#FIRSTLOOK: “A SAFE DISTANCE” TO PREMIERE AT SXSW ’26

The tense, sensual thriller A Safe Distance, directed by Vancouver-based filmmaker Gloria Mercer in her feature debut, will have its World Premiere at the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival in the Narrative Spotlight program.

Written by Aidan West and produced by Nic Altobelli of Area V5 Pictures alongside Mercer and West through their banner See Horse Films, A Safe Distance is a slow-burn thriller set against the isolation of the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

In the film, a young woman abandoned by her boyfriend in a remote forest encounters a pair of notorious fugitives. As she forms an unexpected bond with them, shifting loyalties and dangerous desires pull her into a volatile triangle from which there may be no safe escape.

The film stars Bethany Brown (Murder in a Small Town, F*** Marry Kill), Chris McNally (When Calls the Heart, Supernatural), Cody Kearsley (Riverdale, Virgin River), and Tandia Mercedes (Allegiance).

Shot in British Columbia, A Safe Distance builds on Mercer and West’s acclaimed 2021 short of the same name, expanding its intimate psychological tension into a feature-length exploration of power, vulnerability, and survival.

“We’re thrilled to premiere A Safe Distance at SXSW,” said Mercer. “This film was built from the ground up through an incredible collaboration with producer Nic Altobelli, writer Aidan West, and our remarkable BC cast and crew. We can’t wait to share it with an audience that champions bold, character-driven independent cinema.”

A Safe Distance has been acquired for Canadian distribution by Vortex Media. The film was funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, and Creative BC and produced with the support of Keslow Camera, Sunbelt Rentals, Maverick Post and UBCP/ACTRA.

Festival screening times will be announced by SXSW.

Website: www.asafedistancefilm.com
Instagram: @asafedistancefilm
Production Companies: @seehorsefilms | @areav5pictures

#FIRSTLOOK: “THE SNAKE” TO PREMIERE AT SXSW ’26

P.E.I.’s award-winning producer Jenna MacMillan launches her directorial debut at SXSW with THE SNAKE. An off-beat comedy written by and starring Susan Kent (Who’s Yer Father?, This Hour Has 22 Minutes), THE SNAKE follows Jamie, an unlikely hero, who just can’t seem to get her life together. Stacked with a stellar Canadian cast including Robin Duke (Saturday Night Live), Emma Hunter (Slo Pitch), Dan Petronijevic (The Trades, Letterkenny), Jimbo (RuPaul’s Drag Race), and comedy legend Jonathan Torrens (I Kill the Bear, Letterkenny), THE SNAKE re-teams MacMillan and Kent after their success collaborating on Jeremy Larter’s Who’s Yer Father? which broke box office records in Charlottetown. THE SNAKE will have its World Premiere at SXSW in March 2026 where it is one of 8 titles selected for the Narrative Feature Competition.

“SXSW was the festival that inspired me to tell stories like this.” says director and award-winning producer Jenna MacMillan. “We’ve always seen it as the dream festival for THE SNAKE to have its world premiere. To be the first film shot in Prince Edward Island to screen there, and to share my home with SXSW audiences is a real honour.”

Despite her best attempts, Jamie just can’t get it together. THE SNAKE brings us along for a wild ride as Jamie navigates a rocky relationship, a few tussles with her venomous mother, and a recent eviction from her rightful inheritance, her late-Nana’s bright-pink house. THE SNAKE brings a new kind of heroine to the screen in this off-beat, dark comedy.

“I started THE SNAKE wanting to write about ungovernable women, bad girls,” says writer and star Susan Kent, “but not the fantasy of the hot crazy demon-in-the-sack girl trope created by dudes. I wanted to make a story of a woman who came out of the rubble of reality, and so Jamie came into focus, inspired by my life, friends’s lives and women around me, and became an unlikely hero. I have a deep attraction to people who carry on swinging in the face of shitty circumstances. We’ve all been scarred and dented up by our childhood, by life, unintentionally damaged by the people around us, and it felt like a privilege to write a woman who makes everything worse in a sort of fiery crash-course self education in how to be your own home.”

