The 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival

The SXSW Film and TV Festival is one of the largest of its kind in the world. In a typical year, thousands of fans arrive in downtown Austin, TX to partake in a couple of weeks of great music, technology, and film. For this special episode of The Hollywood Outsider, we take you along for our annual deep dive into the heart of the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival portion, and even further into the films themselves.

Over the course of several days, the 2024 SXSW Film and TV Festival screened numerous features, TV premieres, many from first-time filmmakers (consisting of World Premieres, North American Premieres, and US Premieres), shorts, virtual reality exhibits, AI advancements, and other works. These films were selected from thousands of overall submissions, and – while we can’t see them all – we have a nice sample to share with you of what came out of this stellar lineup of independent and popular films and television series. Over 25 films are on our docket this year, and we review them all (including The Fall Guy, Road House, and Black Box Diaries), as well as snippets from panels and a whole lot more!

So sit back and relax. You’re about to experience the 2024 SXSW Film and TV Festival from the comfort of your own home.

Discussed on this episode of The Hollywood Outsider Movie and TV Podcast:

Title Description
Backspot Director: D.W. Waterson, Producers: Alona Metzer, D.W. Waterson, Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs, Martin Katz, Screenwriter: Joanne Sarazen

Riley, a mid-level cheerleader, is given an opportunity to cheer for the Thunderhawks. With a competition looming, Riley must navigate her crippling anxiety, her relationship with her girlfriend and her desperate need for approval from her new coach. Cast: Devery Jacobs, Kudakwashe Rutendo, Thomas Antony Olajide, Noa DiBerto, Olunike Adeliyi, Wendy Crewson, Shannyn Sossamon, Evan Rachel Wood

Road House Director: Doug Liman, Producer: Joel Silver, Screenwriters: Anthony Bagarozzi, Charles Mondry

In this adrenaline-fueled reimagining of the 80s cult classic, ex-UFC fighter Dalton takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems. Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Joaquim de Almeida, Conor McGregor, Lukas Gage, Arturo Castro, B.K. Cannon, Beau Knapp, Darren Barnet, Dominique Columbus, Bob Menery, Catfish Jean, Kevin Carroll, Travis Van Winkle, Hannah Love Lanier

Magpie 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 Bennett-Warner, Alistair Petrie

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

Hunting Daze 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

Switch Up Director: Tara Pirnia, Producers: Elizabeth Avellan, Marcela Ronquillo, Tara Pirnia, Cristian de la Fuente, Melissa Bickerton, Angela Blair, Screenwriters: Felice Heather Monteith, Tara Pirnia, Tina Contogenis, Pamela Beach

One of the nation’s top talk show hosts finds himself stranded at a homeless shelter where he meets a young widow. He falls in love and realizes the path to happiness lies in helping others. Cast: Cristian de la Fuente, Julieth Restrepo, Jeff Fahey, Shondrella Avery, R. Brandon Johnson, Temple Baker, Donnell Rawlings, Alicia Witt, Manuel Uriza, Felice Heather Monteith

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

The Hobby Director: Simon Ennis, Producers: Kim C. Roberts, Tina Pehme, Justin Rebelo

Are games the meaning of life? The Hobby is a funny, affectionate, character-driven portrait of the massive subculture of modern board games, featuring a fascinating and diverse group of subjects who find deep meaning in “meaningless” pursuits.

Arcadian Director: Ben Brewer, Producers: David Wulf, Braxton Pope, Nicolas Cage, Mike Nilon, Arianne Fraser, Delphine Perrier, Screenwriter: Mike Nilon

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. Cast: Nicolas Cage, Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins, Sadie Soverall

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

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

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, Tina Lifford, Sarah Goldberg, Maria Dizzia, Kara Young, Hari Dhillon, Paul Adelstein, Mischa Reddy

Mindfulness Over Perfection: Getting Real On Mental Health It’s tempting to share only the highlight reel of our lives, but when we’re open about the difficult moments as well, we make it easier to tap into our emotions and create space for other people to process theirs, too. In this panel session, Wondermind co-founders Selena Gomez and Mandy Teefey will explore the importance of bringing mental health conversations into the light alongside Solomon Thomas and Dr. Corey Yeager – not just for decreasing stigma and building awareness, but as a way to deal in hard times. Moderated by Dr. Jessica Stern, the conversation will cover the importance of flexibility over strict routines in mental healthcare, dealing with negative self-talk, and getting real about when you’re not feeling OK. Selena Gomez, Mandy Teefey, Solomon Thomas, Dr. Corey Yeager
The In Between 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.

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

Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen Women’s representation in media and entertainment has come a long way, but there’s still much to be done, especially for women of color and mothers. Social media’s omnipresence has raised the stakes, creating an often dangerous environment which has led to serious mental health issues for teenage girls in particular. On International Women’s Day, we’ll hear from visionary female leaders at the forefront of news, media, entertainment and philanthropy who are breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and working toward a healthier society on and off our screens. Meghan Markle, Katie Couric, Brooke Shields, Errin Haines, Nancy Wang Yuen
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

I Saw the TV Glow Director/Screenwriter: Jane Schoenbrun, Producers: Emma Stone, Ali Herting, Dave McCary, Kevin Kelly, Sam Intilli, Sarah Winshall

Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack. Cast: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Helena Howard, Fred Durst, Danielle Deadwyler

Roleplay Director: Katie Mathews, Producers: Darcy McKinnon, Jenny Mercein, Katie 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.

Mamifera 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

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

Marvin Is Sorry  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.
Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story Director: Charlie Hamilton James, Producer: Jeff Wilson

From National Geographic and Silverback Films, Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story is a heart-warming story of love between a wild otter and a man set in the remote Scottish islands of Shetland.

Black Box Diaries Director: Shiori Ito, Producers: Eric Nyari, Hanna Aqvilin, Shiori Ito

Journalist Shiori Ito embarks on a courageous investigation of her own sexual assault in an improbable attempt to prosecute her high-profile offender.

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)

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