Our first look at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV festival lineup has officially been unveiled, and will open with the highly-anticipated Netflix series “3 Body Problem,” co-created by David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo, screening Opening Night as a TV premiere. On the film front, David Leitch’s Ryan Gosling-starring actioner “The Fall Guy” is set as the fest’s Centerpiece screening.
This year’s festival runs from March 8 – 16 in Austin, Texas. Claudette Godfrey, VP of Film & TV, teased the 2024 slate in an official statement: “Buckle up, folks! The first wave of our spectacular lineup for SXSW 2024 is here. Brace yourselves for an epic mix of films, TV, and XR experiences that will deliver a high-octane blend of entertainment and inspiration to our legendary audiences. We’re excited to open our TV Premieres with the must-see ‘3 Body Problem’ and thrilled to welcome ‘The Fall Guy’ as our explosive Centerpiece Screening. Get ready, y’all, March in Austin is fast approaching and we’re throwing a party you don’t want to miss!”
The world premiere of Pamela Adlon’s “Babes,” which is co-written by Ilana Glazer, is an additional Headliner screening. Glazer, Michelle Buteau, Hasan Minhaj, and John Carroll Lynch star in the comedy about a woman who becomes pregnant and relies on her married best friend for guidance.
More buzzy films include “Bob Trevino Likes It,” written and directed by Tracie Laymon and starring Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo in a true story tale of a woman searching for her biological father and finding an unexpected paternal figure. International horror film “Cuckoo,” written and directed by Tilman Singer, stars Ferreira’s former “Euphoria” co-star Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, and Jessica Henwick.
Tommy Dorfman’s “I Wish You All the Best” centers on a non-binary teen who moves in with their estranged sister. Lena Dunham, Alexandra Daddario, Cole Sprouse, and Corey Fogelmanis star. “The Uninvited” marks Pedro Pascal’s return to the festival following “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” with writer/director Nadia Conners’ meta comedy about Hollywood Hills party crashers.
As for the TV side of the festival, the final season of “Star Trek: Discovery” and new series “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show” will respectively debut. The “Reality Show” follows comedian Carmichael in a documentary series about his “tumultuous quest for love, sex, and truth,” per the logline.
Three-part documentary series “Magic City: An American Fantasy” unveils the history behind the titular infamous strip clip, featuring interviews with Nelly, Jermaine Dupri, Quavo, Killer Mike, and Michael “Mr. Magic” Barney Sr.
In addition to the respective TV and film premieres, the festival hosts XR projects, Conference Sessions, Music and Comedy Showcases, Creative Industry Exhibitions, Mentoring, Meetups, and Special Events. SXSW is part of the Penske Media Company family, along with IndieWire.
See the full current lineup for the 2024 festival below, with all synopses provided by the festival.
OPENING NIGHT TV PREMIERE
The 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival’s Opening Night TV Premiere is the highly anticipated Netflix series 3 Body Problem, created, executive produced and written by Emmy Award winners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and Emmy Award nominee Alexander Woo.
In this must-watch adaptation of the internationally celebrated bestseller, a young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time into the present day. When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel before their eyes, a close-knit group of brilliant scientists join forces with an unorthodox detective to confront the greatest threat in humanity’s history. The series stars Jovan Adepo, John Bradley, Rosalind Chao, Liam Cunningham, Eiza González, Jess Hong, Marlo Kelly, Alex Sharp, Sea Shimooka, Zine Tseng, Saamer Usmani, Benedict Wong and Jonathan Pryce. In addition to Benioff, Weiss and Woo, executive producers on the series include Bernadette Caulfield, Rian Johnson, Ram Bergman, Nena Rodrigue, Brad Pitt, Jeremy Kleiner, Dede Gardner, Rosamund Pike, Robie Uniacke, Lin Qi, Zhao Jilong, Xiasong Gao and Lauren Ma.
HEADLINERS
Big names, big talent featuring red carpet premieres and gala film events with major and rising names in cinema.
Babes
Director: Pamela Adlon, Producers: Ilana Glazer, Josh Rabinowitz, Susie Fox, Ashley Fox, Breean Pojunas, Screenwriters: Ilana Glazer, Josh Rabinowitz
After becoming pregnant from a one-night stand, Eden leans on her married best friend and mother of two, Dawn, to guide her through gestation and beyond. Cast: Ilana Glazer, Michelle Buteau, John Carroll Lynch, Hasan Minhaj (World Premiere)
The Fall Guy
Director: David Leitch, Producers: Kelly McCormick, David Leitch, Ryan Gosling, Guymon Casady, Screenwriter: Drew Pearce
Colt Seavers, a battle-scarred stuntman, is drafted back into service when the star of a mega-budget studio movie—directed by his ex, Jody Moreno—goes missing.Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Stephanie Hsu.(World Premiere)
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
World premieres showcasing the art of storytelling by emerging voices.