A Club Red Production, THE SNAKE is produced by Sharlene Kelly and Melani Wood and executive produced by Jenna MacMillan, Susan Kent, and Bill Lundy. Club Red Productions is founded by Jenna MacMillan (Playback ‘10 to Watch in 2025’) and behind the films Who’s Yer Father?, Back For The Holidays, Tracy & Martina: Goin’ Out West and more.

THE SNAKE will have its World Premiere at SXSW in March 2026. THE SNAKE is part of the Narrative Feature Competition.

Support for THE SNAKE provided by Telefilm Canada and the Prince Edward Island Film Fund.

Follow THE SNAKE:
IG: @thesnakefilm
IG: @clubredproductions

About Club Red Productions
Club Red Productions is Prince Edward Island’s flagship film and television company. Founded by award-winning producer/director Jenna MacMillan, Club Red is committed to bold, creator-driven storytelling with a distinctly East Coast edge. With a growing slate of premium features and series, the company is helping put PEI on the map as the next must-watch hub for Canadian production.

Learn more about Club Red Productions here.

#FIRSTLOOK: “MIKE & NICK & NICK & ALICE” TO PREMIERE AT SXSW

“Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” will receive its world premiere at the SXSW Film & TV Festival 2026 on March 14, 2026. The 20th Century Studios film, which will screen at the historic Paramount Theatre in Austin as part of the festival’s official line-up, will debut March 27, 2026 streaming exclusively on Hulu on Disney+ in Canada.

“Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” stars Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, Eiza González, Keith David, Jimmy Tatro, Stephen Root, Lewis Tan, Ben Schwartz, Emily Hampshire, and Arturo Castro, and is written and directed by BenDavid Grabinski, produced by Andrew Lazar, p.g.a., and executive produced by Richard Middleton and Vanessa Humphrey. The film is a hilarious, stylized, R-rated action-comedy about two gangsters and the woman they love trying to survive the most dangerous night of their lives. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s one wild ingredient added to the mix: a time machine.

ABOUT DISNEY+

Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and outside the U.S., general entertainment brand Hulu. As the flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ serves as a connection point for audiences around the world with an unmatched collection of award-winning general entertainment and gold-standard family programming. With unprecedented access to Disney’s long history of incredible film and television entertainment, it is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Subscriptions also include access to the Disney+ Perks loyalty program including special discounts, everyday savings, and early access to exclusive experiences that only Disney can offer. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.

#FIRSTLOOK: “NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE” AWARD MIDNIGHTER AUDIENCE AWARD AT SXSW ’25

Nirvanna The Band the Show the Movie has been awarded the SXSW 2025 Midnighter Audience Award after making its highly anticipated world premiere at SXSW last week. The film has been met with overwhelming praise from both longtime fans and newcomers alike, currently holding a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The long-awaited follow up from Matt Johnson (Blackberry) and Jay McCarrol delivers the signature offbeat comedy and chaotic energy that made the cult-hit series a fan favorite—only bigger, bolder, and more ridiculous than ever.

NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE
Director: Matt Johnson
Producers: Matthew Miller, Matt Greyson
Screenwriters: Matt Johnson, Jay McCarrol

When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

#FIRSTLOOK: “ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR” SXSW ’25 PREMIERE

Paul Feig‘s eagerly-awaited followup to A SIMPLE FAVOR premiered at SXSW ’25 this weekend, kicking the Festival off!

In attendance was Director Paul Feig, Producer Laura Fischer, Stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell, Henry Golding, Taylor Ortega, Aparna Nancherla, Joshua Satine, and Amazon MGM Studios Executives Jennifer Salke, Sue Kroll, Courtenay Valenti, and Julie Rapaport.

ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR arrives globally on Prime Video starting May 1, 2025

Directed by Paul Feig

Produced by Paul Feig, p.g.a., Laura Fischer, p.g.a.

Executive Producers Jennifer Booth, Jessica Sharzer, Marco Valerio Pugini

Written by Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis

Based Upon Characters Created By Darcey Bell

Starring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell, Elena Sofia Ricci, with Henry Golding, and Allison Janney

Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) reunite on the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman. Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square.

