SXSW Film Festival Announces Isle of Dogs as Closing Night Film and 2018 Midnighters, Shorts, VR, Inaugural Independent Episodics and More

We are pleased to announce the remainder of the SXSW Film Festival program including the Midnighters, Shorts, Virtual Cinema, Music Video, Title Sequence, and new Independent Episodic lineup, plus late-addition Features and the Closing Night Film for the 25th edition of the Festival.

The North American premiere of Wes Anderson’s highly-anticipated Isle of Dogs will close the 2018 Festival. The film tells the story of Atari Kobayashi, 12-year-old ward to corrupt Mayor Kobayashi. When, by executive decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage dump, Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies to Trash Island in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture. The film features an all star cast including Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Kunichi Nomura, Akira Takayama, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Akira Ito, Scarlett Johansson, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, Yoko Ono, Tilda Swinton, Ken Watanabe, Mari Natsuki, Fisher Stevens, Nijiro Murakami, Liev Schreiber, and Courtney B. Vance.

The SXSW Midnighters section is a perennial favorite for SXSW audiences thrilled by the weird, electric, and sometimes terrifying selections. Featuring 10 genre films, including 6 World Premieres, the slate includes dark comedies, thrillers, Sci-Fi, mystery and slasher horror from a mix of established and first-time filmmakers. The Midnighters, as well as 12 additional films, which are included in the 132 total features now to be screened at the SXSW 2018 Film Festival.

"It is the highlight of my year to get to dive into the yearly pool of genre film submissions and see what wild and devilish ideas these filmmakers have brought to life,” said Jarod Neece, SXSW Senior Film Programmer. "This year’s Midnighters, made both by veteran filmmakers and many first-timers, are sure to delight and terrify lucky SXSW audiences. And if they can survive the onslaught they will be treated to the fantastical world of Wes Anderson’s latest stop-motion masterpiece, SXSW Closing Night Film Isle of Dogs."

118 short films, independent episodics, and music videos were selected from 5,410 submissions. A comprehensive list of the Short Film Program is below and will screen as part of 12 curated shorts programs.

"After five years of breaking ground in our Episodic section, we’re thrilled to incorporate the exceptional work happening in the Independent Episodics space and welcome more of those creators into our community this year," said Claudette Godfrey, Senior Film Programmer. "Year after year, I get fired up and inspired by the sense of discovery and boundary pushing in our shorts program, and we’re especially proud that over half of the films across our Shorts Programs, Music Videos, and Independent Episodics are directed by women."

Browse by screening section: Midnighters, Additional Features, Special Events, Shorts Program, VR Program, Music Videos, and Excellence in Title Design.

New Additions to 2018 SXSW Film Festival Lineup

Features:

Midnighters

Scary, funny, sexy, controversial – provocative after-dark features for night-owls and the terminally curious.

Ajin: Demi-Human (North American Premiere)
Director: Katsuyuki Motohiro, Screenwriter: Kouji Seko
Endless battle between human being and immortal demi-human “Ajin”. A stunning, strikingly original action masterpiece! Cast: Takeru Satoh, Go Ayano, Tetsuji Tamayama, Yu Shirota, Yudai Chiba, Rina Kawaei, Minami Hamabe.

Blood Fest (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Owen Egerton
In Blood Fest, fans flock to a festival celebrating the most iconic horror movies, only to discover that the charismatic showman behind the event has a diabolical agenda. Cast: Robbie Kay, Jacob Batalon, Seychelle Gabriel, Tate Donovan, Barbara Dunkelman, Nick Rutherford, Zachary Levi.

Untitled Blumhouse-Bazelevs (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Stephen Susco
A 20-something finds a cache of hidden files on his new laptop and is thrust into the deep waters of the dark web. From the makers of Unfriended, this thriller unravels in real-time, entirely on a computer screen. A warning for the digital age. Cast: Colin Woodell, Betty Gabriel, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Andrew Lees, Conor del Rio, Stephanie Nogueras, Savira Windyani.

Field Guide to Evil (World Premiere) (Austria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Poland, Turkey, U.S.)
Directors: Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, Peter Strickland, Agnieszka Smoczynska, Katrin Gebbe, Can Evrenol, Calvin Reeder, Ashim Ahluwalia, Yannis Veslemes They are known as dark folklore. Created to give logic to mankind’s darkest fears, these stories and others laid the foundation for what we now call the horror genre.

Ghost Stories (United Kingdom) (North American Premiere)
Directors/Screenweriters: Jeremy Dyson, Andy Nyman
An arch skeptic debunker of the supernatural embarks upon a terror filled quest when he stumbles across a long lost file containing details of three cases of inexplicable 'hauntings'. Adapted from the Olivier Award Winning hit stage play. Cast: Martin Freeman, Alex Lawther, Jill Halfpenny, Andy Nyman, Paul Whitehouse.

Hereditary
Director/Screenwriter: Ari Aster
When Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, passes away, her daughter’s family begins to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry. Cast: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Ann Dowd, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro.

A Prayer Before Dawn (North American Premiere) (United States, France)
Director: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, Screenwriters: Jonathan Hirschbein, Nick Saltrese
Based on the international best-seller, A Prayer Before Dawn is the true story of Billy Moore, a troubled young British boxer sent to one of Thailand's most notorious jails. Cast: Joe Cole, Vithaya Pansringar, Panya Yimmumphai, Nicolas Shake

The Ranger (World Premiere)
Director: Jenn Wexler, Screenwriters: Jenn Wexler, Giaco Furino
Teen punks, on the run from the cops and hiding out in the woods, come up against the local authority—an unhinged park ranger with an axe to grind. Cast: Chloë Levine, Granit Lahu, Jeremy Pope, Bubba Weiler, Amanda Grace Benitez, Jeremy Holm, Larry Fessenden.

Upgrade (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Leigh Whannell
In a utopian near-future when technology controls everything, a technophobe avenges his wife's murder and his own paralysis-causing injury with the help of an experimental computer chip implant - STEM - that turns out to have a mind of its own. Cast: Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson, Benedict Hardie.

