The 32nd edition of SXSW running March 7-14 in Austin, Texas, will open with the Apple TV+ series The Studio starring Seth Rogen and brings world premieres of new films from Nicole Kidman, Rosamund Pike, Ben Affleck, and Paul Rudd.
Rogen stars as the frazzled head of fictitious Continental Studios in The Studio, which debuts on the platform on March 26. Rogen co-directed with Evan Goldberg, and co-wrote with Goldberg and others. The cast includes Catherine O’Hara, Ike Barinholtz, and Katheryn Hahn, with cameos from A-listers.
Anticipated feature highlights include Headliners selections Holland from Amazon Studios, a thriller starring Kidman and Matthew Macfadyen and directed by Mimi Cave; Gavin O’Connor’s thriller The Accountant 2 starring Ben Affleck, Flying Lotus’s sci-fi horror Ash from XYZ Films starring Eiza González, Aaron Paul and Iko Uwais; and A24’s dark comedy Death Of A Unicorn with Rudd and Jenna Ortega from director Alex Scharfman.
Playing in Narrative Spotlight are Jess Varley’s sci-fi horror The Astronaut from Fifth Season starring Kate Mara and Laurence Fishburne; Jay Duplass comedy The Baltimorons with Michael Strassner and Liz Larson; Balkans-set UK drama Surviving Earth from writer-director Thea Gajić; Zak Hilditch’s Australian horror We Bury The Dead with Daisy Ridley; and Uta Briesewitz’s German mystery thriller American Sweatshop with Lili Reinhart.
Matthew Shear’s romantic comedy Fantasy Life with Amanda Peet and Shear premieres in Narrative Feature Competition, while the Documentary Feature Competition strand includes The Secret Of Me from the UK, Grace Hughes-Hallett’s film about a 19-year-old who discovers a secret her doctor and parents hid from her; and Jennifer Peedom’s Australian entry Deeper, about an obsession with cold-water cave systems.
Among Midnighter selections are Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys in psychological thriller Hallow Road (Cze-Ire-UK); action comedy New Jack Fury from Lanfia Wal; and Mattias J Skoglund’s horror The Home (Est-Ice-Swe) with Philip Oros and Anki Lidén.
Overall SXSW will show 96 features including 82 world premieres, three international premieres, three North American premieres, and two US premieres.
Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition, Poster Design, and Special Awards will be announced on March 12 along with all the short film programme winners, while audience awards will be unveiled the following week.
As previously announced, keynotes and speakers include David Duchovny, Chelsea Clinton, Creedence Clearwater Revival lead singer John Fogerty, and IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna.
