SXSW 2015 Film Lineup Includes New Films From Will Ferrell, Amy Schumer, Melissa McCarthy and More
The dust has barely settled from the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, and already we’ve got a look at the lineup for the 2015 South by Southwest Film Festival. After an initial announcement that included opening night film ‘Brand,’ about comedian Russell Brand,’ things have filled out really nicely with a ton of promising-sounding selections.
The full roster of movies is below, but here are a few titles that immediately jumped out to me. ‘7 Days in Hell’ is described as “a fictional documentary-style expose on the rivalry between two tennis stars who battled it out in a 1999 match that lasted seven days” and stars Andy Samberg, Kit Harrington, Will Forte, Lena Dunham, Fred Armisen, John McEnroe, and Serena Williams. The documentary ‘Twinsters’ tells the story “of two strangers who discovered they were potentially twin sisters separated at birth,” a fascinating premise, and ‘Raiders!’ recounts the amazing tale of the childhood friends who made a shot-for-shot remake of ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (and then decided years later to finally finish their movie). And there are big Hollywood films I’m looking forward to as well, ‘Get Hard’ with Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart, ‘Spy’ with Melissa McCarthy and Jason Statham, and ‘Judd Apatow’s ‘Trainwreck’ starring Amy Schumer. And then on top of that there’s, oh I don’t know, 50 more movies that sound amazing. It should be a great festival.
SXSW 2015 runs March 13 through 21 in Austin, Texas. When we’re not busy gorging ourselves on barbecue, the ScreenCrush team will be covering as much of this as we possibly can. Here’s the full lineup:
Narrative Competition
‘6 Years’
Director/Screenwriter: Hannah Fidell
A young couple bound by a seemingly ideal love begins to unravel as unexpected opportunities spin them down a volatile and violent path and threaten the future they had always imagined. Cast: Taissa Farmiga, Ben Rosenfield, Lindsay Burdge, Joshua Leonard, Jennifer Lafleur, Peter Vack, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Molly McMichael, Jason Newman (World Premiere)
‘THE BOY’
Director: Craig Macneill, Screenwriters: Craig Macneill, Clay McLeod Chapman
‘THE BOY’ is an intimate portrait of a 9-year-old sociopath's growing fascination with death. Cast: David Morse, Rainn Wilson, Jared Breeze, Bill Sage, Mike Vogel, Zuleikha Robinson, Aiden Lovekamp (World Premiere)
‘Creative Control’
Director: Benjamin Dickinson, Screenwriters: Benjamin Dickinson, Micah Bloomberg
In near future Brooklyn, an ad executive uses a new Augmented Reality technology to conduct an affair with his best friend’s girlfriend ... sort of. Cast: Benjamin Dickinson, Nora Zehetner, Dan Gill, Alexia Rasmussen, Reggie Watts, Gavin McInnes, Paul Manza, Himanshu Suri (World Premiere)
‘Funny Bunny’
Director/Screenwriter: Alison Bagnall
‘Funny Bunny’ is a serious comedy about a friendless anti-obesity crusader and a trust fund manchild who vie for the heart of a reclusive animal activist and incest survivor, releasing her demons and forming an unlikely 'family' in the process. Cast: Kentucker Audley, Joslyn Jensen, Olly Alexander, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Josephine Decker, Louis Cancelmi, Grace Gonglewski, Nicholas Webber, Caridad de la Luz (World Premiere)
‘The Grief of Others’
Director/Screenwriter: Patrick Wang
Based on Leah Hager Cohen’s critically-acclaimed novel, a family struggles with a tragic loss when an unexpected visitor arrives. She stirs the pain of past betrayals but might also offer an unforeseen gift: a way out of their isolating grief. Cast: Wendy Moniz, Trevor St. John, Oona Laurence, Jeremy Shinder, Sonya Harum, Mike Faist, Rachel Dratch, Chris Conroy (World Premiere)
‘KRISHA’
Director/Screenwriter: Trey Edward Shults
When Krisha returns for a holiday gathering, the only things standing in her way are family, dogs, and turkey. Cast: Krisha Fairchild, Robyn Fairchild, Bill Wise, Chris Doubek, Olivia Grace Applegate, Chase Joliet, Alex Dobrenko, Bryan Casserly, Augustine Frizzell, Trey Edward Shults (World Premiere)
‘Manson Family Vacation’
Director/Screenwriter: J. Davis
The story of two brothers: one who’s devoted to his family, the other who’s obsessed with the Manson Family. Cast: Jay Duplass, Linas Phillips, Leonora Pitts, Tobin Bell, Adam Chernick, Davie-Blue (World Premiere)
‘Quitters’
Director: Noah Pritzker, Screenwriters: Noah Pritzker, Ben Tarnoff
A teenager's family falls apart, so he goes in search of a better one. Cast: Benjamin Konigsberg, Mira Sorivno, Greg Germann, Kara Hayward, Kieran Culkin, Morgan Turner, Saffron Burrows, Scott Lawrence (World Premiere)
‘Sweaty Betty’
Directors/Screenwriters: Joseph Frank, Zachary Reed
On the border of Washington DC, two stories of big dreams take place – a family is determined to turn their 1000 pound pig into the Redskins’ football team mascot, and two teenage fathers scheme a better life for themselves and their children. Cast: Rico Mitchell, Seth Dubose, Floyd Rich III, Chris Rich, Tarich Rich, Floyd Rich V, Chrissy Rich, Charlotte the Pig, Cassy the Dog (World Premiere)
‘Uncle John’
Director: Steven Piet, Screenwriters: Erik Crary, Steven Piet
‘Uncle John’ is an intimately told story that revolves around the struggle to keep a mysterious disappearance unsolved. Cast: John Ashton, Alex Moffat, Jenna Lyng, Ronnie Gene Blevins (World Premiere)
Documentary Competition