What Keeps You Alive (World Premiere) (Canada)
Director: Colin Minihan, Screenwriters: Colin Minihan, Brittany Allen
Majestic mountains, a still lake and venomous betrayals engulf a female married couple attempting to celebrate their one-year anniversary. Cast: Hannah Emily Anderson, Brittany Allen, Martha Macisaac, Joey Klein, Charlotte Lindsay Marron.

Back to Top

Additional Features:

Headliners

Big names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film events with major and rising names in cinema.

Isle of Dogs (North American Premiere) (United States, United Kingdom)
Director/Screenwriter: Wes Anderson
Set in Japan, Isle of Dogs follows a boy's odyssey in search of his dog. Cast: Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Kunichi Nomura, Akira Takayama, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Akira Ito, Scarlett Johansson, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, Yoko Ono, Tilda Swinton, Ken Watanabe, Mari Natsuki, Fisher Stevens, Nijiro Murakami, Liev Schreiber, Courtney B. Vance.

Narrative Spotlight

High profile narrative features receiving their World, North American or U.S. premieres at SXSW.

Brother’s Nest (World Premiere) (Australia)
Director: Clayton Jacobson, Screenwriter: Jaime Browne
With their Mother dying of cancer, intent on changing her will to benefit her “new” husband before she dies, two brothers go to extreme and deadly lengths to protect their inheritance from being signed away before it’s too late. Cast: Shane Jacobson, Clayton Jacobson, Lynette Curran, Kim Gyngell, Sarah Snook.

Galveston (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Melanie Laurent
After surviving a setup by his criminal boss, a hitman rescues a young prostitute and flees with her to Galveston, Texas, where the two find strength in each other as dangerous pursuers and the shadows of their pasts follow close behind. Cast: Ben Foster, Elle Fanning, Beau Bridges, Adepero Aduye, Robert Aramayo, Lili Reinhart, Maria Valverde.

Most Likely To Murder (World Premiere)
Director: Dan Gregor, Screenwriters: Dan Gregor, Doug Mand
Billy, the coolest kid in high school, comes back to his hometown 15 years later to find he's no longer cool and the girl he still has feelings for now dates the former town outcast. Billy becomes obsessed with proving the outcast is a murderer. Cast: Adam Pally, Rachel Bloom, Vincent Kartheiser, John Reynolds, Didi Conn, Ethan Phillips, Doug Mand, Hasan Minhaj, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Julia Goldani Telles.

Documentary Spotlight

Shining a light on new documentary features receiving their World, North American or U.S. premieres at SXSW.

They Live Here, Now (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Jason Outenreath
Austin based refugee house, Casa Marianella, is one of the most prominent refugee houses in the United States, providing life saving services for thousands of immigrants each year. Meet the people who live here now.

24 Beats Per Second

Showcasing the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians, with an emphasis on documentary.

Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story (World Premiere) (United Kingdom)
Director/Screenwriter: Steve Sullivan
The hilarious and bizarre story of Frank Sidebottom, the cult British comedian in a papier mâché head, and the secretive life of Chris Sievey, the artist trapped inside.

Hearts Beat Loud
Director: Brett Haley, Screenwriters: Brett Haley, Marc Basch
A father and daughter become an unlikely song writing duo before she leaves for college. Cast: Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Ted Danson, Toni Collette, Blythe Danner, Sasha Lane.

Global

A diverse selection of international filmmaking talent, featuring innovative narratives, artful documentaries, premieres, festival favorites and more.

Jeannette, The Childhood of Joan of Arc (France)
Director/Screenwriter: Bruno Dumont
France, 1425. In the midst of the Hundred Years’ War, the young Jeannette, at the still tender age of 8, looks after her sheep in the small village of Domremy. Cast: Lise Leplat Prudhomme, Jeanne Voisin, Lucile Gauthier, Victoria Lefebvre, Aline Charles.

Festival Favorites

Acclaimed standouts and selected previous premieres from festivals around the world.

Blindspotting
Director: Carlos Lopez Estrada, Screenwriters: Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs
Lifelong friends Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal co-wrote and star in this timely and wildly entertaining story about the intersection of race and class set against the backdrop of a rapidly gentrifying Oakland. Cast: Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casa, Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cephas Jones.

Science Fair Directors: Cristina Costantini, Darren Foster, Screenwriters: Jeffrey Plunkett, Darren Foster, Cristina Costantini
Nine high school students from around the globe navigate rivalries, setbacks, and of course, hormones, on their journey to compete at the international science fair. Facing off against 1,700 of the smartest, quirkiest teens from 78 different countries, only one will be named Best in Fair.

Sorry To Bother You
Director/Screenwriter: Boots Riley
In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success, propelling him into a macabre universe. Cast: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Armie Hammer, Terry Crews, Steven Yeun, Omari Hardwick, Jermaine Fowler, and Danny Glover.

Back to Top

Special Events

Live soundtracks, cult re-issues and much more. Our Special Events section offers unusual, unexpected and unique one-off film events.

Cartoon Network Screening at SXSW
For the third year in a row, Cartoon Network presents a fun-filled family event open to all fans. Be among the first to watch upcoming adventure series, Craig of the Creek plus catch brand new episodes of favorite shows Ben 10 and Unikitty! And fans are in for a special treat with a never-before-seen look at Teen Titans Go! to the Movies, coming to theaters this summer.

Doug Benson Master Pancake and Doug Loves Movies Podcast
Doug Benson returns in the continuing tradition of our annual St. Patrick's Day screening of the Leprechaun series. On March 17, we present Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood, directed by Rob Spera.

