful but troubled businessman, attends therapy sessions with his wife, Kaya, in an attempt to salvage their marriage. But their mysterious therapist is not all that he seems, and begins to unexpectedly appear to Clay outside of their sessions. On a New York subway train, Clay encounters Lula, a seductive but sinister stranger who slowly begins to unravel his life. Clay must discover the truth behind this encounter to get back to his wife, heal his fractured soul, and survive the night. In this modern adaptation of the 1964 Obie Award winning play, The Dutchman brings a contemporary edge to the original, exploring themes of race and identity in America. Andre Gaines directed. Produced by Andre Gaines, Jonathan T. Baker. Cast: André Holland, Kate Mara, Zazie Beetz, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Aldis Hodge, Lauren E. Banks. WME and UTA selling. Paramount Theatre, March 8, 11 a.m.
Fantasy Life
After losing his job as a paralegal, Sam Stein suffers a panic attack and stumbles into a job babysitting his psychiatrist’s three granddaughters. The girls’ mother, Dianne, is an actor whose once-promising career has stalled; she’s in a difficult marriage to David, a rock bassist. When David goes abroad on tour, Dianne and Sam discover an easy rapport as well as a shared history of mental illness. Sam joins Dianne’s family to babysit for the summer on Martha’s Vineyard, and he ends up in a house with the woman he pines for, her husband, the three kids, and all four grandparents, including his psychiatrist. Matthew Shear directs. Producers are Charlie Alderman, Chris Dodds, Phil Keefe, Amanda Peet, Emily McCann Lesser, David Bernon, Sam Slater. Cast: Amanda Peet, Matthew Shear, Alessandro Nivola, Judd Hirsch, Bob Balaban, Andrea Martin, Zosia Mamet, Jessica Harper, Holland Taylor, Sheng Wang. CAA selling. Alamo Lamar, March 8, 6 p.m.
Forge
In Miami, the resourceful Zhang siblings — Raymond and Coco — sell forged paintings to unsuspecting parties. Despite their thriving underground operation, the siblings are still short on cash when they cross paths with disgraced millionaire Holden Beaumont. Sensing an opportunity to make a fortune, Holden convinces the Zhangs to forge long lost masterpieces as a front for his family’s collection. Meanwhile, FBI Art Crimes agent Emily Lee moves from New York to Miami, discovering a plethora of forgeries cropping up in the South Florida market. As Emily continues to investigate the Zhang siblings’ work, their lives converge to devastating effect in the Zhang family dim sum restaurant. Jing Ai Ng directs. Producers are Liz Daering-Glass, Gabrielle Cordero, Jing Ai Ng, Damian Bao. Cast: Kelly Marie Tran, Andie Ju, Brandon Soo Hoo, Edmund Donovan, Eva De Dominici, T. R. Knight, Jack Falahee, Sonya Walger. WME selling. Alamo Lamar, March 9, 11:30 a.m.
For Worse
Lauren, a newly divorced, sober mom, feels like she has a new lease on life after joining her first acting class and starting a fling with her hot young scene partner. However, when they attend their Gen Z classmate’s wedding together, things begin to fall apart, and Lauren finds herself behaving like a drunk 25-year-old bridesmaid. Luckily, after a disastrous night, she stumbles into a new day and a new beginning. Amy Landecker directs. Producers are Landecker, Bradley Whitford, Valerie Stadler, Jenica Bergere, James Portolese. Cast: Amy Landecker, Bradley Whitford, Nico Hiraga, Gaby Hoffmann, Ken Marino, Missi Pyle, Kiersey Clemons, Claudia Sulewski, Simon Helberg, Liv Hewson. Range selling. Zach Theatre, March 10, 2:45 p.m.
Ghost Boy
In this documentary, Martin Pistorius, a bright 12-year-old boy living in South Africa, falls into a mysterious vegetative state as a child. Three years later, he woke up without any memories and unable to communicate. Starting from zero, he began to teach himself about the world and who he was. He was in a very real sense, a living ghost. Unaware that he understood everything happening around him, his caretakers gave him an unobstructed look at the way people act when no one is watching. Employing an expressive, dream-like style to re-create Martin’s journey through layers of consciousness and memory, Ghost Boy is the story of Martin’s journey back to the world, building a life and finding love and meaning. Rodney Ascher directs. Producers are Elika Portnoy, Ryan Bartecki, Gary Levinsohn, Billy Hines. CAA selling. Hyatt Regency Austin, March 7, 9:45 p.m.