‘Breaking a Monster’
Director: Luke Meyer
‘Breaking a Monster’ chronicles the break-out year of the band Unlocking The Truth, as the 12 and 13-year-old members first encounter stardom and the music industry, transcending childhood to become the rock stars they always dreamed of being. (World Premiere)
‘Deep Time’
Director: Noah Hutton
Ancient oceans teeming with life, Norwegian settlers, Native Americans and multinational oil corporations find intimacy in deep time. (World Premiere)
‘FRAME BY FRAME’
Directors: Alexandria Bombach, Mo Scarpelli
After decades of war and an oppressive Taliban regime, four Afghan photojournalists face the realities of building a free press in a country left to stand on its own – reframing Afghanistan for the world and for themselves. (World Premiere)
‘Madina's Dream’
Director: Andrew Berends
An unflinching and poetic glimpse into a forgotten war, ‘Madina’s Dream’ tells the story of rebels and refugees fighting to survive in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains. (World Premiere)
‘Peace Officer’
Directors: Scott Christopherson, Brad Barber
A former sheriff will stop at nothing to confront the SWAT team he founded. (World Premiere)
‘Poached’
Director: Timothy Wheeler
Obsessive egg thieves rob the nests of rare birds while a UK national police force tries to stop them. ‘Poached’ delves into the psychology of these criminals, showing that when passion turns it can destroy the very object of one's desire. (World Premiere)
‘The Sandwich Nazi (Canada)’
Director: Lewis Bennett
Deli owner Salam Kahil is an art collector, a former male escort, an amateur musician, and a sandwich maker to the homeless in Vancouver's poorest neighbourhood but his true passion is talking about blowjobs. (World Premiere)
‘She's The Best Thing In It’
Director: Ron Nyswaner
Broadway legend Mary Louise Wilson teaches her first acting class, smashing her students’ red carpet illusions. An examination of acting and the sacrifices required, featuring Frances McDormand, Melissa Leo, Tyne Daly, Valerie Harper and others. (World Premiere)
‘Twinsters’
Directors: Samantha Futerman, Ryan Miyamoto
Imagine there was someone out there who you'd never met, looked exactly like you and was born on your birthday. Twinsters is the story of two strangers who discovered they were potentially twin sisters separated at birth. (World Premiere)
‘A Woman Like Me’
Directors: Alex Sichel, Elizabeth Giamatti
By creating a fictional character based on herself, filmmaker Alex Sichel learns how to navigate a terminal disease with grace and humor. (World Premiere)
Headliners
‘BRAND: A Second Coming’
Director: Ondi Timoner
‘BRAND: A Second Coming’ follows comedian/author Russell Brand’s evolution from addict & Hollywood star to unexpected political disruptor & newfound hero to the underserved. Brand is criticized for egomaniacal self-interest as he calls for revolution. (World Premiere)
‘Ex Machina’
Director/Screenwriter: Alex Garland
Alex Garland, writer of ‘28 Days Later’ and ‘Sunshine,’ makes his directorial debut with the stylish and cerebral thriller Ex Machina, starring Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, and Alicia Vikander. Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander (North American Premiere)
‘Get Hard’
Director: Etan Cohen, Screenwriters: Story By Adam McKay And Jay Martel & Ian Roberts, Screenplay By Jay Martel & Ian Roberts And Etan Cohen
With a ten-year stint in San Quentin hanging over his head, yuppie Brad hires city Darnell to toughen him up for prison life. Cast: Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart, Tip "T.I." Harris, Alison Brie, Craig T. Nelson. (World Premiere)
‘Hello, My Name is Doris’
Director: Michael Showalter, Screenwriters: Laura Terruso, Michael Showalter
An isolated 60-year-old woman is motivated by a self-help seminar to romantically pursue a younger coworker, causing her to stumble into the spotlight of the local hipster social scene. Cast: Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Beth Behrs, Wendi Mclendon-Covey, Stephen Root, Elizabeth Reaser, Jack Antonoff, Natasha Lyonne, Tyne Daly. (World Premiere)
‘Love & Mercy’
Director: Bill Pohlad, Screenwriters: Oren Moverman, Michael Alan Lerner
‘Love & Mercy’ presents an unconventional portrait of Brian Wilson, iconic leader of the Beach Boys. Cast: John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti (U.S. Premiere)
‘Manglehorn’
Director: David Gordon Green, Screenwriter: Paul Logan
Reclusive small town locksmith, A.J. Manglehorn, who has never recovered from his losing his true love embarks on a new tenuous relationship with a local woman he meets at the bank. Cast: Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Harmony Korine, Chris Messina (U.S. Premiere)
‘Spy’
Director/Screenwriter: Paul Feig
Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst, and the unsung hero behind the Agency’s most dangerous missions. But when her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a global disaster. Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, Peter Serafinowicz, Morena Baccarin and Jude Law (Premiere)
‘Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine’
Director: Alex Gibney
An evocative portrait of the life and work of Steve Jobs that re-examines his legacy and our relationship with the computer. (World Premiere)
Narrative Spotlight
‘7 Chinese Brothers’
Director/Screenwriter: Bob Byington
A man unaccustomed to telling the truth learns to at least describe it. Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Tunde Adebimpe, Eleanore Pienta, Olympia Dukakis, Stephen Root (World Premiere)