20th Century Fox Presents Alita: Battle Angel SXSW Opening Night Party For the first time ever, 20th Century Fox welcomes SXSW Platinum and Film badgeholders to Iron City, the movie set where Alita: Battle Angel was filmed. SXSW Platinum and Film badgeholders are invited to join the cast and filmmakers at Robert Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios for the 2018 SXSW Opening Night Party in celebration of the upcoming Alita: Battle Angel. Attendees will be picked up at the 5th Street side entrance of the Hilton Hotel in Downtown Austin by Alita: Battle Angel branded shuttles and will be transported to the futuristic Iron City movie set. From 9:30pm to 12:30am on Friday March 9, guests will enjoy cocktails, bites from local food trucks and great music, all within an immersive film set, featuring props from the film.

Back to Top

Shorts Program

Narrative Shorts

A selection of original, well-crafted films that take advantage of the short form and exemplify distinctive and genuine storytelling.

Allen Anders - Live at the Comedy Castle (circa 1987)
Director: Laura Moss, Screenwriter: Tony Grayson
Footage of Allen Anders famed 1987 performance at the Comedy Castle.

Are We Good Parents? (World Premiere)
Director: Bola Ogun, Screenwriters: Hailey Chavez and (story by) Bola Ogun
When Lauren and Bill’s 14-year-old daughter says she’s going to her first dance with her classmate Ryan, they question their preconceived notions of her sexuality and their openness as parents.

The Big Day (World Premiere) (United Kingdom)
Director: Dawn Shadforth, Screenwriter: Kellie Smith
Jess is super excited to attend her step-sister’s wedding and truly become part of the family, but after only recently finding out about her existence, her stepfamily are less than delighted about her presence on the big day.

Brian and Charles (United Kingdom)
Director: Jim Archer, Screenwriters: David Earl, Chris Hayward
A comedy about two friends who share a cottage in the English countryside. Brian is a poorly groomed, gravelly voiced farmer who struggles with depression and loneliness. Charles is a robot.

Caroline (World Premiere)
Directors: Logan George, Celine Held
When plans fall through, a six-year-old is faced with a big responsibility on a hot Texas day.

Carro (World Premiere) (Brazil, United States)
Director/Screenwriter: Gustavo Rosa
An undocumented Brazilian immigrant living in the Boston area decides to buy a car in an effort to better his life before returning home.

Emergency
Director: Carey Williams, Screenwriter: K.D. Dávila
Faced with an emergency, a group of young Black and Latino friends weigh the pros and cons of calling the police.

Guilt (World Premiere) (Mexico)
Director/Screenwriter: Moisés Aisemberg
Guilt is a direct window into the undeniable violence experienced by children today and the involuntary repression that they must undergo within a society that tolerates abuse.

Haven (North American Premiere) (Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Kelly Fyffe-Marshall
When a little girl finds solace in between her mother’s legs, biggest fears become reality.

Intercourse (North American Premiere) (Sweden)
Director/Screenwriter: Jonatan Etzler
“I’ll give you 100 bucks” he suggests, and jokingly she agrees, and neither of them see the gravity of the situation. When a sexual boundary is crossed and the balance of power is shifted - what will happen to their peaceful and normal relationship?

Jay-Z - 'Moonlight'
Director/Screenwriter: Alan Yang
The One Where No One's Ready.

Kimchi (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Jackson Kiyoshi Segars
As his family argues about his end-of-life care, an elderly Korean man reflects on his life with a stranger.

Kira Burning (World Premiere) Director/Screenwriter: Laurel Akira Parmet
Teenage Kira attempts to take revenge after a heartbreaking betrayal by her ex-best friend.

Krista
Director: Danny Madden, Screenwriters: Danny Madden, Will Madden
In a high school theater class, Krista uses her scene study as catharsis.

Men Don't Whisper
Director: Jordan Firstman, Screenwriters: Charles Rogers, Jordan FIrstman
After being emasculated at a sales conference, gay couple Reese and Peyton set out to do the most masculine thing they can think of - sleep with some women.

Pink Trailer (North American Premiere)
Director: Mary Neely, Screenwriters: Macey Isaacs, Jenny Leiferman
Best friends Lucy and Julie are spending their summer hiding from a terrorizing neighbor until Lucy runs out of her antidepressant, and they're forced to fight for their lives.

Shiva Baby (World Premiere) (Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Emma Seligman
At a Jewish funeral service with her parents, a college student runs into her sugar daddy.

Tangles and Knots (Australia)
Director: Renée Marie Petropoulos
An intimate, unique bond between mother and daughter becomes threatened when the mother helps her teenage daughter throw a party to impress new, more popular friends.

The Things You Think I'm Thinking (Canada)
Director: Sherren Lee, Screenwriter: Jesse LaVercombe
A black male burn-survivor and amputee goes on a date with a regularly-abled man.

Tooth and Nail (U.S. Premiere)
Director: Sara Shaw, Screenwriters: Sara Shaw, Amanda Verwey
A sister makes a bargain with her terminally ill brother. He agrees to let her use his sperm for future use with a partner if she comes out to her family that night.

We Forgot to Break Up (U.S. Premiere)(Canada)
Director: Chandler Levack, Screenwriters: Steven McCarthy, Chandler Levack
After a few years absence, Evan unexpectedly returns one night to face his now-famous former bandmates. The surprise reunion is bittersweet, in this intimate depiction of the knotty complexities of relating to old friends after everything has changed.

We Win (World Premiere)
Director: Michael Stahl-David, Screenwriters: Ana Nogueira, Michael Stahl-David
A happy couple’s relationship unravels during a game of “Mafia."

Wren Boys (United Kingdom)
Director: Harry Lighton, Screenwriters: Harry Lighton, John Fitzpatrick
On the day after Christmas, a Catholic priest from Cork drives his nephew to prison.

Documentary Shorts

Slices of life from across the documentary spectrum.

The Earth is Humming (World Premiere)
Director: Garrett Bradley
In Japan, earthquake preparedness is a way of life—and a full-blown industry.

The Coffin Club (World Premiere) (New Zealand)
Director: Briar March, Screenwriter: Kim Harrop, Nick Ward, Briar March
A group of rebellious, creative Kiwi seniors give death the finger, one crazy coffin at a time.Jean McGaffin, Kevin Quick, David Mackie, Members of the Kiwi Coffin Club.