Kristen Correll
Idiotka
In West Hollywood’s Russian immigrant district, Margarita lives out the American Dream: competing on a reality show. Will she slay, serve or survive? Directed and written by Nastasya Popov. Produced by Tess Cohen, Camila Mendes, Rachel Matthews, Saba Zerehi, Nastasya Popov. Cast: Anna Baryshnikov, Camila Mendes, Julia Fox, Benito Skinner, Saweetie, Owen Thiele, Galina Jovovich, Mark Ivanir, Nerses Stamos, Ilia Volok. CAA selling. Zach Theatre, March 12, 2:30 p.m.
It Ends
A group of recent grads head out on a late-night drive for grub, hoping to enjoy one final hangout before their paths diverge. Instead, they accidentally turn onto a never-ending, two-lane hellscape surrounded by untold horrors and cosmic forces beyond their understanding. Cramped together inside a Jeep Cherokee and with the miles stretching infinitely ahead, they face a choice: embrace their new existence or fight to escape it. Alexander Ullom directs. Producers are Carrie Carusone and Evan Barber. Cast: Phinehas Yoon, Akira Jackson, Noah Toth, Mitchell Cole. Range selling. Alamo Lamar, March 7, 6:30 p.m.
Lifehack
Lifehack is a gripping cyberheist thriller following four teenage slackers as they plot to steal £24 million from a tech billionaire’s crypto wallet. Armed with hacking skills, social engineering tactics and cryptocurrency expertise, they attempt the heist of the century from their bedrooms. The film is packed with tension, suspense and unexpected twists as they face countless obstacles to execute their daring plan. However, the aftermath proves just as dramatic, exploring the impact of their actions. Beyond the thrilling heist, Lifehack offers a raw and compelling look into the lives of teenagers in today’s tech-driven world, blending excitement with emotional depth. Ronan Corrigan directs. Producers are Joann Kushner, Timur Bekmambetov, Aleksandr Kletsov. Cast: Georgie Farmer, Yasmin Finney, Roman Hayeck-Green, James Scholz, Jessica Reynolds, Charlie Creed-Miles. Range selling. Alamo Lamar, March 8, 6:30 p.m.
Magic Hour
Erin and Charlie escape to the desert to navigate an unexpected and challenging new phase of their relationship. Katie Aselton directs. Emily A. Neumann produces. Cast: Daveed Diggs, Katie Aselton, Brad Garrett, Susan Sullivan. CAA selling. Alamo Lamar, March 11, 7 p.m.
The Python Hunt
Every year, the Florida government calls upon the general public to compete in an invasive python-removal contest in the Everglades in an attempt to save the threatened ecosystem. For 10 grueling nights, an eclectic group of amateur hunters confront the dangerous terrain, nocturnal creatures and their own tiny demons. Meanwhile, one professional hunter leads the charge to undermine the competition, questioning what hides beneath the python mania gripping the ‘glades. Xander Robin directs. Producers are Lance Oppenheim, Lauren Cioffi, Mel Oppenheim and Xander Robin. WME and UTA selling. Alamo Lamar, March 8, 3:15 p.m.
Reeling
After a life-altering accident, Ryan struggles to fit in with old friends and family at a birthday luau on his family’s homestead. As the pig slowly roasts in an imu pit and the partygoers cut loose, the celebration boils over when Ryan uncovers the missing memory of when his life took a tragic turn. Yana Alliata directs. Jack Forbes produces. Cast: Ryan Wuestewald, Hans Christopher, Nikki DeParis, Fabrizio Alliata, Makena Miller, Nyah Juliano, Michael Carter. WME selling. Alamo Lamar, March 7, 9:45 p.m.