Audrey (Australia)
Director: Natalie Bailey, Producers: Michael Wrenn, Dan Lake, Shannon Wilson-McClinton, Diya Eid, Screenwriter: Lou Sanz
Self-appointed Mother of the Year, Ronnie has given her daughter Audrey everything, so when Audrey selfishly falls into a coma, Ronnie has no choice but to keep their dreams alive by assuming her identity. Cast: Jackie Van Beek, Josephine Blazier, Hannah Diviney, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor (World Premiere)
Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion in 4 Parts
Director/Screenwriter: Shaun Seneviratne, Producers: Shaun Seneviratne, Doron Jepaul Mitchell
The romantic reunion of Ben Santhanaraj and Suzanne Hopper is thwarted when Suzanne’s boss asks her to work during their holiday road trip in Sri Lanka. Cast: Sathya Sridharan, Anastasia Olowin (World Premiere)
The Black Sea (United States, Bulgaria)
Directors: Crystal Moselle, Derrick B. Harden, Producers: Izabella Tzenkova, Crystal Moselle
Khalid, from Brooklyn, gets stuck in a small resort town on the Black Sea after chasing a money opportunity that goes wrong. Being the only black guy in the town, he quickly becomes the center of attention and finds an unexpected connection with a local. Cast: Derrick B. Harden, Irmena Chichikova, Samuel Finzi, Stoyo Mirkov (World Premiere)
Bob Trevino Likes It
Director/Screenwriter: Tracie Laymon, Producers: Tracie Laymon, Sean Mullin, Edgar Rosa, Felipe Dieppa
After searching for her estranged father online, a people-pleasing young woman unexpectedly forms a close bond with a grieving, childless man with the same name as her father on Facebook. Inspired by a true story. Cast: Barbie Ferreira, John Leguizamo, French Stewart, Lauren “Lolo” Spencer, Rachel Bay Jones (World Premiere)
Mamifera (Spain)
Director/Screenwriter: Liliana Torres, Producers: Carla Sospedra, Miriam Porté, Gerard Marginedas
Lola, happily child-free at 40, confronts an unexpected pregnancy, triggering a clash with societal norms. Amidst her reluctance to embrace motherhood, her boyfriend Bruno’s desire adds a surprising twist in their expectations. Cast: Maria Rodríguez Soto, Enric Auquer, Ruth Llopis, Anna Alarcón, Ann Perelló, Amparo Fernández, Maria Ribera, Anna Bertran, Marina Rodríguez, Mireia Aixalà (World Premiere)
We Strangers
Director/Screenwriter: Anu Valia, Producers: Olivia Wingate, Alex Bach, Zach Spicer, Joy Jorgensen, Miranda Kahn
Rayelle Martin, a commercial cleaning woman in Gary, Indiana, stumbles into a new job cleaning the homes of several rich suburban families. While working, she tells one small lie that spins out of control. Cast: Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Tina Lifford, Sarah Goldberg, Maria Dizzia, Kara Young, Hari Dhillon, Paul Adelstein, Mischa Reddy (World Premiere)
We Were Dangerous (New Zealand)
Director: Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu, Producers: Morgan Waru, Polly Fryer, Screenwriter: Maddie Dai
Nellie, Daisy, and Lou attend an institution for delinquent girls on an isolated island In 1950s New Zealand. The trio rail against the system, finding strength in their friendship. But this is challenged when the school’s matron divides them. Cast: Rima Te Wiata, Erana James, Nathalie Morris, Manaia Hall (World Premiere)
We’re All Gonna Die
Directors/Screenwriters: Freddie Wong, Matthew Arnold, Producer: Adam Maffei
A struggling beekeeper is forced to team up with an emotionally raw EMT on a roadtrip to retrieve her bees (and his car) after their stuff is suddenly teleported across the country by a massive alien tentacle that looms over Earth. Cast: Ashly Burch, Jordan Rodrigues, Nicole Javier, Chase Mangum, Luis Antonius Canete, Tom E. Proctor, Clinton Lowe, Vin Vescio, Beth May, Alexander Chard (World Premiere)
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
World premieres of captivating, real stories by emerging voices.