Dead. Tissue. Love. (World Premiere) (United Kingdom)
Director: Natasha Austin-Green
Dead. Tissue. Love. is an intimate experimental documentary exploring the character of a female necrophile, as she recounts her life experiences and sexual awakening.

Death Metal Grandma (World Premiere)
Director: Leah Galant, Screenwriters: Sean Weiner, Leah Galant
Death Metal Grandma follows 97-year-old Holocaust survivor, Inge Ginsberg, who has decided to break out as a singer of Death Metal music.

Lonesome Willcox (World Premiere)
Directors: Ryan Maxey, Zack Wright
Willcox, Arizona is a country music town that isn’t what it used to be. The town’s only radio station has but one employee - a local pariah who lives in the studio, and has a complicated and difficult relationship with the music he plays every day.

My Dead Dad's Porno Tapes (Canada)
Director: Charlie Tyrell, Screenwriters: Josef Beeby, Charlie Tyrell
Filmmaker Charlie Tyrell seeks to better understand his emotionally distant late-father through the random objects he left behind, including a stack of tacky, 1980s VHS pornography.

A Night at The Garden
Director: Marshall Curry
Months before the start of World War II, 22,000 Americans gathered in New York’s Madison Square Garden to rally in support of Nazism.

On My Way Out: The Secret Life of Nani and Popi (Canada)
Directors: Brandon Gross, Skyler Gross
Ruth (Nani) and Roman (Popi) are Holocaust survivors married for 65 years. After six decades of marriage, a painful truth tests their enduring union. Brandon and Skyler Gross' moving portrait of their grandparents raises more questions than it answers.

Roadside Attraction
Directors: Patrick Bresnan, Ivete Lucas
Palm Beach International Airport's newest snowbird has become one of the fastest growing roadside attractions in the United States.

Santa Ana
Director: César Pesquera, Screenwriters: Kako Mendez, Christian Lopez, César Pesquera
Part art-film, part documentary, Santa Ana aims to elucidate the link between evil and the famed Santa Ana winds, extremely dry down-slope winds in Southern California supposedly responsible for a tense, uneasy, wrathful mood among the people.

Sister Hearts (World Premiere)
Director: Mohammad Gorjestani
Maryam Uloho spent thirteen years in prison in Louisiana. After her release in 2013, she was homeless and lived as a squatter for over 2 years. This experience led her to discover her lifelong mission: To help incarcerated women re-enter society.

The Terrorist Hunter (Canada, United States)
Director/Screenwriter: Ann Shin
The Terrorist Hunter follows controversial spy Rita Katz, lauded by some for her work fighting terrorism, and criticized by others who say she creates terrorist plots where none exist. The film explores how fear and terror play out in our society.Rita Katz, Bruce Hoffman, Trevor Aaronson, Tim Edgars, Stephen Downs, Lisa Stampnitzky.

Xavier Corbero: Portrait of an Artist in Winter (World Premiere) (Spain, United Kingdom)
Director: Nathalie Biancheri
The first and last glimpse into the universe of iconic Spanish sculptor Xavier Corberó. A kaleidoscopic life and career that traversed a turbulent moment of Spanish history.

Animated Shorts

An assortment of stories told using traditional animation, computer-generated effects, stop-motion, and everything in-between.

Abnie Oberfork: A Tale of Self-Preservation (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Shannon Fleming
A 12-year-old girl pickles herself to escape the malaise of childhood.

Agua Viva
Director/Screenwriter: Alexa Lim Haas A Chinese manicurist attempts to describe feelings she doesn't have the words for in a language she does not speak.

Intimity (Switzerland)
Director/Screenwriter: Elodie Dermange
As she is showering, dressing, putting on her make-up, a woman bares her soul. She speaks of her fears, her complexes, and the process of accepting – even loving – herself.

Jeom
Director: Kangmin Kim
A father and a son both have the same big birthmark on their butt. Believing that the two birthmarks are connected, the son scrubs his father's birthmark to remove it – but he just can't get rid of it.

Manivald (Estonia)
Director: Chintis Lundgren, Screenwriters: Chintis Lundgren, Draško Ivezić
Tinged with typically absurdist Estonian humour, Manivald mixes the surreal and the heartfelt in its timely tale of an emotionally unnourished generation that continue to live with their parents well into their adult lives.

Octane (World Premiere)
Director: Jeron Braxton
A street race that reflects America’s genocidal history and the parallels between slavery and the private prison system.

People of Color (World Premiere)
Director: Raghav Arumugam
An animated documentary about race and perception in America.

The Shivering Truth
Directors: Vernon Chatman, Cat Solen, Screenwriter: Vernon Chatman
An omnibus of painfully riotous daymares dripping with dream logic; a slate of emotional parables from the deepest caverns of your unconscious, lovingly animated in stop-motion. In other words, it is the Truth.

Sog (Germany)
Director: Jonatan Schwenk, Screenwriters: Jonatan Schwenk, Merlin Flügel
The dystopic drama Sog is about the cruel efforts of a people of humanlike creatures to lash out viciously against a shoal of fish that had unintentionally entered their desolate land.

Solar Walk (U.S. Premiere) (Denmark, Hungary)
Director/Screenwriter: Réka Bucsi
Solar Walk shows the a cosmic journey of individuals and their passion for creation, through the unique and playful texture of the animation craft itself.

Undiscovered (U.S. Premiere)
Director: Sara Litzenberger
Sasquatch has always remained elusive in photos--but not for the reasons we think.

Midnight Shorts

Bite-sized bits for all of your sex, gore, and hilarity cravings.

Asian Girls (World Premiere) (Australia)
Director/Screenwriter: Hyun Lee
Chan is a Chinese factory worker who lives alone. Every night, she suffers from horrific nightmares involving the woman in the apartment next door, a Japanese office lady.