‘The Automatic Hate’
Director: Justin Lerner, Screenwriters: Justin Lerner, Katharine O'Brien
When Davis Green's alluring young cousin Alexis shows up on his doorstep, he discovers a side of his family that had been kept secret his entire life. As the two get closer, they set out to uncover the shocking secret that tore their families apart. Cast: Joseph Cross, Adelaide Clemens, Richard Schiff, Yvonne Zima, Vanessa Zima, Catherine Carlen, Caitlin O'Connell, Ricky Jay, Deborah Ann Woll (World Premiere)
‘Bone in the Throat’
Director: Graham Henman, Screenwriters: Graham Henman, Mark Townend
‘Bone in the Throat’ based on celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain's novel of the same, is a gritty fast paced story about a young ambitious chef who is mixed up with the East End London mob. While showing off his culinary skills, he finds himself trapped. Cast: Ed Westwick, Tom Wilkinson, Rupert Graves, Vanessa Kirby, John Hannah, Steve Mackintosh, Andy Nyman (World Premiere)
‘The Final Girls’
Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson, Screenwriters: M. A. Fortin, Joshua John Miller
Max and her friends are mysteriously transported into a famous 1980s horror movie that starred Max's mother, a celebrated scream queen. Reunited, they team up to fight the film's maniacal killer and find their way back home. Cast: Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Adam DeVine, Thomas Middleditch, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Ludwig, Nina Dobrev (World Premiere)
‘Fresno’
Director: Jamie Babbit, Screenwriter: Karey Dornetto
‘Fresno’ is a comedy that follows lonely but stoic lesbian Martha (Natasha Lyonne), whose sister Shannon (Judy Greer), a sex addict with no impulse control and a long history of poor decisions, winds up back in Fresno cleaning hotel rooms with her. Cast: Natasha Lyonne, Judy Greer, Aubrey Plaza, Fred Armisen, Jessica St. Clair, Molly Shannon, Michael Hitchcock, Ron Livingston (World Premiere)
‘The Frontier’
Director: Oren Shai, Screenwriters: Webb Wilcoxen, Oren Shai
A desperate young woman, on the run from the law, discovers a violent gang of thieves at a desert motel and hatches a plan to steal their loot. Cast: Jocelin Donahue, Kelly Lynch, Jim Beaver, Izabella Miko, Jamie Harris, AJ Bowen, Liam Aiken (World Premiere)
‘The Goob’
Director/Screenwriter: Guy Myhill
‘The Goob’ combines the dirty roar of stock car thunder with the visceral vision of a teenage boy’s first love. Cast: Liam Walpole, Sean Harris, Sienna Guillory (North American Premiere)
‘I Dream Too Much’
Director/Screenwriter: Katie Cokinos
Dora Welles is an imaginative college grad ready to experience all the excitement of life. Instead she finds herself in snowy upstate New York caring for her reclusive great aunt (who has lived a much more exciting life than anyone realizes). Cast: Eden Brolin, Diane Ladd, Danielle Brooks, James McCaffrey, Christina Rouner (World Premiere)
‘Ktown Cowboys’
Director: Daniel (DPD) Park, Screenwriters: Danny Cho, Brian Chung
Against the alluring backdrop of LA’s Koreatown, 5 legendary partiers go out for one more night of “Ktown” debauchery, eventually growing up by throwing down like they did in their glory days. Cast: Danny Cho, Bobby Choy, Peter Jae, Sunn Wee, Shane Yoon, Eric Roberts, Steve Byrne, Kim Young Chul, Simon Rhee, Daniel Dae Kim (World Premiere)
‘Lamb’
Director/Screenwriter: Ross Partridge
When a man meets a young girl in a parking lot he attempts to help her avoid a bleak destiny by initiating her into the beauty of the outside world. The journey shakes them in ways neither expects. Cast: Oona Laurence, Ross Partridge, Scoot McNairy, Jess Weixler, Lindsay Pulsipher, Joel Murray, Tom Bower, Jennifer Lafleur (World Premiere)
‘Life in Color’
Director/Screenwriter: Katharine Emmer
With no place to live, two strangers are stuck house sitting together. To get back on their feet, this odd couple reluctantly help each other overcome the very personal obstacles that are holding them back in life and from each other. Cast: Josh McDermitt, Katharine Emmer, Adam Lustick, Fortune Feimster, Jim O'Heir (World Premiere)
‘The Little Death’
Director/Screenwriter: Josh Lawson
An outrageous romantic comedy about sex; secrets; fate; fetish; told through the lives and desires of five ordinary couples. Cast: Bojana Novakovic, Josh Lawson, Damon Herriman, Kate Mulvany, Patrick Brammall, Kate Box, Alan Dukes, Lisa McCune, Erin James, TJ Power (U.S. Premiere)
‘Mania Days’
Director/Screenwriter: Paul Dalio
Two manic-depressive poets meet in a psychiatric hospital and begin a romance which brings out all the beauty and horror of their condition until they have to choose between sanity and love. Cast: Katie Holmes, Luke Kirby, Christine Lahti, Griffin Dunne, Bruce Altman (World Premiere)
‘Night Owls’
Director: Charles Hood, Screenwriters: Seth Goldsmith, Charles Hood
After Kevin has a one night stand with Madeline, he discovers she’s actually his boss’ jilted mistress. When she takes a bottle of sleeping pills, Kevin has to keep her awake... and over the course of the night they begin to fall for each other. Cast: Adam Pally, Rosa Salazar, Rob Huebel, Peter Krause, Tony Hale (World Premiere)
‘Wild Horses’
Director/Screenwriter: Robert Duvall
A Texas ranch family's idyllic life unravels as the Texas Rangers reopen and investigate a 15 year-old missing person case. Cast: Robert Duvall, James Franco, Josh Hartnett, Luciana Duvall, Adriana Barraza, Jim Parrack, Angie Cepeda, Devon Abner (World Premiere)