120 mins

#FIRSTLOOK: “HOLLAND” PREMIERES AT SXSW ’25

NICOLE KIDMAN, MATTHEW MACFADYEN, GAEL GARCÍA BERNAL, JUDE HILL star in HOLLAND, which just had its SXSW ’25 Premiere at Paramount Theatre. It debuts March 27, 2025 on Prime Video Canada.

Details:

In this wildly unpredictable thriller, Nicole Kidman is the meticulous Nancy Vandergroot, a teacher and homemaker whose picture-perfect life with her community pillar husband (Matthew Macfadyen) and son (Jude Hill) in tulip-filled Holland, Michigan tumbles into a twisted tale. Nancy and her friendly colleague (Gael García Bernal) become suspicious of a secret, only to discover nothing in their lives is what it seems.

Directed by Mimi Cave

Written by Andrew Sodroski

Produced by Kate Churchill, p.g.a., Peter Dealbert, Nicole Kidman, p.g.a., Per Saari, p.g.a.

Starring Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen, Jude Hill, Gael García Bernal

Runtime 108 minutes

Rated R

(Photo credit: Todd Williamson / Amazon MGM Studios)

#FIRSTLOOK: “ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR” TO PREMIERE OPENING NIGHT AT SXSW ’25

Today, South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals announced this year’s Opening Night Film Premiere will be the Amazon MGM Studios feature, Another Simple Favor. The highly anticipated follow-up to director Paul Feig’s A Simple Favor, which launches globally on Prime Video May 1, will make its world premiere at the festival on March 7, 2025 at the Paramount Theatre.

Quote from Head of Amazon MGM Studios, Jennifer Salke: “Paul Feig has once again delivered the perfect blend of mystery, wit, and unexpected twists in the highly anticipated Another Simple Favor. The cast, led by the extraordinarily talented Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, brings life to a script that propels the sequel to new heights. We are beyond grateful for our collaborations with Paul, Blake, Anna, and the entire cast and filmmaking team. We could not be more excited to share the next chapter of this saga with the always enthusiastic SXSW audience and ultimately with our Prime Video customers around the world.”

Quote from director and producer, Paul Feig: “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be back at my favorite festival in the world where we successfully launched Bridesmaids and Spy, and I cannot begin to say how honored I am to have our film opening it all. I’ve avoided making sequels to any of my films but these characters were just too much fun not to revisit. So, to be able to have Anna, Blake, Henry, Andrew, Michele, Elizabeth, Alex and myself watch our film with the great SXSW audience is a bucket list event I’ll be able to check off March 7th and move playing drums for Dwight Yoakum’s band up to the top slot.”

Details:

Directed By Paul Feig

Produced By Paul Feig, p.g.a., Laura Fischer, p.g.a.

Executive Producers Jennifer Booth, Jessica Sharzer, Marco Valerio Pugini

Written By Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis

Based Upon Characters Created By Darcey Bell

Starring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell, with Henry Golding and Allison Janney

Runtime 120 mins

Synopsis:

Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) reunite on the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman. Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square.

#SXSW: SXSW FILM & TV FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2024 JURY AND SPECIAL AWARDS

The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals announced the 2024 Jury and Special Award winners of the 31st SXSW Film & TV Festival. Feature films receiving Jury Awards were selected from the Narrative Feature and Documentary Feature Competition categories, plus all other juried sections, including Shorts, Independent TV Pilots, Music Videos, Design and XR Experience Awards. Special Awards announced included the SXSW Best of Texas Award, the Kickstarter NextGen Award and the Janet Pierson Champion Award presented by Indiewire.

All 2024 film categories will be eligible for category-specific Audience Awards that will be certified by the accounting firm of Maxwell Locke & Ritter. Audience Award Voting will conclude on Saturday, March 16, 2024. Winners will be announced via sxsw.com that week.

“What an extraordinary week of film and TV premieres we’ve had here at SXSW, and there is more to come through Saturday,” said Claudette Godfrey, VP, Film & TV. “Our theaters have been bursting with incredible and vocal audiences celebrating the exceptional and diverse work in our lineup, and we’re so excited to celebrate this year’s jury and special award winners!”