Brendan Maclean - 'House of Air' (United Kingdom)
Director: Brian Fairbairn and Karl Eccleston
An exploration of hanky codes and visual signifiers in 1970s San Francisco. Inspired by Hal Fischer's 'Gay Semiotics', House of Air humorously investigates a clash between coded and explicit representations of gay sex.

Crying Bitch (World Premiere) (Japan)
Director/Screenwriter: Reiki Tsuno
Crying Bitch is a dark tale about a woman's grudge, mixed with comedy, horror, and a homage to 80s cinema. A dark tale about a man who discovers his wife's dark side after having an affair with a young girl.

Hair Wolf
Director/Screenwriter: Mariama Diallo
In a black hair salon in gentrifying Brooklyn, the local residents fend off a strange new monster: white women intent on sucking the lifeblood from black culture.

Lil Dicky - 'Pillow Talking'
Director: Tony Yacenda, Screenwriters: Lil Dicky, Dave Burd
A story about a man, a woman, and a brain.

Long Distance Relationship (U.S. Premiere) (Brazil)
Director/Screenwriter: Carolina Markowicz
A brief story about a gentleman who's obsessed about having sex with ETs.Matias Singer.

The Mangina Exit (U.S. Premiere)
Director: Byron Brown, Screenwriters: Byron Brown, David James Ward
Two people. Zero broken hearts. One harmless little mangina.

Milk (World Premiere) (Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Santiago Menghini
On a late night, a young teen goes into the kitchen for a glass of milk. Upon encountering his sleepless mother, he quickly realizes things are not as they seem.

Neverlanding. A Bad Thriller. (Belgium)
Director/Screenwriter: Wim Reygaert
A reclusive Michael Jackson impersonator dedicates his whole life to the perfection of his act.

Perfect Town (Switzerland)
Director/Screenwriter: Anais Voirol
In search of perfection a city obeys to selection. A constant struggle. Trying and trying again. Where is the difference between endurance and madness?

Who's the daddy (World Premiere) (Hong Kong)
Director/Screenwriter: Wong Ping
A journey finding my root of shame.

Texas Shorts

An offshoot of our regular narrative shorts program, composed of work shot in, about, or somehow relating to the Lone Star state.

An Uncertain Future
Directors: Iliana Sosa, Chelsea Hernandez
In Austin, Texas, two expectant mothers—one undocumented and one US citizen—must contend with increased ICE raids and mounting hostility towards immigrants under President Trump.

Come & Take It (World Premiere)
Directors: Ellen Spiro, PJ Raval
Come & Take It captures Jessica Jin's transformation into one of America’s most inspired anti-gun violence leaders creating what some people are calling The Great Texas Dildo Revolt.

Don't Be a Hero
Director/Screenwriter: Pete Lee
Lizzy Jo still lives with mom at 45 and battles her loneliness and boredom by robbing banks in the guise of a cowboy on her lunch break. After the adrenaline rush wears off, she still has to deal with her deeply unhappy life. Based on a true story.

Ghosted Featuring Kamille - 'Get Some'
Director/Screenwriter: Fidel Ruiz-Healy
A story about youthful animalistic lust and how it presents itself under the glow of the full moon light. The answer is it’s messy and there is lots of biting.

Heavy Chemistry (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Blair Rowan
Feelings get complicated and oddly mutual amongst a trio of friends in Heavy Chemistry, a short comedy about love, friendship, attraction, hunger, lust, and other complex chemical reactions.

Maude
Director/Screenwriter: Anna Margaret Hollyman
Teeny thought it was just another routine babysitting job—until she's shocked to meet the client. As the day goes on, Teeny decides to become the woman she had no idea she always wanted to be ... until she gets caught.

Nice Ass (World Premiere)
Director: Carlyn Hudson, Screenwriter: Jeff Whitaker
After a failed date, Jake maintains a friendly connection with a part of Brooke no one saw coming.

Texas High School Shorts

A preview of the next filmmaking generation, as Texas High Schoolers present shorts of 5 minutes or less.

#RefugeesWelcome
Director/Screenwriter: Ramiro Cantu
In order to survive, a young Syrian woman leaves her home, family and country behind to seek refuge in the United States.

The Art of War
Director/Screenwriter: Cal Etcheverry
There are only two realms in which rules are broken – art and war. This film explores the deontological ethics of war through the deep contrast of the utopian life of a painter and the chaotic life of a battle-bruised soldier.

CCISD Strong
Director: Sofia Rasmussen
These are the stories of people who stepped up in the tough times after Hurricane Harvey and brought hope to the people who needed the support of their community in and around Clear Creek Independent School District.

Confined
Director: The Zavitsanos Brothers
When Myles is held at gunpoint in crime-ridden Baltimore, his life is forever changed…

Contact
Director/Screenwriter: Lindsay Wolf
Contact follows two awkward teenagers on a movie date, struggling with whether or not to show their true feelings for each other through subtle physical contact.

Escape
Directors/Screenwriters: Jada Harbin, Karina Harchandani
A 19-year-old drunk is triggered to drink when her boyfriend fails to keep his promise. A friend cleans her up and is her shoulder to cry on, maybe even more. Is it too good to be true?

How You See Us
Director/Screenwriter: Susannah Joffe
How You See Us is my way of giving a voice to all the women who are done with being disrespected, and I hope it encourages men to rethink the over-sexualization of women in society.

Hunned Effort
Directors: Nicholas Luna, Alan Lawson
High School Music Video for Alan Lawson's Hunned Effort. Shot and edited by Nicholas Luna.

Kopecke
Director: C. Fears
Koepcke is an experimental animation about the experience of a 17-year-old girl in 1971.

Loveless
Director/Screenwriter: Weston Bering
A couple who meets at a masquerade ball is interrupted by another couple's plan to heist them.