Documentary Spotlight
‘Bikes vs Cars’
Director/Screenwriter: Fredrik Gertten
The bicycle, an amazing tool for change. Activists and cities all over the world are moving towards a new system. But will the economic powers allow it? (World Premiere)
‘Bounce: How the Ball Taught the World to Play’
Director: Jerome Thélia, Screenwriters: John Fox, Jerome Thélia
‘Bounce: How the Ball Taught the World to Play’ takes us to the far reaches of the globe and the deep recesses of our ancient past to answer the question: Why do we play ball?(World Premiere) * SXsports screening
‘A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story’
Director: Sara Hirsh Bordo
From the producers of the most viewed TEDWomen event of 2013 comes ‘A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story,’ a documentary following the inspiring journey of 25-year-old, 58-pound Lizzie from cyber-bullying victim to anti-bullying activist. (World Premiere)
‘Deep Web’
Director/Screenwriter: Alex Winter
‘Deep Web’ gives the inside story of one of the the most important and riveting digital crime sagas of the century—the arrest of Ross William Ulbricht, the entrepreneur alleged to be “Dread Pirate Roberts,” leader of online black market Silk Road. (World Premiere)
‘For Grace’
Directors: Kevin Pang, Mark Helenowski
A documentary about food, family and sacrifice: The kitchen became Curtis Duffy's refuge after an unimaginable tragedy. Now as one of the country's most renowned chefs, he's building his dream restaurant—but at another point of personal crisis. (World Premiere)
‘For the Record’
Director: Marc Greenberg
‘For the Record’ explores the “steno culture,” tracking several court reporters and captioners as they strive to attain the Guinness title of World's Fastest Court Reporter. (World Premiere)* SXsports screening
‘GTFO: Get The F% Out’
Director: Shannon Sun-Higginson
Almost half of all gamers are women; yet, female gamers are disproportionately subject to harassment and abuse. GTFO seeks to investigate misogyny in video game culture and questions the future of this 20 billion dollar industry. (World Premiere)
‘Kingdom of Shadows’
Director: Bernardo Ruiz
The drug war casts a dark shadow on the lives of a Mexican nun, a U.S. Federal agent and a former drug smuggler who wrestle with the far-reaching repercussions on both sides of the border. (World Premiere)
‘Knock Knock, It's Tig Notaro’
Directors: Michael LaHaie, Christopher Wilcha
In ‘Knock Knock, It's Tig Notaro,’ comedian Tig Notaro travels across the country in order to put on a series of performances in the homes, back yards, barns, and basements of her most loyal fans. (World Premiere)
‘Out To Win’ (USA/Canada)
Director: Malcolm Ingram
‘Out to Win’ is a documentary film that serves as an overview and examination of lives and careers of aspiring and professional gay and lesbian athletes who have fought and struggled to represent the LGBT community and their true selves. (World Premiere) * SXsports screening
‘Raiders!’
Directors: Jeremy Coon, Tim Skousen
In 1982, two 11 year-olds in Mississippi set out to remake ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’ After seven turbulent years, they finished every scene except one. 30 years later, they attempt to finally finish their fan film and realize their childhood dream. (World Premiere)
‘Rolling Papers’
Director: Mitch Dickman
In 2014, recreational marijuana sales began in Colorado. With all eyes on ground zero of the green rush, The Denver Post appointed the world’s first marijuana editor. Pot is legal, journalism is ignited and The Cannabist is covering it as it unfolds. (World Premiere)
‘Sneakerheadz’
Directors: David T. Friendly, Mick Partridge, Screenwriter: David T. Friendly
An in-depth look into the exploding subculture of sneaker collecting and the widespread influence it has had on popular culture around the world. (World Premiere) * SXsports screening
‘Son of the Congo’
Director/Screenwriter: Adam Hootnick
Serge Ibaka’s improbable journey has taken him from the violence of Congo to the top of the NBA. In ‘Son of the Congo,’ Ibaka returns home, hoping his basketball success can help rebuild a country and inspire a new generation to dream of a better life. (World Premiere) * SXsports screening
‘Stone Barn Castle’
Director: Kevin Ford
A chronicle of the journey to restore a historic barn in Upstate New York. (World Premiere)
‘Tab Hunter Confidential’
Director: Jeffrey Schwarz
In the 1950s, Tab Hunter was number one at the box office and on the music charts. Nothing, it seems, can damage his skyrocketing career. Nothing, that is, except for the fact that Tab Hunter is secretly gay. (World Premiere)
‘T-Rex’
Directors: Drea Cooper, Zackary Canepari
17-year-old Claressa 'T-Rex' Shields from Flint, Mich. dreams of being the first woman in history to win the gold medal in Olympic boxing. But in order for her to succeed, she'll need to stand her ground both inside and outside the ring. (World Premiere)
Visions
‘Ava’s Possessions’
Director/Screenwriter: Jordan Galland
Ava is recovering from demonic possession. With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group to figure out what happened. Ava's life was hijacked by a demon, now it's time to get it back. Cast: Louisa Krause, Whitney Able, Deborah Rush, William Sadler, Zachary Booth, Wass Stevens, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, John Ventimiglia, Jemima Kirke, Stella Schnabel (World Premiere)
‘Babysitter’
Director/Screenwriter: Morgan Krantz