The SXSW 2024 Film & TV Festival Award Winners:

FEATURE FILM GRAND JURY AWARDS

NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
Winner: Bob Trevino Likes It
Director/Screenwriter: Tracie Laymon, Producers: Tracie Laymon, Sean Mullin, Edgar Rosa, Felipe Dieppa

“Tracie Laymon’s semi-autobiographical story of a struggling young woman who finds anchor in an unlikely connection feels at once familiar and yet surprising. Laymon’s sure hand transforms what might have been saccharine into something raw thanks to vulnerable lead performances from Barbie Ferreira and an unusually uncool John Leguizamo. Refreshingly real and wrenchingly bittersweet, Bob Trevino Likes It stole our hearts and earned this prize.”

Special Jury Award for Performance: Maria Rodríguez Soto, Mamifera

“Detailed, unflinching, and unquestionably palpable, Maria Rodríguez Soto in Liliana Torres’ Mamifera, an aching character study of motherhood, breathes life into a complex character by way of a probing and dedicated sense of curiosity and play. We are elated to recognize Maria Rodríguez Soto with a SXSW Special Jury Award for Performance.”

Special Jury Award for Filmmaking: Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu, We Were Dangerous

“We Were Dangerous, a spirited and affecting tale of female rebellion at a 1950s New Zealand reform institution for so-called delinquent girls, heralds the arrival of an exciting new filmmaking talent in Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu. Her feature film directorial debut confronts a sobering and all-too-relevant history with a sly sense of absurdity and the camaraderie of its three young leads, played by Erana James, Nathalie Morris and Manaia Hall.”

Narrative Feature Competition Jury: Jake Coyle, film writer and critic, The Associated Press; Robert Daniels, Associate Editor, RogerEbert.com; Joanna Robinson, podcaster and cultural critic, The Ringer

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION

Thank you to our Jury Award sponsor, The Hollywood Reporter: entertainment’s #1 news source that champions Hollywood’s world-class and world-changing documentaries and filmmakers through journalism.

Winner: Grand Theft Hamlet
Directors/Screenwriters: Pinny Grylls, Sam Crane, Producers: Rebecca Wolff, Julia Ton

“A unique mix of 16th century drama and 21st century online gameplay, Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane’s chronicle of two actors attempting a multiplayer production of Hamlet within Grand Theft Auto was easily one of the funniest, moving and profound works in competition. A stunning testament to the connection between storytelling and community, and proof that there are more ways in Heaven and Earth to craft a personal, nonfiction narrative — even when chased by police helicopters and shot at with rocket launchers.”

Special Jury Award for Bravery and Empathy: Carina Mia Wong, Alex Simmons, We Can Be Heroes

“Carina Mia Wong and Alex Simmons’ documentary about a live-action role playing camp in upstate New York exemplifies a moving and hopeful approach to storytelling. Their empathetic direction gives voice to their subjects — a group of queer, neurodivergent and self-proclaimed nerdy adolescents — which leaves audiences rooting for them on and off the battlefield.”

Documentary Feature Competition Jury: Siddhant Adlakha, critic and entertainment journalist; David Fear, Senior Editor + Film Critic, Rolling Stone; Lovia Gyarkye, critic, The Hollywood Reporter

SHORT FILM COMPETITION GRAND JURY AWARDS Presented by You42

NARRATIVE SHORT COMPETITION
Winner: Dissolution
Director/Screenwriter: Anthony Saxe, Producers: Thomas Lopez, Anthony Saxe

“Merging decades of footage into a poignant short film that delves into the complexities of love and marriage. Showing exceptional directorial restraint. This introspective journey transcends time and space, leaving a lasting impact through its exploration of human connections and the fleeting nature of life. With stunning performances from the director’s actual parents, Dissolution somberly pulls at the many threads which make up our lives.”

