Explore the heart of Austin's creative buzz by learning about some of the SXSW 2024 movie and television premieres featuring diverse narratives, groundbreaking documentaries and so much more. Whether you're a SXSW veteran or a first-time attendee, join us in uncovering some of the top premieres and emerging talent at the SXSW 2024 Film and TV Festival.
Feature Films
Arcadian
Golden Globe and Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage stars in this post-apocalyptic film. After a catastrophic event depopulates the world, a father and his two sons must survive their dystopian environment while being threatened by mysterious creatures that emerge at night.
Faders Up: The John Aielli Experience
This documentary follows John Aielli, who influenced Austin's musical diversity for over 50 years. The opera singer from Killeen became Austin's legendary voice after showcasing local live music, conducting interviews, and having that “keep Austin weird” attitude on local radio airwaves for over 50 years. His freeform interviews, on-air mishaps, and philosophical musings made "Eklektikos" a one-of-a-kind show on KUTX radio.
The Fall Guy
If you're hoping to catch a red-carpet celebrity sighting, this film will likely be your ticket. Keep your eyes peeled for actors Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt who star as the leads in The Fall Guy, directed by David Leitch. The film follows Colt Seavers, a battle-scarred stuntman, who is drafted back into service when the star of a mega-budget studio movie—directed by his ex, Jody Moreno—goes missing.
Gasoline Rainbow
After having its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, brothers Bill and Turner Ross bring Gasoline Rainbow to Austin. The film follows five small-town teenagers who embark on one last adventure by van, boat, train, and foot, careening into the new frontier of adulthood as they search for the mysterious Party at the End of the World.
Monkey Man
The Oscar-winning actor for The Lion, who also starred in the eight-time Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, Dev Patel has directed his first feature film. Produced by Jordan Peele (Us & Get Out), this action thriller follows a man’s journey of vengeance against the man who murdered his mother.
Sasquatch Sunset
Sasquatch Sunset is directed by the talented Austin-based duo, David and Nathan Zellner and scored by Austin's own The Octopus Project. The film's cast is led by Jesse Eisenberg and produced by the visionary Ari Aster. In this absurdist, epic, and often hilarious tale, viewers follow a family of Sasquatches — potentially the last of their enigmatic kind — on a poignant journey spanning a year. These shaggy and noble giants, fighting for survival, find themselves on a collision course with the ever-changing world around them.
Find the full list of feature films premiering at the festival here.
Short Films
Bits
Directed by Lilliya Reid, a young Montana woman's brush with danger leaves her pining for closure as she struggles to untangle feelings of rejection and desire. This 21-minute thriller will leave you on the edge of your seat.
Dissolution
A woman is forced to confront her elderly husband’s physical deterioration when they meet to sign their divorce papers.
Los Mosquitos
Austin-based Nichole Chi directs this 14-minute short film, which follows Aby, a 15-year-old Honduran teen, navigating the complexities of her life in the US alongside her newly arrived cousin, Nata. As Thanksgiving Day unfolds, Aby's rebellious spirit clashes with the expectations of her caregiver, Aunt Magda, intensifying her desire to distance herself from her suffocating circumstances.
The Passing
Premiering in the Texas Shorts Competition, this true-life portrait by the Austin team of Ivete Lucas and Patrick Xavier Bresnan follows a veterinarian’s series of home visits as they culminate in a painful but very kind-hearted experience with a special patient.
The Queen vs Texas
Directed by Austin-based Emil Lozada and Raemonn James, this short film starring Hermajestie The Hung, a local queer icon, focuses on dismantling the systems of oppression that encroach upon the LGBTQIA+ fundamental human rights.
Sangre Violenta / Sangre Violeta
Co-directed and produced by Austin-based Edna Diaz, this short film highlights stories of activism and loss from a radical feminist collective, an inspiring survivor, and a grieving father. These narratives illustrate the depths of gender violence in Mexico and question the future of women’s rights in the country.
You can find other short films premiering at the festival here.
Television Premiers
3 Body Problem
In this Netflix adaptation of the internationally celebrated bestseller, a young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time into the present day.
Duplass Brothers Indie TV Showcase
While not originally from Austin, the Duplass brothers attended the University of Texas at Austin in the 1990s and have consistently credited the city for shaping their creative outlet. Time and time again, they have chosen this festival to premiere their work, and this time, they will not only showcase one but four independently produced pilots. Directed by, written by, and starring the brothers in various capacities.
Neo-Dome
In a post-economic collapse America, a woman travels alone toward the promise of a utopian dome on the horizon. When she negotiates a ride with strangers she learns to trust no one on the road to the Neo-Dome.
Photographer
This docu-series by National Geographic flips the camera on those who made extraordinary leaps and bounds in the world of photography. This episode features none other than Austin’s own Dan Winters, known for his portraits of celebrities, illustrations, and shots of the grounds of NASA.
Ren Faire
When the ailing king of America’s largest renaissance festival declares his retirement, an epic power struggle ensues between an actor, a former elephant trainer, and a kettle-corn kingpin to claim his throne.
You can discover more TV premieres here.
Ticketing Information
To purchase a SXSW badge/wristband or find more info on screenings and the conference, head to www.sxsw.com/festivals/film.
Which films are you planning on seeing while in town for SXSW? Follow us on Instagram at @filmatx for the inside scoop on all things film-related during the festival and after!