The Rivals of Amziah King
Deep within the backwoods of rural Oklahoma, charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King herds a bluegrass-playing band of misfits while overseeing the premier honey-making operation in town. When Amziah’s estranged foster daughter unexpectedly returns, Amziah leaps at the possibility to renew connection and create a family business. But the honey game is ruthless, and Amziah’s rivals threaten to destroy everything he has built. Andrew Patterson directs. Producers are David Heyman, Teddy Schwarzman, Jeffrey Clifford, Michael Heimler, James Montague and Will Greenfield. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, Kurt Russell, Jake Horowitz, Scott Shepherd, Rob Morgan, Tony Revolori, Owen Teague, Bruce Davis, Cole Sprouse. WME selling. Paramount Theatre, March 10, 9:30 p.m.
Satisfaction
Set against the stunning Greek isles, Satisfaction is a nuanced psychological drama that unravels the fragile bond between British composers Lola and Philip. Their relationship lingers in silence as Lola struggles to reclaim her voice. Weaving between their present-day trip to a remote Greek island and the start of their romance at a London music school, the film slowly reveals an unspoken rift. When Lola meets the magnetic Elena on a nudist beach and invites her into their world, tensions escalate, forcing Lola to confront the darkest part of her past. Alex Burunova directs. Producers are Rafael Thomaseto, Alex Burunova, Kyle Stroud, Helena Sardinha and Iryna Asonova. Cast: Emma Laird, Fionn Whitehead, Zar Amir, Adwoa Aboah. UTA selling. Alamo Lamar, March 7, 3 p.m.
Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror
From humble origins as a London fringe theater play to its meteoric rise, fall and resurrection as the biggest cult film of all time, this is the definitive story of the Rocky Horror Show. With intimate access to its creator Richard O’Brien and other major players such as Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon and Lou Adler, the documentary explores what makes the play and film so singular: its groundbreaking and transgressive themes, iconic performances and epic songs that took over popular culture. The cult phenomenon that sprung around it is unparalleled, and created not only the midnight screenings that continue to this day, but also a safe haven for those who ever felt different or marginalized. Linus O’Brien directs. Producers are Adam Gibbs, Garret Price, Avner Shiloah and Linus O’Brien. WME selling. Paramount Theatre, March 9, 11 a.m.
The Threesome
One fateful night, the stars seemingly align for Connor — a kind and unassuming young man — as his long-time crush — the electric and irreverent Olivia — steers them into a threesome with a sweet, alluring stranger Jenny. The encounter sparks a relationship between Connor and Olivia and their love grows quickly, all the way toward planning a life together. But their happy romance is soon demolished when Jenny reappears in their lives, thrusting all three into a difficult and messy journey towards true accountability and adulthood. Chad Hartigan directs. Producers are Tim White, Trevor White, Vince Jolivette and Steve Shapiro. Cast: Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruby Cruz, Jaboukie Young-White, Josh Segarra, Robert Longstreet, Arden Myrin, Kristin Slaysman, Allan McLeod, Julia Sweeney. CAA selling. Zach Theatre, March 7, 3 p.m.
The True Beauty Of Being Bitten By A Tick
After a tragic accident, Yvonne drives down to her friend Camille’s bucolic new home for some time away. She’s welcomed by A.J. and Isaac, two new friends of Camille, who also maybe live there. The group promises a weekend of homemade meals from fresh, local produce and parlor games by candlelight. But when Yvonne develops troubling symptoms from a tick bite, the rural paradise fades away revealing a breeding ground for a disturbing new life. Pete Ohs directs. Producers are Callie Hernandez, Pete Ohs, Jeremy O. Harris and Josh Godfrey. Cast: Zoë Chao, Callie Hernandez, James Cusati-Moyer, Jeremy O. Harris. CAA selling. Alamo Lamar, March 7, 7:15 p.m.
We Bury The Dead
From writer-director Zak Hilditch (1922, These Final Hours), We Bury the Dead is a gripping and emotional thriller set after a military experiment decimates the people of Tasmania. Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens) stars as Ava, a desperate woman who joins a “body retrieval unit” in the hopes of finding her husband alive. Ava’s search takes a chilling turn, however, when the corpses she’s burying start showing signs of life. As she journeys to the south of Tasmania in search of her husband, Ava is forced to confront the undead — and make peace with her own unfinished business. Producers are Kelvin Munro, Grant Sputore, Ross Dinerstein, Joshua Harris and Mark Fasano. Cast: Daisy Ridley, Brenton Thwaites, Mark Coles Smith, Matt Whelan. UTA selling. Zach Theatre, March 9, 6 p.m.