A House Is Not A Disco
Director: Brian J. Smith, Producers: Jeremy Truong, Joe Conforti
What if you really did put all the gays on an island? In this vibrant portrait of queer paradise, Fire Island Pines, past and present blur as the iconic beach town bands together to celebrate its legacy and redefine itself for a new, inclusive era. (World Premiere)
An Army of Women (Germany, Norway)
Director: Julie Lunde Lillesæter, Producers: Natalya Sarch, Julie Lunde Lillesæter
A group of women in Austin, Texas, join forces to legally challenge the system that allowed their rapists to walk free. An Army of Women is the landmark story of women fighting to hold law enforcement accountable, with resounding relevance worldwide. (World Premiere)
Grand Theft Hamlet (United Kingdom)
Directors/Screenwriters: Pinny Grylls, Sam Crane, Producers: Rebecca Wolff, Julia Ton
Shot entirely inside the video game Grand Theft Auto, this documentary charts the hilarious and profoundly moving story of two out of work actors as they try to stage a full production of Hamlet within this notoriously violent digital world. (World Premiere)
The In Between (United States, Mexico)
Director: Robie Flores, Producers: Alejandro J Flores, Kellen Quinn
Following her brother’s death, filmmaker Robie Flores returns home to the Texas-Mexico border. Dancing playfully between personal and collective coming-of-age experiences, Robie rediscovers the possibilities of joy in the aftermath of grief. (World Premiere)
Resynator
Director: Alison Tavel, Producers: Kathryn Robson, Jon Lullo, Brendan Walter, Sara Nesson, Barbara McDonough, Christopher Noviello
In unearthing a revolutionary synthesizer her late father invented in the 1970s, Alison Tavel not only revives his mission to share it with the world, she unexpectedly forges a deep bond with the father she never got the chance to know. Featuring Alison Tavel, Grace Potter, Peter Gabriel, Jon Anderson, Fred Armisen, Money Mark, Gotye, Mike Gordon, Brian Kehew, Christian Castagno (World Premiere)
Roleplay
Director: Kate Lyn Mathews, Producers: Darcy McKinnon, Jenny Mercein, Kate Lyn Mathews
College students confront sexual violence on their campus through a transformative theater process. This urgent coming of age story follows young adults grappling with sex, consent, identity, and power on their paths to adulthood. (World Premiere)
Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted
Directors: Isaac Gale, Ryan Olson, Producers: Isaac Gale, Paul Lovelace, David McMurry, Ryan Olson, Ben Wu
Legendary musician Swamp Dogg, alongside housemates Moogstar and Guitar Shorty, have transformed their home into an artistic playground. Together, they navigate life in the tumultuous music industry. Featuring Swamp Dogg, Alonzo Williams, Moogstar, Tom Kenny, Guitar Shorty, Mike Judge, Dr. Jeri Williams, Johnny Knoxville, Naeem Juwan, John Prine (World Premiere)
We Can Be Heroes
Directors: Carina Mia Wong, Alex Simmons, Producers: Jennifer Wood, Krista Manis, Carina Mia Wong, Alex Simmons
A group of neurodivergent, queer, and self-proclaimed nerdy teenagers find solace at a LARP (live action role play) summer camp. They discover inner strength, heal from traumas, and emerge as their own heroes: both in fantasy and in reality. (World Premiere)
NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT
Unforgettable features receiving their World, North American, or U.S. premieres.
A Nice Indian Boy
Director: Roshan Sethi, Producers: Renee Witt, Charlie McSpadden, Andrew Calof, Justin Baldoni, Screenwriters: Eric Randall, Madhuri Shekar
When Naveen brings his fiancé Jay home to meet his family, his traditional Indian parents must contend with accepting his white-orphan-artist-boyfriend and helping them plan the most fabulous Indian wedding their community has ever seen. Cast: Karan Soni, Jonathan Groff, Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg, Harish Patel, Peter S. Kim, Sas Goldberg (World Premiere)
Cuckoo (Germany)
Director/Screenwriter: Tilman Singer, Producers: Markus Halberschmidt, Josh Rosenbaum, Maria Tsigka, Ken Kao, Thor Bradwell, Ben Rimmer
On a trip to the German Alps with her father and stepmother, Gretchen discovers that the resort town where they’re staying hides sinister secrets, as she’s plagued by strange noises and frightening visions of a woman pursuing her. Cast: Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick, Marton Csókás, Jan Bluthardt (North American Premiere)
Doin‘ It
Director: Sara Zandieh, Producers: Anthony Bregman, Erica Matlin, Polly Auritt, Lilly Singh, Anita Verma-Lallian, Screenwriters: Lilly Singh, Sara Zandieh, Neel Patel
A 30 year old Indian-American virgin gets a job teaching high school Sex Ed. Cast: Lilly Singh, Ana Gasteyer, Sabrina Jalees, Stephanie Beatriz, Mary Holland, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Trevor Salter, Sonia Dhillon Tully (World Premiere)
I Don’t Understand You
Director: Brian Crano and David Craig, Producers: Kara Durrett, Jessamine Burgum, Jon Glickman, Joel Edgerton, Nash Edgerton, Screenwriters: Brian Crano, David Craig
Following a devastating adoption scam, a couple go on an Italian vacation in an attempt toreconnect. After getting their rental car stuck in a countryside ditch, things begin to go awry. Between the torrential weather and language barrier, Dom, Cole and the Italians around them descend into a comical fiasco. Cast: Nick Kroll, Andrew Rannells, Nunzia Schiano, Morgan Spector, Eleonora Romandini (World Premiere)
I Love You Forever
Directors/Screenwriters: Cazzie David, Elisa Kalani, Producers: Diablo Cody, Lauren Hantz, Liana Weston, Mason Novick, Evan Silverberg, Billy Mulligan
A subversive love story gone wrong that follows a young woman into and out of an emotionally abusive relationship. Cast: Sofia Black-D’Elia, Ray Nicholson, Jon Rudnitsky, Cazzie David, Raymond Cham Jr (World Premiere)
I Wish You All The Best
Director/Screenwriter: Tommy Dorfman, Producers: Matt Kaplan, Tommy Dorfman
The film revolves around a non-binary teen who after being kicked out of the house by their conservative parents and moves in with their estranged sister, embarks upon a journey of self-discovery that teaches them about love, friendship, and family. Cast: Corey Fogelmanis, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Alexandra Daddario, Cole Sprouse, Lena Dunham, Amy Landecker, Lexi Underwood, Lisa Yamada, Judson Mills, Brian Michael Smith (World Premiere)