Molly and Me
Directors: Colton Vanlandingham, Collin Grant, Screenwriters: Sydney Sexton, Mary Patrello, Gaby Fernandez
Party animal Bryce and sweet Molly meet each other at a party and decide to get to know each other better. They start to find out that neither one of them are who they seem.

The Night I Lost My Favorite Jacket
Director/Screenwriter: Jenna Krumerman
A girl tells her friend about her Saturday night. She loses her favorite jacket and a little of herself while meeting new characters and trying to get by.

Pursuit of a Dream
Director/Screenwriter: Scott Larson
A man working a dead end nine to five has to let go of his past in order to pursue his future.

Pursuit: 21XX
Director: Ben Phillips, Screenwriters: Ben Phillips, Billy Nguyen, Edward Nuno A cybernetically enhanced man must track down the criminal who stole his wallet by chasing the masked thief through a futuristic city, and will have to make the ultimate decision between what is right and wrong.

Puzzle Pieces: Living Life on The Spectrum
Director/Screenwriter: Georgia
Puzzle Pieces: Living Life on The Spectrum explores children and teens that have autism spectrum disorder.

Return Policy
Directors: Demar Gunter, Victoria Hartson, Screenwriter: Demar Gunter
In a dystopian future, where life holds monetary value, a family must make a tough decision.

The Risk For Freedom Director: Alex Le
This documentary follows the early life of a Vietnamese immigrant, the director's grandmother and her struggle to get to America.

Roommate
Director/Screenwriter: Jinho Rhee
Everyone has roommate problems at one point; However, none is like the one Nayeon has to face.

Silent Fist
Directors: Jose Martinez, Nana Achempong, Screenwriters: Jose Martinez, Nana Achempon, and Brandon Mai
A silent Buddhist prays for peace when a loud, angry boxer next door challenges him to enter the ring.

Take a Chance
Director/Screenwriter: Weatherly Giblin
Take a Chance is a powerful and visually pleasing dance film that plays with florescent lighting, intense music, and movement to match.

What It Takes
Director: Kourtney Williams
This documentary was created to help express the point of view of a male gymnast. There's a lot that goes into the sport of gymnastics and what it takes to be successful. The story takes you through 3 different perspectives to show their passion.

Back to Top

Independent Episodics

Innovative and new Independent web series, pilots and docs aimed squarely at the small screen.

Beast (World Premiere)
Director: Ben Strang
When his father mysteriously goes missing at sea, a teenager rallies the help of his small fishing-island town to find him and figure out once and for all why people keep disappearing on Smith Island.

Cleansed (World Premiere)
Directors/Screenwriters: Flora Birnbaum, Sarah Scarlett Downing
A jaded Los Angeles thirty-something goes on a magical juice cleanse to fix her life.

Everything is Okay: Robot
Director: Adam Sacks, Screenwriter: Cirocco Dunlap
A better you is just a click away.

First World Problems (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: X. Dean Lim
Harold, an Asian-American, comes to realize his family are apathetic douchebags. But when a mysterious crisis starts a ticking clock, he alienates them all to prove they’re more than Amazon, Audi and Autopay. The question is: can he be wrong?

Hold To Your Best Self (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Emily Hagins
Over the course of a prom night, young adults tackle big questions concerning identity, relationships, self-esteem, and the future - their adolescent ideas and expectations are fundamentally challenged by high school coming to an end.

My Dead Ex (World Premiere)
Director: Chris Nelson, Screenwriter: Drew Hancock
A little thing like death can’t stop these two teens from falling in love. Or maybe it can.

Night Owl (World Premiere) (Canada)
Directors: R. Miskin, Gillian Muller, Screenwriter: R. Miskin
One Girl’s quest to face her fears, step outside her comfort zone and make some real friends!... in the middle of the night at a 24-hour grocery store. Well?... What do you do when you can't sleep?

One Eye Small (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Jane Stiles
Two female strangers become affectionate friends over the course of a frenetic evening in NYC.

Otis (World Premiere)
Director/Screenwriter: Alexander Etseyatse
A young calm, mentally unstable man attempts to convince his new buddy that they don't belong at a Psych ward by inciting an uprising while trying to win back the affection of his ex-fiancée and daughter.

Polar (World Premiere) (Denmark, Greenland)
Directors: Natalia Anna Ciepiel, Alexander Ohrt, Screenwriter: Morten Mortensen
Terrorized by an unbearable sound a group of teenagers commit suicide in the habour of Nuuk. After being declared dead, Ivik, awakes again. As the phenomenon returns to haunt the young population of Nuuk, Ivik sets out to find the nature of the sound.

She's the Ticket
Director: Nadia Hallgren
Five different women from around the country see Donald Trump get elected to the presidency on November 8th, 2016 and decide to do something about it. Run for office.

Unspeakable (World Premiere) Director: Milena Govich, Screenwriter: David Cornue
A young woman in a desperate situation averts authorities by claiming to be a girl who disappeared years ago as a child. But when the missing girl’s family welcomes the impostor home, she’s forced to keep the deception alive or face the consequences.

Back to Top

Virtual Cinema

Virtual reality and augmented reality technologies are finding new ways to enhance our ability to perceive the world that surrounds us, and in many instances they are redefining how we experience the world. The 25 projects presented in our new Virtual Cinema emphasize storytelling, ingenuity and also showcase how other industries are embracing this new medium.

Aeronaut (World Premiere)
Discover an ever-changing virtual landscape created by Viacom NEXT and Isobar (with Tilt Brush art by Danny Bittman), where a volumetric 3D model of two-time Grammy award winning artist Billy Corgan sings and plays the piano to his single Aeronaut.

The Atrium (World Premiere)
Director: Brian Solomon, Screenwriters: Brian Solomon, James Longmire
The Atrium, Meow Wolf’s first mixed reality installation, builds on the story of the acclaimed immersive exhibition, House of Eternal Return. Voyage through the surreal lullaby of the multiverse — and unravel a mystery spanning multiple dimensions.