Special Jury Award: Sam Cutler-Kreutz, David Cutler-Kreutz, Trapped

“A tense story of a janitor father and a spoiled kid’s prank gone awry, delivering a suspenseful narrative brimming with surprising twists and turns. This short film has earned a Special Jury Award for its thematic resonance, masterfully exploring the consequences of actions, the weight of responsibility, and the complex dynamics of social economic disparity and privilege.”

Narrative Shorts Competition presented by You42 Jury: Clementine Quittner, Co-CEO, Small Ideas; Kristian Mercado Figueroa, filmmaker and previous winner of the Music Video and Animated Short Jury Awards at SXSW; Chris Rosati, Vice President of Development and Production; Monkeypaw

DOCUMENTARY SHORT COMPETITION
Winner: Remember, Broken Crayons Colour Too
Directors/Screenwriters: Shannet Clemmings, Urša Kastelic, Producers: Filippo Bonacci, Gabriel Grosclaude

“This artfully crafted film showed a true confidence of vision. Directors Shannett Clemings and Urša Kastelic have displayed a remarkable amount of bravery in reclaiming a story of violence, bias, and hatred in a way that is both harrowing and enlightening. The cinematography and editing were exquisitely matched with the soul-stirring storytelling, blending elements of experimental narrative in with the non-fiction heart of the film.”

Special Jury Award: David Gauvey Herbert, Frank

“Frank is a tautly crafted yet story-rich documentary short that touches upon a range of themes — from aging, to kinship, to the trauma of violent crimes. David Gauvey Herbert captures the witty, enduring and at times melancholic legacy of a 99-year-old criminal defense attorney with deft tenderness and potency through striking visual language.”

Documentary Shorts Competition presented by You42 Jury: Loren Hammonds, Peabody and Emmy® Award-winning producer; Christine Kecher, Senior Commissioning Editor, Op-Docs; Tina Nguyen, VP of Documentary Programming, HBO

MIDNIGHT SHORTS COMPETITION
Winner: Transylvanie
Director: Rodrigue Huart, Screenwriters: Rodrigue Huart, David Alexander Cassan, Axel Würsten, Producer: Lucie Vigier

“Enigmatic tone, sweeping cinematography, and spectacular performances are rife in this contemporary execution of the classic vampire myth. Following the journey of a young vampire, the short oozes with tension, visual flair, and teeth (pun intended!). The mastery of the technical elements are seamlessly combined with the daring vision to create a piece that elevates itself beyond expectation.”

Special Jury Award: Eros V, Meat Puppet

“Creative, propulsive, and with outstanding technical rendering, Meat Puppet took an ambitious, wacky conceit and knocked it out of the park with hysterical absurdist humor, clever narrative choices, and heart underneath it all. From the editing to the effects, the film impressively kept us on our toes while also embodying the gonzo energy of a Midnight screening.”

Midnight Shorts Competition presented by You42 Jury: Mariama Diallo, writer-director; Alex Kim, Vice President of IP Scouting and Acquisitions, Monkeypaw; Nick Romano, Creative Executive, 18Hz

ANIMATED SHORTS COMPETITION
Winner: Wander to Wonder
Director: Nina Gantz, Screenwriters: Nina Gantz, Simon Cartwright, Daan Bakker, Stienette Bosklopper, Producers: Stienette Bosklopper, Maarten Swart, Annemie Degryse, Ben Tesseur, Steven De Beul

“A profoundly immersive stop motion short that combines an unapologetic dark, humorous, and heartfelt story. The filmmaker’s direction expertly navigates the sense of deep loss and artistic purpose through multi-layered storytelling devices and phenomenal stop-motion animation that resonates emotionally with audiences. It’s a rare story that leaves us craving more from its otherworldly setting and popular fictitious TV show premise.”

Special Jury Award: Phoebe Jane Hart, Bug Diner

“This filmmaker cleverly uses stop motion to showcase her comedic voice in a fresh take on modern dating. The film’s quirky setting, hilarious voice acting, and overall direction add layers of charm, solidifying her talent as a standout filmmaker. We’re excited to watch her rise as a dynamic up-and-coming director.”