Magpie (United Kingdom)
Director: Sam Yates, Producers: Kate Solomon, Daisy Ridley, Tom Bateman, Camilla Bray, Nadia Khamlichi, Sierra Garcia, Screenwriter: Tom Bateman
When Ben and Anette’s daughter is cast in a film alongside glamorous movie star Alicia, Ben is quickly drawn into Alicia’s world. Anette is left at home with the baby, pushed to her emotional limits and psychologically on the brink. Cast: Daisy Ridley, Shazad Latif, Matilda Lutz, Hiba Ahmed, Cherrelle Skeete, Pippa Bennet-Warner, Alistair Petrie (World Premiere)
My Dead Friend Zoe
Director: Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, Producers: Paul Scanlan, Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, Terri Lubaroff, Ray Maiello, Mike Field, Richard Silverman, Robert Paschall Jr., Screenwriters: Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, AJ Bermudez
Engaged in a mysterious relationship with her wise-cracking (and dead) best friend from the Army, a female veteran is summoned to the remote lake house of her estranged Vietnam vet grandfather. Cast: Sonequa Martin-Green, Natalie Morales, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Gloria Reuben (World Premiere)
Turtles (Canada, Belgium)
Director/Screenwriter: David Lambert, Producers: Patrick Quinet, Christian Larouche
After 35 years together, the seemingly perfect life that Thom and Henri had built started to go awry. They start to drift away from each other a little more each day. But Thom will do anything to save his relationship and rekindle their love. Cast: Dave Johns, Olivier Gourmet, Brigitte Poupart, Laurent Bonnet (North American Premiere)
The Uninvited
Director/Screenwriter: Nadia Conners, Producers: Rosie Fellner, Carlos Enrique Cuscó, Ari Taboada
Rose and Sammy’s Hollywood Hills party takes a chaotic turn as elderly stranger Helen exposes hidden truths, reigniting old flames and unearthing secrets. Rose confronts her past, leaving everyone questioning their existence and desires. Cast: Elizabeth Reaser, Walton Goggins, Lois Smith, Eva De Dominici, Rufus Sewell, Pedro Pascal, Michael Panes, Kate Comer, Roland Rubio, Annie Kurzen (World Premiere)
DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT
Incredible features receiving their World, North American, or U.S. premieres.
Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie
Director: David Bushell, Producers: David Bushell, Robbi Chong
Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie explores the legacy of pioneering comics Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong with a mix of archival madness and cinematic road trip. The result is a true-life tale of fame and friendship stranger (and funnier) than fiction. (World Premiere)
Dickweed
Director: Jonathan Ignatius Green, Producers: David Ricksecker, Jefferis Grey
Two people got kidnapped. One man lost his dick. No one got any money. This heist-gone-horribly-wrong led one Newport Beach detective on an international manhunt for the most twisted criminal he’s ever hunted. (World Premiere)
How To Build A Truth Engine (Austria)
Director/Screenwriter: Friedrich Moser, Producers: Friedrich Moser, Robert Rippberger, Amina Bayou, Ivan Williams
An eye-opening documentary about how our biological hard-wired neurological behavior makes us so susceptible to misinformation, and what we can do about it. (World Premiere)
Lions of Mesopotamia
Director: Lucian Read, Producers: Mohamed Al Daradji, Patrick Reardon, David Hillman, Lucian Read, Ryan Bundra, David Katsman, Adam Linehan, Michael Sugar
This film recounts the Iraqi national soccer team’s journey to become Asian Cup champions in 2007 during the bloodiest days of their country’s civil war. The team, the sons of sworn enemies battling in war, united their country in its darkest hour. (World Premiere)
Plastic People (Canada)
Directors: Ben Addelman, Ziya Tong, Producers: Vanessa Dylyn, Stephen Paniccia, Screenwriter: Ben Addelman
Plastic People is a landmark feature documentary that chronicles humanity’s fraught relationship with plastic and one woman’s mission to expose shocking new revelations about the impact of microplastics on human health. (World Premiere)
Preconceived
Directors: Sabrine Keane, Kate Dumke, Producers: Heather Keane, Sabrine Keane, Maggie Contreras
A riveting documentary about the pervasive, but overlooked presence of Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Preconceived explores the complex role of deception, finances, faith, and privacy amid a shifting legal landscape. (World Premiere)
Secret Mall Apartment
Director/Producer: Jeremy Workman
In 2003, eight young Rhode Islanders created a secret apartment hidden inside the Providence Place Mall and lived in it for four years, filming everything along the way. The secret apartment became a deeply meaningful place for all its inhabitants. (World Premiere)
Shaking It Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter
Directors: Abby Ginzberg, Christy Carpenter, Producers: Abby Ginzberg, Christy Carpenter, Jessica Brannon-Wranosky
Shaking it Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter is the story of a trailblazing journalist, White House official, feminist leader, political activist, and humorist whose legacy is a vital part of Texas and US history and highly relevant today. (World Premiere)
She Looks Like Me (United Kingdom)
Director/Screenwriter: Torquil Jones, Producers: Lindsey Dryden, Ian Davies, Torquil Jones
Born without legs, Jen Bricker is abandoned by her biological parents. She finds inspiration in America’s superstar gymnast – the mesmerizing Dominique Moceanu – only to find out that she is, in fact, her sister. (World Premiere)
MoviePass, MovieCrash
Director: Muta’Ali, Producers: Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Archie Gips, Scott Veltri, Jack Heller, David Wendell
MoviePass, MovieCrash chronicles the origin story, meteoric rise and stranger-than-fiction implosion of the theatrical movie subscription app, MoviePass. (World Premiere)
Whatever it Takes (United Kingdom)
Director: Jenny Carchman, Producers: Allyson Luchak, Ben Travers
In 2019, a middle-aged couple are subjected to cyberstalking and bizarre deliveries, including a bloody pig mask and funeral wreath. As the harassment intensifies, the police and FBI close in on a Silicon Valley giant and some very unlikely suspects. (World Premiere)
MIDNIGHTERS
Exciting after-dark features for genre lovers and the terminally curious.
Azrael
Director: E.L. Katz, Producers: Dan Kagan, Simon Barrett, Dave Caplan, Screenwriter: Simon Barrett
Many years following the apocalypse, a devout cult of mute zealots hunts down a young woman who has escaped her imprisonment. Cast: Samara Weaving, Vic Carmen Sonne, Katariina Unt, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (World Premiere)
Family
Director/Screenwriter: Benjamin Finkel, Producers: Lynette Howell Taylor, Samantha Housman, Benjamin Finkel
Summer, 2002. Watching her sick father decline, 11-year-old Johanna makes a call for a good spirit to save him. But something else comes instead. Cast: Ruth Wilson, Ben Chaplin, Lucinda Lee Dawson Gray, Allan Corduner (World Premiere)
Hood Witch (France)
Director: Saïd Belktibia, Producer: Ladj Ly, Screenwriters: Saïd Belktibia, Louis Penicaut
Nour makes a living from smuggling exotic animals for her city’s marabouts, wishing to get her son out of the city and offer him a better future. But an exorcism turns into a tragedy and Nour has to face a wave of violence that could cost their lives. Cast: Golshifteh Farahani, Denis Lavant, Jérémy Ferrari, Amine Zariouhi, Issaka Sawadogo (North American Premiere)
Hunting Daze (Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Annick Blanc, Producers: Maria Gracia Turgeon, Annick Blanc
Nina, a young, tempestuous woman, is taken in by a group of hunters in a remote cabin. In the midst of this tough, yet endearing, male microsociety, she feels like she finally belongs. A mysterious stranger’s arrival disrupts her newfound haven. Cast: Nahéma Ricci, Bruno Marcil, Frédéric Millaire-Zouvi, Marc Beaupré, Alexandre Landry, Maxime Genois, Noubi Ndiaye(World Premiere)
It’s What’s Inside
Director/Screenwriter: Greg Jardin, Producers: William Rosenfeld, Jason Baum, Kate Andrews, Raúl Domingo
A pre-wedding party descends into an existential nightmare when an estranged friend shows up with a mysterious suitcase. Cast: Brittany O’Grady, James Morosini, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Devon Terrell, Gavin Leatherwood, Reina Hardesty, Nina Bloomgarden, David Thompson(Texas Premiere)
Kryptic (Canada, United Kingdom)
Director: Kourtney Roy, Producers: Amber Ripley, Sophie Venner, Josh Huculiak, Screenwriter: Paul Bromley
Kryptic is a psycho-thriller about a woman’s search for a missing monster hunter and her growing realization that she is inescapably linked to the creature being pursued. Cast: Chloe Pirrie, Jeff Gladstone, Jason Deline, Ali Rusu-Tahir, Christina Meredith Lewall, Patti Allen, Pam Kearns, Jennifer Copping (World Premiere)
Oddity (Ireland)
Director/Screenwriter: Damian McCarthy, Producers: Katie Holly, Laura Tunstall, Evan Horan
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. Cast: Gwilym Lee, Jonathan French, Carolyn Bracken, Ivan de Wergifosse, Caroline Menton, Joe Rooney, Steve Wall, Tadhg Murphy (World Premiere)
Things Will Be Different
Director/Screenwriter: Michael Felker, Producers: Shane Spiegel, Jacob Rosenthal, Michael Felker
In order to escape police after a robbery, two estranged siblings lay low in a metaphysical farmhouse that hides them away in a different time. There they reckon with a mysterious force that pushes their familial bonds to unnatural breaking points. Cast: Adam David Thompson, Riley Dandy, Chloe Skoczen, Justin Benson, Sarah Bolger, Jori Lynn Felker (World Premiere)
VISIONS
Audacious, risk-taking artists who demonstrate innovation and creativity.
Adrianne & The Castle
Director: Shannon Walsh, Producer: Ina Fichman, Screenwriters: Shannon Walsh, Laurel Sprengelmyer
Adrianne & The Castle is an inventive, musical documentary about grief and the creative power of love, told through the astonishing story of Alan and Adrianne St-George and their hand-built castle in rural Illinois. (World Premiere)
Birdeater (Australia)
Directors: Jack Clark, Jim Weir, Producers: Stephanie Troost, Ulysses Oliver, Screenwriter: Jack Clark
A bride-to-be is invited to her fiancé’s bachelor party, but when uncomfortable details of their relationship are exposed, the night takes a feral turn. Cast: Shabana Azeez, Mackenzie Fearnley, Ben Hunter, Jack Bannister, Clementine Anderson, Caroline McQuade (International Premiere)
Dead Mail
Directors/Screenwriters: Kyle McConaghy, Joe DeBoer, Producers: Zachary Weil, Brett Arndt
An ominous, bloody help note finds its way to the desk of a seasoned “dead letter” investigator at a 1980’s Midwestern post office, leading him down a violent, unforeseen path to a kidnapped keyboard engineer and his demented business associate. Cast: Sterling Macer, Jr., John Fleck, Susan Priver, Micki Jackson, Nick Heyman, Tomas Boykin (World Premiere)
Dory Previn: On My Way To Where
Directors: Julia Greenberg, Dianna Dilworth, Producer: Amy Hobby
A documentary about Dory Previn, an MGM lyricist and influential 1970s cult singer-songwriter who famously goes public about her schizophrenia diagnosis, ultimately accepting her voices and anticipating a modern-day neurodiversity movement. (World Premiere)
Songs from the Hole
Director: Contessa Gayles, Producers: Contessa Gayles, Richie Reseda, David Felix Sutcliffe, Screenwriters: James “JJ’88” Jacobs, Contessa Gayles
An incarcerated musician struggles for healing and peace as he comes of age in this documentary visual album composed behind bars. (World Premiere)
The Trouble With Mr Doodle (United Kingdom)
Directors: Ed Perkins, Jaimie D’Cruz, Producers: Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn
This is the story of an extraordinary boy born into an ordinary family in an unremarkable English town and how a childhood passion threatened to take over his life, his home and his mind. (World Premiere)
24 BEATS PER SECOND
Vibrant films showcasing the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians.
This is a Film About The Black Keys.
Director: Jeff Dupre, Producers: Carter Little, Jeff Dupre, Elizabeth Gregory
This is a Film About The Black Keys traces Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney’s remarkable journey from two neighborhood kids jamming in a basement in Akron, Ohio to rock ’n roll super-stardom. (World Premiere)
Diane Warren: Relentless
Director: Bess Kargman, Producers: Michele Farinola, Peggy Drexler, Bess Kargman
Diane Warren: Relentless unveils the mystique and defiant personality behind one of the hardest-working and successful songwriters music has ever known. Featuring Clive Davis, Common, Gloria Estefan, Jerry Bruckheimer, Jennifer Hudson, Cher, Randy Jackson, Quincy Jones (World Premiere)
Faders Up: The John Aielli Experience
Directors: David Hartstein, Sam Wainwright Douglas, Producer: Shelby Hadden
A cinematic collage much like the style of his free form radio shows, Faders Up explores the extraordinary life and legacy of iconic KUTX Austin radio host, John Aielli. (World Premiere)
Mogwai: If The Stars Had A Sound (United Kingdom)
Director: Antony Crook, Producer: Kyrie Barker
When a pioneering band stays true to their roots and follows their own path, the outcome is ‘bigger than words and wider than pictures’. (World Premiere)
Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird (Germany)
Director: Nicolas Jack Davies, Producer: Johann Scheerer
A film charting the artistic and personal relationship between Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (At the Drive-In / The Mars Volta) told almost entirely through hundreds of hours of self shot footage filmed by Omar over the last 40 years. (North American Premiere)
The World According to Allee Willis
Director: Alexis Spraic, Producer: Nicholas Coles
Songwriter/artist Allee Willis began filming her life as a kid in 1950s Detroit and never stopped. She pursued creative expression at all costs while struggling with not fitting established gender and sexual norms until she found a path to love. Featuring Mark Cuban, Cyndi Lauper, Lily Tomlin, Paul Reubens, Michael Patrick King, Patti LaBelle, Pet Shop Boys, Pamela Adlon, Paul Feig, Mark Mothersbaugh (World Premiere)
GLOBAL
Artful international films, featuring premieres, festival favorites, and more.
