SXSW Film & TV Alumni Releases – November & December 2022

Attention all introverts: we know the festive season is upon us, and while that means you may have to leave your house for a few hours, the SXSW Film & TV Festival has several alumni releases for you to cozy up to.

November & December releases are the perfect films to accompany any long holiday family get together. Relive your childhood with Mickey: The Story of a Mouse, the tale of a cartoon turned international symbol; recount your hopes and dreams while watching how Tanya Tucker roars back into the spotlight in The Return of Tanya Tucker; or watch More Than I Want To Remember and see how family bonds guide a young woman on a remarkable journey.

Subscribe to the Film & TV Community Newsletter to stay in the SX know.

The Sentence of Michael Thompson

World Premiere, Documentary Short, 2022

Michael Thompson is the longest-serving nonviolent offender in Michigan history, and this year he is finally up for clemency. In 1994, he was arrested for selling three pounds of cannabis to a close friend turned police informant. He was sentenced to 42 to 60 years in prison and remains there even after Michigan legalizes the recreational use and sale of cannabis. The film follows Michael’s daughter, Rashawnda Littles, and his lawyer, Kim Corral, during the fight for clemency, examines the harm the War on Drugs has caused on communities, and explores paths forward as federal cannabis legalization gets closer to becoming a reality.

Releases MSNBC and digitally on November 1

Long Line of Ladies

World Premiere, Documentary Short, 2022, Grand Jury Prize Winner

A girl and her community prepare for her Ihuk, the once-dormant coming of age ceremony of the Karuk tribe of Northern California.

Releases OpDocs and digitally November 1

Soft & Quiet

World Premiere, Narrative Feature, 2022

SOFT & QUIET is a runaway train that follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher, Emily, who organizes an inaugural club meeting of like-minded women. When they all decide to move the meeting to Emily’s house to keep the wine flowing, they stop at the local store to pick up refreshments. At the store, an altercation breaks out between a woman from Emily’s past and the group, leading to a volatile chain of events.

Releases in theaters and on demand November 4

The Return of Tanya Tucker - featuring Brandi Carlile

World Premiere, Documentary Feature, 2022

Decades after Tanya Tucker slipped from the spotlight, music star Brandi Carlile takes it upon herself to write an entire album for her hero based on Tanya's extraordinary life, spurring the greatest comeback in country music history.

Releases November 4

Nalujuk Night

Texas Premiere, Documentary Short, 2022

Every January 6th, families in the Inuit community of Nain, Canada, celebrate Nalujuk Night, when eerie figures in tattered fur clothing arrive to reward the good and punish the bad.

Releases on nfb.ca November 12

Master of Light

World Premiere, Narrative Feature, 2022

George Anthony Morton is a classical painter who spent ten years in federal prison for dealing drugs. While incarcerated, he nurtured his craft and unique artistic ability. Since his release, he is doing everything he can to defy society's unlevel playing field and tackle the white-dominant art world. Now, he is on a journey back to his hometown of Kansas City, where he tries to heal the broken relationship with his mother-- who's in-and-out of jail-- and paint family members in the style of the Dutch Old Masters. Going back forces George to face his past in his quest to rewrite the script of his life and discover the contribution of African influences to the realist tradition.

Releases on HBO November 16

Bantú Mama

World Premiere, Narrative Feature, 2021

After being arrested in the Dominican Republic, an Afropean woman escapes and is sheltered by 3 minors, in a dangerous district of Santo Domingo. By becoming their protégée and maternal figure, she will see her destiny change inexorably.

Releases on Netflix and select screens November 17

Mickey: The Story of a Mouse

World Premiere, Documentary Feature, 2022

Mickey Mouse is one of the most enduring symbols in our history. Over the course of his nearly century-long history, Mickey functions like a mirror, reflecting our personal and cultural values back at us. Mickey: The Story of a Mouse explores Mickey's significance, getting to the core of what Mickey's cultural impact says about each of us and about our world.

Releases globally on Disney+ November 18

Bad Axe

World Premiere, Documentary Feature, 2022

Bad Axe captures a closely knit Asian-American family living in a rural Michigan community as they now fight to keep their American dream alive. As owners of a local prominent restaurant, they reckon with a global pandemic, racial tensions, and generational scars from Cambodia’s “killing fields.”

Releases in limited theaters and on demand November 18

More Than I Want To Remember

World Premiere, Documentary Short, 2022

One night at her home in southeastern Congo, 14-year-old Mugeni awakes to the sounds of bombs. As her family scatters to the surrounding forests to save themselves, Mugeni finds herself completely alone. From there, she sets out on a remarkable solo journey across the globe, determined to reunite with her lost loved ones and lift up the Banyamulenge people. Despite unimaginable obstacles, Mugeni's story is ultimately a portrait of hope, love, and family bonds.

Releases on Paramount+ November 29

Smile (Formerly Laura Hasn’t Slept)

World Premiere, Narrative Short, 2020

After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.

Released on YouTube by Paramount+ November 16, available on Blue-ray December 13

Jurassic Punk (Formerly Spaz)

World Premiere, Documentary Feature, 2022

Steve 'Spaz' Williams is considered a pioneer in computer animation. This intimate account examines his life story and events surrounding the historical moment when digital dinosaurs walked onto the silver screen in Jurassic Park. Steve and a chorus of expert witnesses recount a dramatic tale of rebellion and revolution at Lucasfilm's Industrial Light & Magic in the early 1990s-- a time when creating realistic creatures with a computer was considered impossible. Decades later, Steve struggles to reckon with his chaotic past.

Released in select theaters and VOD December 16

See You At SXSW 2023

Register to attend SXSW 2023 and book your hotel early for the best rates of the season.

The SXSW Film & TV Badge is your pass to nine days of screenings, including world and U.S. premieres, featuring a high caliber and diverse lineup of film, TV and XR, plus primary access to Film & TV tracks, mentors, and workshops at the SXSW Conference. Learn more about SXSW Badge types, access, and rates on the Attend page and stay tuned for announcements throughout the 2023 SXSW season.

Film & TV Community Newsletter Sign Up

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and TikTok for the latest SX news.

Teaser Images: SXSW 2021 Film Bantú Mama - Photo credit Point Barre