Year after year the SXSW Conference & Festivals prove why it is truly one of the most unique destinations for creatives, an exciting meeting of the minds. Hosted in a city dedicated to its weirdness, the Film & TV Festival portion of the event does not disappoint.
With a full lineup of nearly 300 screenings, the 9 day event it sure to have something for every interest, style, genre, and theme you could want to see. SXSW 2024 is bringing the weird, wild, and wonderful to screens across Austin this March and we have the niche premieres you're looking for! Our SXSW Film & TV Festival Team has pinpointed their picks of must-see content. Your SX bingo card is about to get very specific.
Dive into staff picks below to discover all the ways to experience SXSW 2024 and customize your perfect event on the SXSW Schedule.
If You're Looking For:
An Absolutely Terrifying Man Made of Wood
You Should Watch:
Oddity
"This Irish horror gem has a lot going for it, but perhaps its most effective element is a mysterious man made of wood that refuses to stop haunting my dreams." - SXSW Staff Member
In this new supernatural spectacle from "Caveat's" Damian McCarthy, a blind medium uncovers the truth behind her sister's death with the help of a frightening wooden mannequin.
If You're Looking For:
A Historically Accurate Depiction of 1999
You Should Watch:
Y2K
"If you were alive for Y2K, Kyle Mooney’s directorial debut is basically going to feel like a documentary." - SXSW Staff Member
On the last night of 1999, two high school juniors crash a New Year's Eve party, only to find themselves fighting for their lives in this dial-up disaster comedy.
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If You're Looking For:
A Movie Set Entirely Within Grand Theft Auto Online
You Should Watch:
Grand Theft Hamlet
"Competition was fierce, because we all know movies filmed entirely within the world of GTA Online are a dime a dozen these days, but Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane’s movie managed to stand out among the crowded field." - SXSW Staff Member
January 2021. The UK is in its 3rd lockdown and all entertainment venues remain closed. As the pandemic drags on, Mark and Sam spend their days in the online digital world of Grand Theft Auto and when they stumble across a theater, they suddenly have an idea to stage a full production of Hamlet within the game. This film charts their ridiculous, hilarious and moving adventure as they battle violent griefers and discover surprising truths about life, friendship and the enduring power of Shakespeare.
If You're Looking For:
A Movie Where Nic Cage Fights Monsters
You Should Watch:
Arcadian
"There isn’t a single movie that couldn’t be improved by Nicolas Cage fighting monsters, and thankfully Arcadian understands this very well." - SXSW Staff Member
In a near future, normal life on Earth has been decimated. Paul and his two sons, Thomas and Joseph, have been living a half-life – tranquility by day and torment by night. One day, Thomas doesn't return home on time from a visit to his crush, the nearby farm girl, Charlotte. Paul chooses to leave the safety of their fortified farm, risking his life to find Thomas. Just as he finds his boy, a nightmarish battle ensues. Back at the house, Joseph is scared and all alone to defend himself against the nightly attack.
If You're Looking For:
A Movie That Will Have You Feeling Better About Your Bad Habits
You Should Watch:
Timestalker
"If you have a bad habit you keep falling into no matter how hard you try to change, you might feel better watching Alice Lowe’s comedy about a woman who keeps falling for the same man century after century, only to be re-incarnated and still fall for him." - SXSW Staff Member
Timestalker follows hapless heroine Agnes through time as she repeatedly falls for the wrong guy, dies a grim death, gets reincarnated a century later, before meeting him again and starting the cycle anew. It is one story told over many periods, all with the messy thrills and spills that come with daring to follow your heart. Or maybe your loins...
If You're Looking For:
A Movie That Will Make You Fear What’s Inside Your Own Body
You Should Watch:
Plastic People
"It’s weird to call something a favorite if its end result will probably make you despondent about the world around you, but Plastic People is a must-see documentary that might send you on an existential crisis but will at least be very informative in the process." - SXSW Staff Member
Our ground-breaking feature documentary investigates our addiction to plastic and the growing threat of microplastics on human health. Almost every bit of plastic ever made ends up ground down into "microplastics". These microscopic particles drift in the air, float in the water and sit in the soil. And now, leading scientists are finding them in our bodies: organs, blood, brain tissue and even the placentas of new mothers. What is the impact of these invisible invaders on our health?
If You're Looking For:
A New TV Series To Obsess Over
You Should Watch:
3 Body Problem
"The producers of Game of Thrones have turned from fantasy to sci-fi for their next big series, and their adaptation of this highly acclaimed novel is the kind of must-watch, big spectacle TV that made them famous in the first place." - SXSW Staff Member
A young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time to a group of brilliant scientists in the present day. As the laws of nature unravel before their eyes, five former colleagues reunite to confront the greatest threat in humanity’s history.
If You're Looking For:
A Man In A Monkey Mask Seeking Vengeance For The Death Of His Mother
You Should Watch:
Monkey Man
"If this movie doesn’t have Dev Patel’s phone ringing off the hook to be both an action star and an action director, then we will also put on a monkey mask to conceal our identity and seek vengeance." - SXSW Staff Member
Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash.
If You're Looking For:
Cinematic Performances That Make You Weep Happy Tears
You Should Watch:
Sing Sing
"The love this film has for the cathartic power of the theatre will fill your heart ten times over." - SXSW Staff Member
Based on the real-life arts rehabilitation programme founded at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, Greg Kwedar’s new film follows a troupe of incarcerated actors who work on a play as part of a theatre workshop at the prison.
If You're Looking For:
A Documentary for Anyone Thinking of Launching a Startup
You Should Watch:
MoviePass, Moviecrash
"Muta'Ali Muhammad’s doc about everyone’s favorite too-good-to-be-true ticketing service is a must-watch for any entrepreneur who thinks they have a big idea to disrupt an entire industry." - SXSW Staff Member
The origin story, meteoric rise and stranger-than-fiction implosion of the theatrical movie subscription app, MoviePass, as told through the eyes of the visionary co-founders. The film details the unique challenges they faced in building the pop culture phenomenon, only to eventually find themselves cast aside, watching from the sidelines, as new executives seized control and havoc ensued.