Bionico’s Bachata (Dominican Republic)
Director: Yoel Morales, Producer: Cristian Mojica, Screenwriters: Cristian Mojica, Yoel Morales
Bionico is a hopeless romantic addicted to crack, who must take control of his life before his fiancée leaves a rehabilitation center. A raw vision of love in a hostile Caribbean city. Cast: Manuel Raposo, Ana Minier, El Napo, Yasser Michelen, Barbara Plaza, Donis Tavaras (World Premiere)
Krzyk – Losing Control (Germany)
Director: Ewa Wikiel, Producer: Ibrahim-Utku Erdogan, Screenwriters: Halina Rasinski, EwaWikiel
When a young bacteriologist witnesses a car accident, she becomes entangled in the life of the deceased, which triggers the suppressed loss of her unborn child. Cast: Gina Henkel, Anton Weil, Pawel Delag, Wiktoria Gorodecka, Natalia Mateo, Marek Pys (International Premiere)
Malta (Argentina, Colombia, Norway)
Director/Screenwriter: Natalia Santa, Producer: Kiran Fernandes
Mariana is young, systematic, unattached and wants to go far away. Malta is her destination. Before she gets there, inspired by an improbable love affair, she will make another trip, one inside herself. Cast: Estefanía Piñeres, Patricia Tamayo, Emmanuel Restrepo, Diego Cremonesi(World Premiere)
My Sextortion Diary (Spain)
Director/Screenwriter: Patricia Franquesa, Producers: Patricia Franquesa, Mireia Graell
The thriller documentary about how Pati, the film’s director, embarks in a digital blackmail situation after her computer is stolen. (World Premiere)
Natatorium (Iceland)
Director/Screenwriter: Helena Stefánsdóttir, Producers: Sunna Guðnadóttir, Heather Millard, Julia Elomäki
A young girl stays with her estranged grandparents in the city while she auditions for an art group. When the family gathers after a long time to celebrate the girl’s acceptance into the group, an ugly family secret emerges. Cast: Ilmur María Arnarsdóttir, Arnar Dan Kristjánsson, Elin Petersdottir, Kristín Pétursdóttir, Stefania Berndsen, Stormur Jón Kormákur Baltasarsson, Jónas Alfreð Birkisson, Valur Freyr Einarsson (North American Premiere)
FESTIVAL FAVORITES
Acclaimed standouts from festivals around the world.
Gasoline Rainbow
Directors: Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross, Producers: Michael Gottwald, Carlos Zozaya, Claire Haley, Joanne Feinberg, Lauren Cargo, Jesy Buhl, Olivia Lloyd
Five small-town teenagers 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. Cast: Makai Garza, Micah Bunch, Tony Aburto, Nichole Dukes, Nathalie Garcia (North American Premiere)
The Moogai (Australia)
Director/Screenwriter: Jon Bell, Producers: Kristina Ceyton, Samantha Jennings
The Moogai is the story of a family terrorized by a child-stealing spirit. Cast: Shari Sebbens, Meyne Wyatt, Tessa Rose, Clarence Ryan, Toby Leonard Moore, Bella Heathcote (Texas Premiere)
The Queen of My Dreams (Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Fawzia Mirza, Producers: Andria Wilson Mirza, Jason Levangie, Marc Tetreault
When Azra’s father suddenly dies on a trip home to Pakistan, she finds herself on a Bollywood-inspired journey through memories, both real and imagined; from her estranged mother’s youth in Karachi to her own coming of age in rural Canada. Cast: Amrit Kaur, Hamza Haq, NimraBucha, Ayana Manji, Gul-e-Rana, Meher Jaffri, Ali A. Kazmi (U.S. Premiere)
Sasquatch Sunset
Directors: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Producers: Tyler Campellone, Lars Knudsen, George Rush, Screenwriter: David Zellner
A year in the life of a singular family. Cast: Riley Keough, Jesse Eisenberg, Christophe Zajac-Denek, Nathan Zellner (Texas Premiere)
Sing Sing
Director: Greg Kwedar, Producers: Monique Walton, Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Screenwriters: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar
A theater troupe finds escape from the realities of incarceration through the creativity of putting on a play in this film based on a real-life rehabilitation program and featuring a cast that includes formerly incarcerated actors. Cast: Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Paul Raci, Sean San José (U.S. Premiere)
Toll (Brazil)
Director/Screenwriter: Carolina Markowicz, Producers: Biônica Filmes, O Som e a Fúria
Suellen, a toll booth attendant, realizes she can use her job to raise some extra money illegally. But this is only for a so-called noble cause: to send her son to an expensive gay conversion workshop led by a renowned foreign priest. Cast: Maeve Jinkings, Kauan Alvarenga, ThomásAquino, Aline Marta Maia, Isac Graça (U.S. Premiere)
TV PREMIERES
World premieres of prestige TV series premieres from acclaimed showrunners and directors.
3 Body Problem
Showrunners/Producers: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Alexander Woo, Directors: Derek Tsang, Andrew Stanton, Jeremy Podeswa, Minkie Spiro, Screenwriters: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Alexander Woo, Rose Cartwright, Madhuri Shekar
In this adaptation of the internationally celebrated bestseller, a young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time into the present day. Cast: Jovan Adepo, John Bradley, Rosalind Chao, Liam Cunningham, Eiza González, Jess Hong, Marlo Kelly, Alex Sharp, Sea Shimooka, Zine Tseng, Saamer Usmani, Benedict Wong, Jonathan Pryce
(World Premiere)
Black Twitter
Director: Prentice Penny
Based on Jason Parham’s Wired article A People’s History of Black Twitter, this three-part series charts the rise, the movements, the voices, and the memes that made Black Twitter an influential and dominant force. (World Premiere)
Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show
Director: Ari Katcher
Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show is a darkly funny documentary series about Jerrod’s tumultuous quest for love, sex, and truth. (World Premiere)
Photographer: Dan Winters
Showrunner/Director: Pagan Danielle Harleman, Producers: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Anna Barnes, Gene Gallerano, Brent Kunkle, Suzanne Giordano
Austin, Texas based photographer Dan Winters is the da Vinci of contemporary photography. At the height of his craft, there is little Dan hasn’t accomplished with the help of his wife and manager Kathryn, but his success has come at a cost. (World Premiere)
Ren Faire
Showrunner/Director: Lance Oppenheim, Producers: Karen Bernstein, Dani Sloane, Screenwriters: Max Allman, Nicholas Nazmi, Lance Oppenheim
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. (World Premiere)
TV SPOTLIGHT
World premieres of new seasons of acclaimed shows and exciting series episodes.