A dysfunctional L.A. family hires a mysterious babysitter who changes their lives in this modern twist on the Mary Poppins narrative. Cast: Max Burkholder, Daniele Watts, Valerie Azlynn, Lesley Ann Warren, Amy Landecker, Kitty Patterson (World Premiere)
‘Barge’ (USA/New Zealand)
Director: Ben Powell
Dry land’s misfits find purpose and direction twenty-eight days at a time as the steady hands of a towboat due for the port of New Orleans. (World Premiere)
‘Disaster Playground’
Director: Nelly Ben Hayoun
Hollywood relies on Bruce Willis to save the world in Armageddon, but who are the real-life heroes seeking to save our civilization from the next major asteroid impact? (World Premiere)
‘God Bless the Child’
Directors: Robert Machoian, Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck, Screenwriter: Robert Machoian
After their mother leaves at dawn, Harper, 13, spends the day looking after her four younger brothers, uncertain whether or not her mother will return. Cast: Harper Graham, Elias Graham, Arri Graham, Ezra Graham, Jonah Graham (World Premiere)
‘Honeytrap’
Director/Screenwriter: Rebecca Johnson
‘Honeytrap’ is a tragic teen romance, set in London and inspired by true events. It tells the story of 15 year old Layla, who sets up the boy in love with her to be killed. Cast: Jessica Sula, Lucien Laviscount, Ntonga Mwanza, Naomi Ryan, Danielle Vitalis, Lauren Johns, Savannah Gordon-Liburd, Tosin Cole (North American Premiere)
‘Just Jim’
Director/Screenwriter: Craig Roberts
In a small town where people talk to themselves we meet Jim. Sixteen, mediocre looking and frankly quite boring. Things change dramatically when Dean moves in next door. They quickly become friends and set on a journey together to help Jim come of age. Cast: Emile Hirsch, Craig Roberts (World Premiere)
‘Naz & Maalik’
Director/Screenwriter: Jay Dockendorf
Two closeted Muslim teens have their Friday afternoon ruined by FBI surveillance when their secretive behavior and small-time scheming start to look like fledgling steps toward violent radicalism. Cast: Curtiss Cook Jr., Kerwin Johnson Jr., Annie Grier, Anderson Footman, Bradley Custer, Ashleigh Awusie (World Premiere)
‘Nina Forever’
Directors/Screenwriters: Chris Blaine, Ben Blaine
A fucked up fairy tale. Holly loves Rob and tries to help him through his grief—even if it means contending with his dead girlfriend Nina, who comes back, bloody and broken, every time they make love. Cast: Abigail Hardingham, Cian Barry, Fiona O'Shaughnessy, Elizabeth Elvin, David Troughton (World Premiere)
‘The Nymphets’
Director/Screenwriter: Gary Gardner
A well-to-do 30-something man invites two rowdy young girls to party in his loft, leading to a night of provocation and cruelty, all in the name of getting laid. Cast: Kip Pardue, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Jordan Lane Price, Paulina Singer (World Premiere)
‘One & Two’
Director: Andrew Droz Palermo, Screenwriters: Andrew Droz Palermo, Neima Shahdadi
Two siblings discover a supernatural escape from a troubled home, but find their bond tested when reality threatens to tear their family apart. Cast: Kiernan Shipka, Timothee Chalamet, Elizabeth Reaser, Grant Bowler (World Premiere)
‘Petting Zoo’
Director/Screenwriter: Micah Magee
A story of love, sex and teen pregnancy in San Antonio, Texas. ‘Petting Zoo’ is the portrait of a young woman coming into her own, in an environment that does not always present ideal circumstances. Cast: Devon Keller, Austin Reed, Deztiny Gonzales, Kiowa Tucker (North American Premiere)
‘Planetary’
Director: Guy Reid, Screenwriter: Steve Watts Kennedy
A contemplative exploration into what it means to live on Earth, the roots of our current crises, and the change in perspective that could transform our shared future. (World Premiere)
‘Sailing A Sinking Sea’
Director: Olivia Wyatt
Sailing a Sinking Sea is a feature-length experimental documentary exploring the culture of one of the smallest ethnic minority groups in Asia, the Moken of Thailand and Burma (World Premiere)
‘Uncle Kent 2’
Director: Todd Rohal, Screenwriter: Kent Osborne
In a desperate search to create a follow-up to Joe Swanberg's 2011 film ‘Uncle Kent,’ Kent Osborne travels to a comic convention where he confronts the end of the world. Cast: Kent Osborne, Kate Herman, Lyndsay Hailey, Jennifer Prediger, Steve Little, Joe Swanberg (World Premiere)
‘Unfriended’
Director: Leo Gabriadze, Screenwriter: Nelson Greaves
Ushering in a new era of horror, Universal Pictures’ ‘Unfriended’ unfolds over a teenager’s computer screen as she and her friends are stalked by an unseen figure who seeks vengeance. Cast: Shelley Hennig, Moses Jacob Storm, Renee Olstead, Will Peltz, Jacob Wysocki, Courtney Halverson, Heather Sossaman (U.S. Premiere)
‘A Wonderful Cloud’
Director/Screenwriter: Eugene Kotlyarenko
When Eugene’s ex-GF Katelyn lands in LA to disband their business, the two of them must negotiate between past tensions and future possibilities, in this raw bittersweet rom-com that walks the line between fiction and reality. Cast: Kate Lyn Sheil, Eugene Kotlyarenko, John Ennis, Vishwam Velandy, Rachel Lord, Lauren Avery, Elisha Drons, Niko Karamyan, Tierney Finster, Mikki Olson (World Premiere)
Episodics
‘Angie Tribeca’
Director: Steve Carell, Screenwriters: Steve Carell, Nancy Carell
From the minds of Steve & Nancy Carell comes the new TBS comedy ‘Angie Tribeca,’ a wildly satirical take on police procedurals starring Rashida Jones, Hayes MacArthur, Jere Burns, Deon Cole and Andree Vermeulen. Cast: Rashida Jones, Hayes MacArthur, Deon Cole, Andree Vermeulen, Jere Burns (World Premiere)
‘The Comedians’
Director: Larry Charles
Pilot Written by Ben Wexler, Matt Nix, Larry Charles, Billy Crystal
Episode Two Written By: Ben Wexler
In FX’s ‘The Comedians,’ Billy Crystal plays a comedy legend who is reluctantly paired with Josh Gad, an edgier up-and-coming star, in an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at a fictional late night sketch comedy show where egos and generations collide. Cast: Billy Crystal, Josh Gad (World Premiere)
‘iZOMBIE’
Director: Rob Thomas, Screenwriters: Rob Thomas, Diane Ruggiero-Wright
From Rob Thomas and based on the comic book, the CW Network’s ‘iZOMBIE’ centers on Olivia “Liv” Moore, a bright young woman who’s also a newly turned zombie. She clings to her humanity by working in the city morgue and helping the police investigate unsolved murders. Cast: Rose McIver, Malcolm Goodwin, Rahul Kohli, Robert Buckley, David Anders (World Premiere)
‘Mr. Robot’
Director: Sam Esmail
‘Mr. Robot’ is a psychological thriller about a young programmer who works as a cyber-security engineer by day and a vigilante hacker by night. The USA Network series stars Rami Malek (‘24’) and Christian Slater (‘Adderall Diaries’). Cast: Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Portia Doubleday, Carly Chaikin (World Premiere)
‘UnREAL’
Director: Peter O’Fallon, Screenwriters: Marti Noxon, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro
From Co-Creators Marti Noxon (‘Mad Men’) and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro (‘Sequin Raze’), Lifetime’s highly-anticipated scripted series ‘UnREAL’ is a provocative drama that gives a fictitious behind-the-scenes glimpse into the chaos surrounding the production of a dating competition program. Cast: Shiri Appleby, Constance Zimmer, Craig Bierko, Freddie Stroma (World Premiere)
24 Beats Per Second
‘808’
Director: Alexander Dunn, Screenwriters: Alexander Dunn, Luke Bainbridge
The heart of the beat that changed music. (World Premiere)
‘All Things Must Pass’
Director: Colin Hanks, Screenwriter: Steven Leckart
‘All Things Must Pass’ is a feature documentary that explores the rise and fall of Tower Records, and the legacy forged by its rebellious founder, Russ Solomon. (World Premiere)
‘THE DAMNED: Don't You Wish That We Were Dead’
Director: Wes Orshoski
From Lemmy filmmaker Wes Orshoski comes the story of the long-ignored pioneers of punk, The Damned. (World Premiere)
‘Danny Says’
Director: Brendan Toller
‘Danny Says’ is a documentary unveiling the amazing journey of Danny Fields. Fields has played a pivotal role in music and culture with seminal acts including: the Doors, the Velvet Underground, the Stooges, MC5, Nico, the Ramones and beyond. (World Premiere)
‘Dominguinhos’
Directors: Joaquim Castro, Eduardo Nazarian, Screenwriter: Di Moretti
‘Dominguinhos’ reveals this genius of Brazilian music, creator of a deeply authentic, universal and contemporary work. The film values the sensory cinematic experience, a journey driven by Dominguinhos himself. (U.S. Premiere)
‘The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson’
Director/Screenwriter: Julien Temple
The most extraordinary rock 'n' roll story of recent times. A legendary musician diagnosed with incurable cancer who managed to defy his death sentence. (World Premiere)
‘Gloria’ (Mexico)
Director: Christian Keller, Screenwriter: Sabina Berman
A bold and compelling tale of ambition, betrayal and redemption, ‘Gloria,’ based on a true story, chronicles the life of international pop star Gloria Trevi, the “Mexican Madonna.” Cast: Sofía Espinosa, Marco Pérez, Tatiana Del Real, Ximena Romo (U.S. Premiere)
‘Hot Sugar's Cold World’
Director: Adam Bhala Lough
After a very public break-up with his internet-famous girlfriend, Nick Koenig (aka Hot Sugar)—a brilliant young musician—takes a magical journey around the world to find new sounds for his album, and find himself. (World Premiere)
‘JACO’
Directors: Paul Marchand, Stephen Kijak, Screenwriters: Paul Marchand, Robert Trujillo
‘JACO’ tells the story of Jaco Pastorius, a self-taught, larger-than-life musician who changed the course of modern music. Never-before-seen archive unveils the story of Jaco’s life, his music, his demise, and the lasting victory of artistic genius. (World Premiere)
‘The Jones Family Will Make a Way’
Director/Screenwriter: Alan Berg
A rural, Pentecostal preacher and a jaded rock critic form an unlikely alliance that pushes them both in unexpected ways. (World Premiere)
‘Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck’
Director/Screenwriter: Brett Morgen
‘Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck’ is a raw and visceral journey through Kurt Cobain’s life and his career with Nirvana through the lens of his home movies, recordings, artwork, photography, and journals.
‘Landfill Harmonic’
Directors: Brad Allgood, Graham Townsley
‘Landfill Harmonic’ follows the Recycled Orchestra, a youth group that plays instruments made entirely from trash. When their story goes viral, they are catapulted into the world spotlight. However, a recent event could present their biggest challenge. (World Premiere)
‘Made in Japan’ (USA/Japan)
Director/Screenwriter: Josh Bishop
‘Made in Japan’ is the remarkable story of Tomi Fujiyama, the world’s first Japanese country music superstar. It is a funny yet poignant multi-cultural journey through music, marriage, and the impact of the corporate world on the dreams of one woman. (World Premiere)
‘Mavis!’
Director: Jessica Edwards
Her family group, the Staple Singers, inspired millions and helped propel the civil rights movement with their music. After 60 years of performing, legendary singer Mavis Staples’ message of love and equality is needed now more than ever. (World Premiere)
‘A Poem Is A Naked Person’
Director: Les Blank
A time capsule of Les Blank's take on Oklahoma in 1974 about Leon Russell and his band, with Willie Nelson, George Jones, and some amazing eccentric characters. At least two major critics have declared it the best film ever made on Rock and Roll. (World Premiere)
‘Sir Doug and the Genuine Texas Cosmic Groove’
Director: Joe Nick Patoski, Screenwriters: Joe Nick Patoski, Jason Wehling
Wild hippie cowboy musician with too much music inside, takes his talent from San Antonio to San Francisco to Austin and the world. (World Premiere)
‘Theory of Obscurity: a film about The Residents’
Director/Screenwriter: Don Hardy
‘Theory of Obscurity’ tells the story of the renegade sound and video collective The Residents. A story that spans over 40 years and is clouded in mystery. Many details surrounding the group are secret, including the identities of its members. (World Premiere)
‘They Will Have To Kill Us First’
Director: Johanna Schwartz, Screenwriters: Johanna Schwartz, Andy Morgan
Islamic extremists have banned music in Mali, but its world-class musicians won’t give up without a fight. From conflict, to exile, to homecoming, this film follows the story of Mali’s musicians as they fight for their right to sing. (World Premiere)
‘We Like It Like That’
Director: Mathew Ramirez Warren
‘We Like It Like That’ tells the story of Latin boogaloo, a colorful expression of 1960s New York City Latino soul. From its origins to its recent resurgence, it’s the story of a sound that redefined a generation and was too funky to keep down. (World Premiere)
‘Y/OUR MUSIC’
Directors: David Reeve, Waraluck Hiransrettawat Every
The sounds of Thailand from ricefield to leftfield. (North American Premiere)
SXGlobal
‘15 Corners of the World’ (Poland)
Director/Screenwriter: Zuzanna Solakiewicz
Imagine the sound that can be touched and seen by each of us. You can see unknown corners of the world. Just let your eyes follow your ears. (U.S. Premiere)
‘The Avian Kind’ (South Korea)
Director/Screenwriter: Shin Yeon-Shick
A novelist's search for his wife, who disappeared from view 15 years ago. Cast: KIM Jeong-Suk, Soy KIM, JUNG Han-Bi (North American Premiere)
‘The Ceremony’ (Sweden)
Director/Screenwriter: Lina Mannheimer
France's most famous dominatrix, two close friends and two lovers share their innermost thoughts about love, friendship, dominance and submission—as we meet the unusual and fascinating author Catherine Robbe-Grillet and her inner circle. (North American Premiere)
‘Free Entry’ (Hungary)
Director/Screenwriter: Yvonne Kerékgyártó
‘Free Entry’ is an adventurous journey to adulthood as two 16-year-old girls risk their first steps towards independence, in different ways at the biggest international summer festival of Hungary. Cast: Luca Pusztai, Ágnes Barta, Péter Sándor, Róbert Kardos, Ádám Kovács, Barnabás Janka, Tibor Szolár, Anna Nemes, Katica Nagy (North American Premiere)
‘Good Things Await’ (Denmark)
Director: Phie Ambo, Screenwriters: Phie Ambo, Maggie Olkuska
Niels is one of the last idealistic farmers in the agricultural country of Denmark. But Niels’ ways of farming in accordance with the planets and the primal instincts of the animals are not too popular with the authorities. (U.S. Premiere)
‘Invasion’
Director: Abner Benaim
‘Invasion’ documents the US military siege of Panama that ousted dictator Noriega 25 years ago while wreaking untold collateral damage. It sets out to shatter the willful amnesia of a country all too eager to bury its troubled past.
‘Limbo’ (Germany)
Director/Screenwriter: Anna Sofie Hartmann
A small town on the outskirts of Denmark. Two women—a teenage girl and her schoolteacher—build a strange connection that transforms both of them. A subtle, beautiful, personal film on the state of youth and the uncertainty of being. Cast: Annika Nuka Mathiassen, Sofía Nolsøe (North American Premiere)
‘Monte Adentro’ (Colombia/Argentina)
Director/Screenwriter: Nicolás Macario Alonso
‘Monte Adentro’ explores the universe of one of the last muleteer families in Colombia and follows the lives and mule train of two brothers as they get together for an epic mule driving journey to the highest peaks of the Andes. (North American Premiere)
Festival Favorites
‘Adult Beginners’
Director: Ross Katz, Screenplay: Jeff Cox, Elizabeth Flahive
Out of a job after a disastrous product launch, a big-city yuppie retreats to his suburban childhood home, in this heart-warming and hilarious film about crashing hard, coming home and waking up. Cast: Nick Kroll, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Joel McHale (U.S. Premiere)
‘Being Evel’
Director: Daniel Junge, Screenwriters: Daniel Junge, Davis Coombe
Millions know the man; few know his story. Academy Award-winning director Daniel Junge and producer Johnny Knoxville take a candid look at American daredevil Evel Knievel, while reflecting on our voracious public appetite for heroes and spectacle. * SXsports screening
‘Best of Enemies’
Directors: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon
‘Best of Enemies’ is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God, and sex.
‘City of Gold’
Director: Laura Gabbert
‘City of Gold’ is a documentary portrait that takes us into Jonathan Gold’s universe to tell the improbable story of a revolution inspired by the pen, but driven by the palate.
‘Entertainment’
Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington
En route to meet his estranged daughter and attempt to revive his dwindling career, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the Mojave desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan
‘Finders Keepers’
Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel
‘Finders Keepers’ follows recovering addict and amputee John Wood in his stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction.
‘Heaven Knows What’
Directors: Joshua Safdie, Benny Safdie, Screenwriters: Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie
The latest from acclaimed sibling directors Josh and Benny Safdie (‘Daddy Longlegs’) blends fiction, formalism and raw documentary as it follows a young heroin addict who finds mad love in the streets of New York. Cast: Arielle Holmes, Caleb Landry Jones, Buddy Duress, Necro
‘The Last Man on the Moon’
Director: Mark Craig
One man's part in mankind's greatest adventure... (North American Premiere)
‘The Look of Silence’ (Denmark/Indonesia/Norway/Finland/UK)
Director: Joshua Oppenheimer
Director Joshua Oppenheimer's follow-up to the earth-shattering, Academy Award® nominated ‘The Act of Killing.’
‘Lost River’
Director/Screenwriter: Ryan Gosling
A family tries to hold on to their home in the ruins of a disappearing city. Cast: Christina Hendricks, Iain De Caestecker, Saoirse Ronan, Matt Smith, Reda Kateb, Barbara Stele, Eva Mendes, Ben Mendelsohn (US Premiere)
‘Ned Rifle’
Director/Screenwriter: Hal Hartley
‘Ned Rifle’ is the third and final chapter of Hal Hartley's tragicomic epic begun with ‘Henry Fool’ (1998) and continued with ‘Fay Grim’ (2007). In this swiftly paced and expansive conclusion, Henry and Fay's son, Ned, sets out to find and kill his father. Cast: Liam Aiken, Martin Donovan, Aubrey Plaza, Parker Posey, Thomas Jay Ryan, James Urbaniak, Robert John Burke, Bill Sage, Karen Sillas (US Premiere)
‘The Overnight’
Director/Screenwriter: Patrick Brice
Two families meet at the park and set up a playdate that has unexpected outcomes for all. Cast: Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman, Taylor Schilling, Judith Godrèche
‘Results’
Director/Screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski
A take on self improvement culture in America—with all it's promise and absurdity—stuffed into a peculiar romantic comedy. Cast: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Michael Hall, Brooklyn Decker, Constance Zimmer * SXsports screening
‘Salt of the Earth’
Director: Wim Wenders, Juliano Riberio Salgado, Screenwriters: Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Wim Wenders
For the last 40 years, photographer Sebastião Salgado has been travelling through the continents, in the footsteps of an ever-changing humanity. He is now embarking on the discovery of pristine territories, which is a tribute to the planet’s beauty.
‘Unexpected’
Director: Kris Swanberg, Screenwriters: Kris Swanberg, Megan Mercier
An inner-city high school teacher discovers she is pregnant at the same time as one of her most promising students and the two develop an unlikely friendship while struggling to navigate their unexpected pregnancies. Cast: Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean, Elizabeth McGovern
‘The Visit’
Director/Screenwriter: Michael Madsen
This film documents an event that has never taken place—man’s first encounter with intelligent life from space.
‘Welcome to Leith’
Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker
A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.
‘Western’
Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross
For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life.
Special Events
‘7 Days In Hell’
Director: Jake Szymanski, Screenwriter: Murray Miller
A fictional documentary-style expose on the rivalry between two tennis stars who battled it out in a 1999 match that lasted seven days. Cast: Andy Samberg, Kit Harrington, Michael Sheen, Will Forte, Lena Dunham, Fred Armisen, Mary Steenburgen, Karen Gillan, John McEnroe, Serena Williams (World Premiere) *SXsports screening
Doug Benson & Master Pancake interrupt ‘Leprechaun 3’
Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith
“The directness with which this movie went to video is apparent in nearly every single element.” Tim Brayton, Antagony and Ecstasy. Cast: Warwick Davis, John Gatins, Lee Armstrong
‘Jonathan Demme Presents Made In Texas’
Directors: Louis Black, Mark Rance
The restoration of six films made in Austin in the early 1980s including David Boone's ‘Invasion of the Aluminum People.’ The program was originally curated by Jonathan Demme and presented at the Collective for Living Cinema in NYC. (World Premiere)
‘The Road Warrior’
Director: George Miller, Screenwriters: Terry Hayes, George Miller
In the post-apocalypse future, where humans fight over the few remaining stores of gasoline, Mad Max offers to drive a tanker through a gauntlet of psychos to safety on the coast. Special Q&A to follow with George Miller. Cast: Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Virginia Hey, Emil Minty, Kjell Nilsson, Max Phipps, Vernon Wells, David Slingsby, Steve J. Spears
‘A Space Program’
Director: Van Neistat, Screenwriters: Van Neistat, Tom Sachs
The artist Tom Sachs and his team of bricoleurs build a handmade space program and send two female astronauts to Mars. Cast: Sam Ratanarat, Mary Eannarino, Tom Sachs, Evan Murphy, Chris Beeston, Pat McCarthy, Nick Doyle, Kevin Hand, Jeff Lurie, Jared Vandeusen (World Premiere)
‘Trainwreck’
Director: Judd Apatow, Screenwriters: Amy Schumer, Judd Apatow
Blockbuster filmmaker Judd Apatow (‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin,’ ‘Knocked Up,’ ‘This Is 40’) directs Universal Pictures’ ‘Trainwreck,’ starring breakout comedic actress Amy Schumer (‘Inside Amy Schumer’). Cast: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, Vanessa Bayer, Tilda Swinton, Lebron James, John Cena (Debut of a Work in Progress)
‘Vertical Cinema’
Director: Sonic Acts
‘Vertical Cinema’ is a series of ten newly commissioned large-scale works by experimental filmmakers and audiovisual artists, which are presented on 35mm celluloid and projected vertically with a custom-built projector. (North American Premiere)