Awake: Episode One (World Premiere) (Australia, United States) Director: Martin Taylor, Screenwriters: Martin Taylor, Mike Jones, Christian Cantamessa
Harry is a prisoner in his own house, obsessed with discovering the truth behind a recurring dream and a cryptic message within it. The arrival of a new presence promises to save Harry from his darkness and unlock the potential of humanity’s future.

Beethoven's Fifth (World Premiere) (United Kingdom, United States)
Director: Jessica Brillhart, Screenwriters: Jessica Brillhart, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Journey into interstellar space with a performance of Beethoven’s Fifth by the Philharmonia Orchestra, London - conducted by Principal Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen. The film was inspired by content on Voyager's Golden Record, launched by NASA in 1977.

Chorus
Director: Tyler Hurd
Transform into fantastical female warriors in this social virtual reality experience. Six people can band together to battle evil in this epic journey of empowerment, all orchestrated to the song "Chorus" by Justice.

Dinner Party
Director: Angel Manuel Soto, Screenwriters: Charlotte Stoudt, Laura Wexler Dinner Party, the pilot episode for a true-life supernatural anthology series The Incident, is a 3D virtual reality experience based on the true story of Betty and Barney Hill, an interracial couple who in 1961 reported the first known UFO abduction.

Everything Flows (World Premiere) (China, United States)
Director: Yumeng Du
Everything Flows is a VR film experience that presents the time and space in an artistic way. It invites you to a journey of Director's hometown, Wuhan, China. It is a mixture of painting, video capture, sounds, dreaming, memory, and reality.

The Evolution of Testicles (World Premiere) (United States, Ireland, United Kingdom)
Director: Ryan Hartsell
A testicular romp through the evolution of man told via CGI, a giant testicle-shaped hot air balloon, and narrator Chris O’Dowd—all in the name of bringing awareness to male cancer prevention.

The Four Worlds (World Premiere) (United States, Australia)
Directors: Jonathan Zawada, Mark Pitchard
The Four Worlds consists of four installations comprised of looping VR experiences augmented with extra sensory stimulation IRL. Each scene is a microcosm of a different environment, accompanied by an exquisite soundtrack by Mark Pritchard.

GFE (World Premiere)
Director: Michael Jacobs An immersive 360 experimental film that offers a first-person experience of going on a date with a sex worker.

Greenland Melting (North American Premiere)
Directors: Catherine Upin, Nonny de la Peña, Screenwriters: Catherine Upin, Nonny de la Peña, Julia Cort NASA scientists are studying a troubling cause, Greenland is melting faster and faster. Using cutting edge VR technology, people can experience standing in front of a glacier, traveling underwater, and flying over some of the world's stunning scenery.

Hold The World (North American Premiere) (United Kingdom) Director: Dan Smith
Hold the World (“HTW”) is a world-first interactive VR entertainment experience hosted by Sir David Attenborough at the London’s Natural History Museum.

Isle of Dogs: Behind the Scenes (in Virtual Reality)
Directors: Felix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphael, Wes Anderson
Come face to face with the ‘dog’ cast of Wes Anderson’s upcoming stop-motion film, while the crew creates the animation around you.

The Journey (World Premiere) (United States, Chad, Ethiopia, South Sudan, United Kingdom)
Director: Charlotte Mikkelborg
The Journey through childhood in 3 of the toughest environments on Earth. Our 3 children will take you on a sensory journey into their worlds – immersing you in their past, present and future.

Living With Jaguars (World Premiere) (Canada)
Directors: Patrick McGuire, Jeff Orlowski, Screenwriter: Kate Lunau
Living With Jaguars is an interactive virtual reality film documenting wild jaguars in Brazil. Users explore the complex and interconnected perspectives of four key stakeholders: jaguars, ranchers, conservation researchers, and ecotourism operators.

MONO – Blackwater (World Premiere)
Director: Ben Wolstenholme, Screenwriters: Ben Wolstenholme, Felipe Marino, Anthony Brock
MONO, the former assassin to the queen and legendary ape-man, returns from exile to save his daughter, and reluctantly, Mankind.

One Eighty (World Premiere) (United States, India)
Director: Eren Aksu
One Eighty is the story of an Indian mother, Vijai Kumari, who spent 20 years behind bars, and her son, Kanhaiya Kumari, who was born in prison...and their quest to clear their names and live in freedom.

Parragirls Past, Present – unlocking institutional memories of 'care' (North American Premiere) (Australia)
Directors: Media artists and Parragirls, Parragirls/Parramatta Female Factory Precinct Memory Project, Screenwriters: Bonney Djuric, Lily Hibberd, Jenny McNally
Parragirls Past, Present is a deeply moving immersive experience presenting former residents’ contemporary visions of Parramatta Girls Home to unlock memories of institutional 'care' within the punitive Australian child welfare system.

RONE (Australia) (North American Premiere)
Director: Lester Francois
A distinctive portrait in VR of street artist Rone, whose stunning large-scale portraits are often seen in forgotten spaces. A mix of 360' video and a virtual art gallery to explore, RONE will draw you into the world of street art like never before.

Sanctuaries of Silence Directors: Adam Loften, Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee
Sanctuaries of Silence is an immersive listening journey into Olympic National Park, one of the quietest places in North America.

Space x Girl (World Premiere) (Korea, Republic of)
Director: Minhyuk Che
A story about a girl and her space. The girl has a special sense of feeling the heart of the space. One day the space of the girl begins a conversation. It is about her memories that she was not aware of.

Space Explorers: A New Dawn
Directors: Felix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphael
Space Explorers: A New Dawn is a cinematic VR series about the new age of space exploration. Witness the lives of NASA astronauts as they navigate the trials and sacrifices of their training and missions. Space Explorers: A New Dawn will shine a light on mankind’s most ambitious journey to understand our planet, our universe and our origins.

Spheres: Songs of Spacetime
Director/Screenwriter: Eliza McNitt
Dive into the heart of a black hole and uncover the hidden songs of the cosmos. In this VR experience, the breakthrough discovery of gravitational waves transforms how we see the Universe. Fall into the darkness, and you will find the light.