Animated Shorts Competition presented by You42 Jury: Bryan Dimas, award-winning animation and live-action Producer, Line Producer, Development, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios; Angeline Izquierdo, creative force, Shadowmachine; Ivana Kvesić, director, Fantoche – International Animation Film Festival

MUSIC VIDEO COMPETITION
Winner: Célen – ‘Mom told you so’
Director/Screenwriter: Cécile Cournelle

“We were blown away by the fresh, unique take on the experience of being a woman walking home alone in a city late at night through the lens of a video game. As compelling as it was anxiety-inducing, it’s an apt reflection of the perils people who look like the main character “Camille” and others on similar journeys face that command hyper-vigilance of their surroundings after dark. It is rare that a video transmits a confluence of thematic, poetic, and narrative layers with such impact and clarity.”

Special Jury Award for Technical Wizardry: Joe Nicolosi, The Burning Hell – ‘All I Need’

“Our special jury winner is being awarded for a technical feat in stop-motion and animation achieved by a small team. While visually astounding, this piece is emotionally compelling. It expresses a lot about companionship and tells a profound and shattering post-apocalypse era love story between two robots. We were immensely struck by the ambition of this project and how seamlessly it brings all its elements together.”

Music Video Competition presented by You42 Jury: Oualid Mouaness, director, writer, producer; Kimberly Stuckwisch, director, producer; Brittany Spanos, Staff Writer, Rolling Stone

TEXAS SHORTS COMPETITION
Winner: Jedo’s Dead
Director/Screenwriter: Sara Nimeh, Producers: Michael Mittelstaedt, Jeff Walker, Ellyn Church

“An intimate portrayal of grief, this film follows two young siblings navigating their emotions as they try to process the death of their grandfather. The film lingers on the quiet moments, letting the siblings’ emotional journey — confusion, despair, and anger — take center stage. The cinematography accentuates the theme of loss with shadows and dark spaces while letting natural light from windows stream in to suggest an afterlife. Weaving in aspects of their Middle Eastern culture and traditions, it tells a moving story about loss that’s universal.”

Special Jury Award: Fatima Wardy, Hair Care

“Taking a number of creative risks, this film is a fantastical portrayal of a young Ivorian-American’s trip to the hair braider. At times surreal, this ambitious short tells a story about culture and connection while playing with different visual forms, including animation, fiction, and television, taking the “barber shop” storyline to a whole new level.”

Texas Shorts Competition presented by You42 Jury: Cat Cardenas, writer, photographer; Barak Epstein, filmmaker; Chelsea Hernandez, filmmaker

INDEPENDENT TV PILOT COMPETITION
Winner: Marvin Is Sorry
Showrunners/Screenwriters: Brett Morrow, Alex Gehrlein, Jack Gacek, Director: Clint Pang, Producers: Aidan Erbter, Kenzie Packer

“Imbued with a serio-comical tone and particular brazenness, combined with an unlikely pair of very charismatic, very problematic leads, the end of this pilot story stuck its landing by its sheer force of a sharp-edged point of view that feels super timely. For promising an ongoing entanglement of messy characters and an apt level of sticky story to unpack, and for its quest to interrogate if not skewer today’s media influencers’ disingenuous and self-serving co-opting tactics for the sake of audience/fan base. We give the Jury award to Marvin is Sorry.”

Special Jury Award for: Zeke Nicholson, Halfrican American

“For being so deeply real and lived in from the first frame to the last. It’s a warm, engaging pilot that makes you want to stay longer and hang out with each member of the excellently written and performed ensemble. The authenticity in this exploration of identity, community, and family will stick with us and it’s exciting to think of what the filmmaker will create from here.”

TV Pilot Competition Jury: Kat Candler, filmmaker; Christine Dávila, freelance producer; Caroline Vanstrom, Director of Development and Production, Fifth Season

POSTER DESIGN COMPETITION
Winner: 7 Beats Per Minute
Designer: John Godfrey

“The poster’s design effortlessly captivated us, skillfully balancing mysterious calmness with unconventional composition choices. From the strategic use of empty spaces to the non-traditional placement of the title and billing block, every decision contributed to an aesthetically pleasing and thought-provoking visual narrative.”

Special Jury Award: If I Die in America
Designer: Andrei Captan

“Featuring a sophisticated, confident, and effective design, this poster cleverly conceals multiple concepts which reveal themselves upon closer inspection. Through detailed illustrations and strategic use of negative space, the deliberate and smart choices in the design create a visually compelling narrative that not only captures attention but effectively communicates the essence of the film.

Poster Design Competition Jury: Oliver Barrett, artist, designer; Jenny Jacobi, CEO, Mutant; Kevin Tong, freelance graphic designer

XR EXPERIENCE COMPETITION
Winner: The Golden Key
Directors: Marc Da Costa, Matthew Niederhauser

“The Golden Key ingeniously fuses cutting edge experiments in generative AI technology with the oldest storytelling traditions, allowing us to collectively share in the creation of new narratives while sparking our individual imaginations in an endless cycle of creativity. Awarded for its innovative approach to immersive storytelling, its addictive application, and its uncanny ability to organically build community.”

Special Jury Award:
Winner: Soul Paint
Directors: Sarah Ticho, Niki Smit, Producer: Anna Firbank, Screenwriter: Sarah Ticho

“Soul Paint is epic and intimate in its scope and potential. This finely-tuned experience gives XR new possibilities for its application across disciplines and research that explores and interrogates the human experience. This piece encourages us to engage in creative play while also inspiring us to actively discover and share our innermost feelings without judgment.”

XR Experience Competition Jury: Jimmy Cheng, Atlas V / Karman Line / Sandman Studios; Jacqueline Lyanga, Founder, Executive Director, Global Cinematheque; Landon Zakheim, Executive Director, Co-Founder Overlook Film Festival

SXSW Special Awards

Janet Pierson Champion Award presented by Indiewire
To honor Janet Pierson, Director Emeritus of the SXSW Film & TV Festival after 15 years of leadership, a prize was created in 2023 called the Janet Pierson Champion Award. As part of IndieWire’s dedication to elevating Film & TV creators, IndieWire is proud to present the Janet Pierson Champion Award rewarding innovation and excellence in the art of storytelling to Kara Durrett.

Janet Pierson Champion Award
Winner: Kara Durrett

“Kara Durrett, President of Pinky Promise Films is known for her tireless work championing filmmakers and helping them develop sustainable careers. She has produced more than a dozen films, including nine SXSW Film & TV Official selections between 2018 and 2024. The SXSW World Premiere of the short film Caroline was shortlisted for the 2019 Academy Awards. The SXSW World Premiere of Topside won a Special Jury Award for Directing in 2020. Other films include: Save Yourselves!, Ayar, If You Were the Last, The Starling Girl, and this year’s World Premiere of I Don’t Understand You. Kara clearly has an incredible filmmaking future ahead of her, and we cannot wait to see what she brings us next.”

Kickstarter NextGen Award
Over the past 15 years, Kickstarter — the go-to crowdfunding platform for creative projects — has helped trailblazers like Spike Lee, Issa Rae, Andrew Ahn, and Phoebe Waller Bridges get the funds they need to bring their projects to life. Continuing Kickstarter’s legacy of championing generation-defining creatives, the Kickstarter NextGen Award recognizes a first-time filmmaker whose bold and inspiring work promises to offer audiences a new and fresh perspective.

Kickstarter NextGen Award Winner: Family
Director/Screenwriter: Benjamin Finkel, Producers: Lynette Howell Taylor, Samantha Housman, Benjamin Finkel

“This chilling and disorienting film has the viewer calling into question what is real and what is imagined, and who — if anyone — is the narrator we can rely on. The film is anchored by an exceptional performance from the young lead, portraying her character’s fear and confusion in the face of dislocation and grief. As viewers, we were safe in the hands of this accomplished cast, who in turn were safe in the hands of the debut writer-director. The Kickstarter NextGen Award goes to Director Benjamin Finkel for his film Family.”

#SXSW: “STORMY” REVIEW

By David Baldwin

If you hear the name Stormy Daniels, what do you think of? Her career as an adult entertainer in front of and behind the camera, or her involvement in a legal shitstorm with the former President of the United States? STORMY demystifies the woman behind those headlines, and chronicles the immediate fallout from her “hush money” payment becoming international news, the on-going legal saga she remains intrinsically attached to and the turmoil and toll it has taken on her personal life.

Whether you know all the facts or not, watching STORMY is a riveting and sobering experience – not just because of how aggravating it is, but by how harrowing and emotional it quickly becomes. Daniels is a give-no-fucks firecracker at the start and by the end, she is a visibly strained, shell of a woman who has gone through hell and fears for her safety.

Though Daniels is refreshingly candid and holds nothing back, the Documentary spends most of its time focusing on the legal shenanigans and sparring and not enough on who she is as an Entertainer and more to the point, as a person. We get glimpses into her dance tours, television appearances, her love for horses and her private life. They all feel fleeting though, especially when so many of the talking head interviews are journalists just speaking about what happened because of the payment details going public. What they discuss and what is shown is interesting and vital, but the Film is called STORMY and needed to be more about her and a whole lot less about him.

Stormy screens at SXSW’24:

Mar 8 at 5:15PM at Stateside Theatre

Mar 13 at 11:45AM at Alamo Lamar 5

#SXSW: “A CONVERSATION WITH SYDNEY SWEENEY”

By Mr. Will Wong

Sydney Sweeney has been front and center much of late as Hollywood’s new “It Girl”. Whether you know her from her powerful performance as Cassie in HBO‘s EUPHORIA or Olivia in THE WHITE LOTUS; saw her in ANYONE BUT YOU, produced by her own production company Fifty-Fifty Films; are just learning about her from her hosting Saturday Night Live recently, chances are you were smitten by her likeability.

Sweeney is at SXSW ’24 this year for both an In-Conversation, and also to promote and present new Horror IMMACULATE, out March 22, 2024, which she helped develop.

Sweeney appeared at an In-Conversation at Austin Convention Center Ballroom EF, reflecting on her path as both an Actress and a Producer.

Sweeney is filled with gratitude for having the privilege of playing some very fascinating characters.

Sweeney: “I get to play such incredible, diverse, interesting, challenging roles and that’s what I dream of doing, whenever I get the chance to play a character like Cassie or Cecilia in Immaculate, that makes me feel really good.”.

With her huge surge in popularity over the past few years, fan encounters never quite get old for her.

Sweeney: “I get so happy whenever people come up to me and they share their stories how they watched Euphoria or whatever project it was, and that’s why I do what I do. To be able to connect to so many people through my characters is such a beautiful experience.”.

She tells us about the importance of feeling challenged in her work.

Sweeney: “It’s what I said about being challenged. Making sure I find characters that challenge me in different ways, different stories to tell. I want to play anything and everything that people won’t expect me to do.”.

With the landscape changing greatly in how consumers access Film and Television, Sweeney is asked what she looks for most when producing a project.

Sweeney: “It’s honestly whether the story makes you question things, excites me and what it boils down to is whether I think this will be a conversation piece for people, or whether I think this will make people feel a certain way.”.

Sweeney equates being a Producer to like being a parent, and reflects upon the success of sleeper hit ANYONE BUT YOU. She also reveals her favourite Rom-Com of all time is MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING, which led to her casting Dermot Mulroney as her dad in ANYONE BUT YOU.

Sweeney: “To me, being a Producer is like being a parent and helping a project grow.”.

“ANYONE BUT YOU was such an incredible experience when I was working on the Script, when I hired Will Gluck and I hired Glen Powell, went to Sony. I wanted to really bring back those early 2000s Rom-Coms where people winked and people were left wanting to fall in love, they left wanting to sing and dance in the rain and have big romantic gestures. I didn’t want to look at the Rom-Com as something small. I wanted to have big set pieces and Will did such an incredible job at it, really amping-up those set pieces in the Film. By creating a set where we all wanted to have so much fun, we were able to just share in that. That love and excitement we felt while filming, the audience really felt that on-screen. I hope I can make more projects where the audience feels that love and energy.”.

The full Conversation will be available on-demand via SXSW.

(Photo credit: SXSW)