Hacks Season 3 Premiere
Showrunners: Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky, Director: Lucia Aniello, Producers: Jen Statsky, Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, Michael Schur, David Miner, Morgan Sackett
A year after parting, Deborah Vance is riding high off the success of her standup special while Ava pursues new opportunities back in Los Angeles. Cast: Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Paul W. Downs, Megan Stalter, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Kaitlin Olson, Christopher McDonald, Mark Indelicato, Rose Abdoo, Lorenza Izzo (World Premiere)
Magic City: An American Fantasy
Showrunner: Bayan Joonam, Director: Charles Todd, Producers: Ashley Brooke, Marlowe Blue
A three-part series exploring the most famous strip club in the world and the celebrities, dancers, and founder who propelled it to its iconic status. Featuring: Michael “Mr. Magic” Barney Sr., Killer Mike, Gail Barney, Aubrey “Drake” Graham, Julian “Juju” Barney, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Michael “Lil Mag” Barney Jr., Nelly, Jermaine Dupri, Quavo (World Premiere)
Star Trek: Discovery
Showrunners: Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi, Producers: Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Screenwriter: Michelle Paradise
Star Trek: Discovery is the hit original sci-fi drama series on Paramount+ and the service’s first original Star Trek series. The upcoming fifth season is also the final season and conclusion to the epic adventures of the U.S.S. Discovery crew. Cast: Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Wilson Cruz, David Ajala, Blu del Barrio, Callum Keith Rennie (World Premiere)
INDEPENDENT TV PILOT COMPETITION
Discover new pilots from indie talent.
Bettendorf Talks
Showrunners/Screenwriters: David Pasquesi, T.J. Jagodowski, Director: Jack C. Newell, Producers: David Pasquesi, T.J. Jagodowski, Shane Simmons, Jack C. Newell
A washed up comedy duo use a small town talk show to relaunch their attempt at regaining former glory. Surrounded by folks who have bigger goals than talent to achieve them, they try their best…which might not be enough. Cast: David Pasquesi, T.J. Jagodowski, Sadieh Rifai, Emma Pope, Nnamde Ngwe, Tim Kazurinksy, Ike Reilly, Brian King, Cassie Kramer
(World Premiere)
Halfrican American
Showrunner/Director/Screenwriter: Zeke Nicholson, Producers: Sophie Webb, Claire Glassford
Zeke attends a cookout with his boisterous black family and estranged father. Based on a true story. Cast: Gary Anthony Williams, Zeke Nicholson, Carl Tart, Laci Mosley, Ronnie Adrian, Andrew Hansen, Louisa Abernathy, Duane R. Shepard Sr. (World Premiere)
Lucy & Sara
Showrunner/Director/Screenwriter: Susan Park, Producer: Ryan Gage
A darkly comedic exploration of two unlikely sisters learning to lean on each other after the death of their beloved father in spite of their seemingly toxic relationship. Cast: Susan Park, Nicolette Morrison, Jeremy Joyce, Mark Holgate (Texas Premiere)
Marvin Is Sorry
Showrunners/Screenwriters: Brett Morrow, Alex Gehrlein, Jack Gacek, Director: Clint Pang, Producers: Aidan Erbter, Kenzie Packer
After accidentally killing one of his fans during the filming of a YouTube video, famed YouTuber Marvin Weaver must save his career by teaming up with Tag Taggart, an alt-right news anchor bent on cultural domination. Cast: Sam Song Li, Matt Walton, Haskiri Velazquez, Lea Zawada, Donna Vivino, Lucas Caleb Rooney (World Premiere)
Neo-Dome
Director: Bonnie Discepolo, Screenwriter: Matt Pfeffer, Producers: Anna Camp, Michael Johnson, Matt Pfeffer
In a post economic collapse America, a woman travels alone towards the promise of a utopian dome on the horizon. When she negotiates a ride with strangers, we learn… trust no one on the road to the Neo-Dome. Cast: Anna Camp, Michael Mosley, Nicholas Logan, Anthony Discepolo(Texas Premiere)
Tossers
Showrunners/Screenwriters/Directors: Chase Block, Bryce Van Leuven, Producer: Tim Rowberry
The Tossers two-week scheme is put to the test by Sofia, and a huge order from Salt-Lake Middle School. Cast: Bryce Van Leuven, Natalie Rousseau, Cecil Jennings, Emily Hanley, Casey Hanley, Dejon Wallace, Tua Kealoha, Antonio Lexerot, Nan Weber, Alex Vaughn
(World Premiere)
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