Summation of Force (Australia)
Directors: Trent Parke, Narelle Autio, Matthew Bate, Screenwriters: Trent Parke, Narelle Autio In a moonlit suburban backyard, two brothers battle one another in an otherworldly game of cricket in this stunning black and white live-action study of the motion, physics, and psychology of sport. Created by photographers Trent Parke and Narelle Autio, in collaboration with filmmaker Matthew Bate, this VR artwork offers a cosmic, darkly beautiful, and dreamlike metaphor for life.

Sun Ladies VR
Directors: Celine Tricart, Christian Stephen
In 2014, ISIS invaded Iraq and targeted the Yazidi community. The men were killed, and the women taken as sex slaves. Some of the ones who escaped decided to join the Kurdistan army and started a female-only fighting unit called the Sun Ladies.

Tiniest Tremor (World Premiere)
Directors: Nicholas Manting Brewer, Megan Simon
An emotionally immersive and visually poetic journey into the issue of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome through the story of a woman who suffered from substance abuse disorder to Opioids and her child.

Together (World Premiere)
Director: Terrence Malick Together is a VR experience about the power of human connection. The piece fuses dance and technology, putting the viewer in the middle of an emotional narrative about breaking down barriers and bringing people closer.

We're Still Here (World Premiere)
Director: Jesse Ayala Aiden Short Cloud, a Two-Spirit artist and historian in Boise, Idaho, struggles to preserve and revive his heritage in a race against time.

Wonderful You VR (North American Premiere) (United Kingdom)
Director: John Durrant
Wonderful You VR, a Virtual Reality experience narrated by Academy Award nominee Samantha Morton, is a journey through the strange world of your developing senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.

Back to Top

Music Videos

A range of classic, innovative, and stylish work showcasing the scope of music video culture.

Aisha Badru - 'Mind on Fire' / Director/Screenwriter: Thoranna "Tota" Sigurdardottir

Amanda Palmer & Edward Ka-Spel - 'The Clock At The Back Of The Cage' (Australia) / Directors: Chris Bennett, Christy Flaws, Luke O'Connor

The Blaze - 'Territory' / Director: The Blaze

Capital Cities - 'Vowels' / Director/Screenwriter: Remy Cayuela

CATHEDRALS - 'Try To Fight' / Director/Screenwriter: Jesse Fleece

Chris Lake - 'I Want You' / Director/Screenwriter: NORTON

COM TRUISE - 'Propagation' / Directors/Screenwriters: Karrie Crouse, Will Joines

Cray - 'Lotus' / Director: Ariel Fisher, Screenwriters: Ariel Fisher and Cray

Every Time I Die - 'Map Change' / Director: Kyle Thrash

JAY-Z - 'Smile' / Director/Screenwriter: Miles Jay

JIL - 'All Your Words' / Director: Anton Tammi

Moses Sumney - 'Doomed' / Director: Allie Avital

Oly. - 'Growing Young' (Poland) / Director: Katarzyna Sawicka

Oren Lavie - 'Second Hand Lovers' (Israel) / Director/Screenwriter: Oren Lavie

Peejay - 'NA B YA' (Korea, Republic of) / Directors: Jinwoo Lee, Jungsu Lee

POLO & PAN - 'Coeur Croisé' (France) / Director: PABLO MAESTRES

[salute - 'Storm'](https://schedule.sxsw.com/201 8/films/18762) (United Kingdom) / Director: Raine Allen Miller

The Shins - 'Half A Million' / Director: LAMAR+NIK

siyyu - 'stop us' (United Kingdom) / Director: This is Felo

Sue the Night - 'Mind Dear' (Netherlands) / Director: Thessa Meijer

Back to Top

Excellence In Title Design

Inspired by an essential part of the theatrical experience, these are works of art in their own right. The 16 sequences selected represent the very best and most original of the past year.

Big Mouth / Company: Titmouse Inc. / Designer: Mike Roush

Book of Henry / Company: Imaginary Forces / Creative Director: Alan Williams

Britannia / Company: Me & the Bootmaker / Designer: Manija Emran

Comtes de Barcelona (Counts of Barcelona) / Company: Freelance / Designer: J. A. Duran

Counterpart / Company: Imaginary Forces / Creative Director: Karin Fong

Dark / Company: Self employed / Designer: Lutz Lemke

Divide / Company: Ringling College of Art and Design / Designer: Ioana Oprescu

Exhalación / Company: Mordisco Films / Designer: Alberto Díaz López

Godless / Company: Method Studios / Designer: John Likens

Narcos Season 3 / Company: Digital Kitchen / Designer: Harshit Desai

National Geographic Breakthrough / Company: Imaginary Forces / Creative Director: Karin Fong

OFFF CDMX Opening titles / Company: Diecinueve36 / Designer: Maribel Martínez

OFFF Barcelona 2017 / Company: Sailor Productions / Designer: Vallee Duhamel

Orient City: Ronin & The Princess / Company: Spoke Lane Entertainment / Designer: Zsombor Huszka

Paa Joe & The Lion / Company: Bottletop / Designer: Mark Pyper

Semi Permanent Festival / Company: Framestore / Designer: Akira Thompson

SOLO / Company: Plexus Post / Designer: Vijesh Rajan

Taboo / Company: Method Studios / Designer: John Likens

TEDx Sydney / Company: Substance / Designer: Scott Geersen

Also, a special viewing of SXSW Gaming Awards Open 2017 / Company: Imaginary Forces / Designer: Jeremy Cox

Back to Top

Join Us For SXSW 2018

Grab your Film Badge today for primary access to all SXSW Film events including world premieres, roundtables, workshops, and parties. Register to attend by Friday, February 9 and save. Book your hotel through SXSW Housing & Travel for the best available rates.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SXSW News for the latest SXSW coverage, announcements, and updates.

See you in March!

Isle of Dogs Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight