SXSW 2017

SXSW Short Film Review: Adult (Australia, 2017) is an unflinching portrayal of the adult film industry

Based on award winning Greek-Australian author Christos Tsiolkas’ short story Porn 1, Adult is an unflinching portrayal of the adult film industry and the mark its key figures leave on their loved ones. Set in a time long ago when the humble VHS was still a thing, Writer/Director Jamieson Pierce’s short centres on elderly Greek…

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SXSW Film Review: The Light of the Moon (USA, 2017) is more than a victim’s story, but a tale of human complexity

Bonnie is young and worldly, holds a job as an architect and lives in NYC. She has good friends, a pretty good social life and is in a stable relationship with a man who is equally as upwardly mobile, enjoying the same perks as anyone with a career in a city able to hold the…

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SXSW: Justin Hurwitz reveals how La La Land connects to Chazelle’s debut feature Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench

During a special Q&A at the Lionsgate Lounge at SXSW, two-time Academy Award winner Justin Hurwitz hit the stage and the piano to discuss the processes behind composing the music for La La Land. At the end of the almost hour long talk, which included a number of brief performances from Hurwitz as he detailed how…

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SXSW: 13 things we learned about Veep and its sixth season during the cast panel

One of the most anticipated panels at SXSW this year was one featuring the cast and showrunner of the acclaimed HBO comedy series Veep, which returns for a ten episode sixth season on April 16th. The panel, which was the show’s first at SXSW, featured writer/executive producer David Mandel, executive producer/star Julia Louis-Dreyfus and cast…

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SXSW Film Review: Inheritance (USA, 2017) is a powerful piece on finding closure and oneself

When Mara (Jessica Kaye) returns to her childhood home of Belize bringing her lover Aaron (Daniel Ahearn) with the hope to reconnect with her estranged father and brother who live there. After landing, she is met with the heart-breaking news that her father has just passed away, shortly before his 70th birthday. Mara is distraught but does…

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SXSW Film Review: Pornocracy (France, 2016) is a sad indictment on the big business that is the ever-growing porn industry

Porn is a big business. In just six years the planet has watched over a million years’ worth of videos and 100 billion pages are visited and streamed annually. But is there a dark side to the industry? Ovidie, a French journalist and former porn-star attempts to answer this question in her documentary film, Pornocracy,…

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SXSW Film Review: Through The Repellent Fence (USA, 2017) uses art to make an important political statement

As Donald Trump continues promoting his idea of building a wall between the US and Mexico it’s heartening to see that there are some people taking a different approach. Through The Repellent Fence: A Land Art Film is a documentary about a land art installation that attempted to reinforce the notion that borders are an…

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SXSW Film Review: Flesh and Blood (USA, 2017) is a harrowing look into the life of a fractured man and his family

It’s hard not to feel a large sense of relief after reaching the end of Mark Webber‘s latest directorial piece that is Flesh and Blood. Not because the film was a tough watch (which in a way, it is), but rather because you are given the chance to leave the cinema and return to what…

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SXSW Film Review: Rat Film (USA, 2016) provides engaging commentary on the urban history of Baltimore

From writer, photographer and filmmaker Theo Anthony, Rat Film is a documentary that hooks you in and deserves a pedestal. The feature-length film focuses on rats and their lives as a way to explore Baltimore’s urban history and how humans interact with their world. It is clever yet confronting to see rats up close and…

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The House of Vans returns to the Mohawk for SXSW featuring Temples, French Montana and more

It’s no grand overstatement – the House of Vans parties at SXSW are legendary. You stand the chance of seeing the likes of Erykah Badu play the intimate outdoor stage alongside Kelela and Grouplove. Inside, the party continues while the drinks flow. Mohawk plays the perfect host and has been one of our favourite haunts…

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Tkay Maidza, Jimmy Eat World and more confirmed for Pandora SXSW showcases

More juicy showcases are being revealed for SXSW, with Pandora’s updated showcases featuring Jimmy Eat World, Future Islands, and Australia’s Tkay Maidza. The music discovery platform Pandora has lined up four days of superb showcases, which they will be livestreaming, along with artist interviews, on the Pandora at SXSW station. Tune in from March 13-16th to get the lowdown,…

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SXSW Film Review: Barbecue (Australia, 2017) is food porn with a good back story

If there was one thing Jiro Dreams of Sushi did, it was set a precedent that documentaries can be about literally anything. The evidence is in cable broadcasting and the phenomena of reality TV series. There are entire channels dedicated to reality TV programs, filling endless time slots with narratives on cat trainers or house…

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Solange, Jidenna, Middle Kids and more announced for SXSW’s YouTube showcases

YouTube has announced their massive plans for the South by Southwest Conference, expanding to their largest SXSW present to date. What’s set to be one of the absolute highlights of their SXSW events will be their return to downtown Austin’s Coppertank, where YouTube will host a major three-day showcase. The showcase is set to feature…

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Telltale’s Guardians of the Galaxy will be unrelated to the films, PAX East trailer likely

Telltale Games have released a number of screens from their forthcoming Guardians of the Galaxy adventure title, their first in conjunction with Marvel Comics, but acknowledge that their story is entirely separate from the popular Marvel Studios films.

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Mazda Studio SXSW Showcases Announced, featuring Tkay Maidza

The musical mecca that is SXSW is fast nearing, with an amazing suite of showcases announced for the Mazda Studio at Empire, presented by SPIN, Stereogum and VIBE. Sharing the stage with some massive acts, including Danny Brown, Mastodon, The New Pornographers, Beach Slang and Chastity Belt, is Australia’s own Tkay Maidza, a mammoth accomplishment for the South Australian artist….

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11 films you can’t miss at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas

Kicking off in Austin tomorrow, this year’s SXSW has one of their most eclectic line-ups ever, full of hidden treasures through the entire line-up. Trying to cut it down to just ten picks of the event proved impossible, so here are our 11 picks of the films you can’t miss at South by Southwest 2017:…

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Aussies at SXSW 2017: Josh Cashman (Melbourne)

Melbourne’s Josh Cashman is another talented Aussie artist set for his SXSW debut in Austin this month; ahead of all the chaos, we check in to see how the new few weeks are lined up for him! Have you played SXSW before? How are you anticipating heading to Austin? This is my first time! Excited, nervous, a whole…

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Oh Yeah Wow discuss their music video for Millington’s “Being”, in competition at SXSW 2017

The Oh Yeah Wow team have been behind some intriguing and entertaining pieces of film for the likes of Gotye and The Paper Kites in the past, but most recently, their attention has been turned to the story of a woman and her love for a parasite. The brains behind Millington‘s music video for “Being”, in competition at SXSW…

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SXSW: The Man in the High Castle pop-up bar and events announced by Amazon Prime Video

SXSW kicks off on Friday, and among the pile of events that are set to pop-up in Austin during the festival will be a special venue set up by Amazon Prime Video, who will theme the Market & Tap (319 Colorado Street) in Downtown Austin after a number of their series – including their most…

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Director Ryan Patrick talks about his music video for Tesla Boy, “Circles”, in competition at SXSW 2017

Russian band Tesla Boy premiered their single for “Circles” last year to much acclaim, and now its music video is being featured amongst a special selection of clips from around the world at the 2017 SXSW Film & Music Festival in Austin, Texas, for their annual Music Video Competition. In advance of the festival screenings,…

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James Franco’s The Disaster Artist set to premiere at SXSW; 20 other features added to program

Another 21 features have been added to the SXSW Film Festival program for 2017, with James Franco’s The Disaster Artist topping the list, with the Austin event set to hold the anticipated film’s world premiere. The film is about the making of the cult classic The Room – often referred to as the Citizen Kane…

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A look at the Australian & New Zealand films set to premiere at SXSW Film Festival 2017

The SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas has fast become one of the world’s most anticipated and influential events, with film projects big and small making their debut here. Among them in 2017 – at least from the program announced yesterday, will be three Australian films, one from New Zealand, and an American film about…

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SXSW Film Festival reveals mammoth 2017 Feature Program

The 24th annual SXSW Film Festival will be hitting Austin, Texas on March 10th, and today they’ve announced the majority of the 125 feature films set to screen during the 9 day event. The full lineup will include 51 films from first-time filmmakers, 85 World Premieres, 11 North American Premieres and 5 U.S. Premieres. These…

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Terrance Malick set to open SXSW 2017 as the Film Festival announces first run of World Premieres

The 24th annual SXSW Festival has announced its opening night film and a string of world premieres that will help make up the run of screenings that will take the stage in Austin, Texas between March 10th and March 19th, 2017. Starring today’s Golden Globe winner Ryan Gosling, alongside the likes of Cate Blanchett, Christian…

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