The crew weighs in on which films they are most excited to see.
The 2018 edition of the SXSW Conference and Festivals is here, and the Cinapse team is on the ground, covering all things film.
For complete coverage, please visit cinapse.co/sxsw.
Elizabeth Stoddard
My mind hasn’t fully grasped that it is SXSW time already, but I went ahead and set up a “possible” schedule. (It’s overloaded so I have plenty of options.) As far as the screenings I’m most excited to see, Fast Color from director Julia Hart tops the list. Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw (I’m still trying to make #decadeofgugu happen), this supernatural thriller makes its world premiere at the fest. It also stars Lorraine Touissaint and David Straithairn and is co-written by La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz. Besides the cast & crew, details are sketchy, but I’m definitely intrigued.
I can’t get enough of goofy New Zealand humor, so The Breaker Upperers is also on my must-see list. Two women run a business where they break up with people, but things run awry when one of them falls for a client. This one is written and directed the team of Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami (both appeared in What We Do in the Shadows), and Taika Waititi is executive producing. Check out the trailer.
Another one that I’m eager to see (thanks to its adorable trailer) is Irish documentary Making the Grade. As a former kid who wished for piano lessons, this film looks like my kind of comfort viewing. I am hoping to catch these screenings, as well: Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (Mr. Rogers!), Ruben Blades Is Not My Name, Half the Picture (a doc about women filmmakers and the discrimination they face), and Never Goin’ Back (from Texan director Augustine Frizzell). See you at the fest! Stay hydrated, friends.
David Delgado
The Dawn Wall: I’ve been waiting for this documentary for literally years. At the time this climb happened, many widely considered it to be one of, if not the, greatest athletic feats ever accomplished by a human. It’s a fascinating story about what is arguably the hardest rock climb in the world and the guy who dreamed of it, Tommy Caldwell. His memoir The Push chronicles this journey, but the story has always demanded a visual accompaniment. When you see how high up he is and the type of non-existent footholds he had to deal with, you’ll believe that people can accomplish anything. Here’s a quick clip to see what I’m talking about.
Jon Partridge @Texas_Jon
As ever, I am unprepared for SXSW, embracing the “leaf on the wind” approach by scheduling on the fly. But obviously there are a few standouts for me. Top of the list, Hereditary. The trailer for this film is already the most unnerving thing I’ve seen this year, combined with the A24 seal of quality, it’s sure to make it’s mark on the festival.
On the lighter side, the new feature from the producers of The Hunt for the Wilderpeople is on my radar. That quirky New Zealand sensibility vibes with me strongly so fingers crossed The Breaker Upperers delivers.
Finally, Star Wars The Last Jedi was one of the most entertaining and audacious blockbusters in years, so gaining more insight into it’s creation excites me greatly, and The Director and the Jedi looks to offer that in spades.
Ed Travis
Every year I feel less and less prepared to wade into the chaos of SXSW Film. There are so many filmic treasures awaiting me, but I don’t always know much about those hidden gems going in. That said, there are a few films I’m very excited to catch at this year’s festival. Perhaps the most “Could have been crafted specifically for Ed Travis” film at this year’s fest is A24’s A Prayer Before Dawn starring Peaky Blinders’ Joe Cole as a boxer fighting his demons in a Thai prison fight ring. You best believe I’ll be there. That’s the film that I both highly anticipate and feel confident that I will love.
I’m also looking forward to big “question mark” films that I know much less about such as: Galveston (love Ben Foster), Prospect (love indie sci-fi), Hereditary (heard amazing things about this horror film from other fests), and Blindspotting (need to pretend I’m familiar with Hamilton star Daveed Diggs). As always happens, I will make some beloved discoveries and take some chances during the fest that will lead to new films I really dig and wasn’t familiar with at all prior to the fest. See you on the other side!
Rod Machen
Go to SXSW long enough, and you’ll start seeing some of the same names over and over. When those names belong to talented filmmakers, it leads to much anticipation.
One of those names is Anna Margaret Hollyman, very much a veteran of the fest. If she’s not in at least one feature or short every year, I’m shocked. This year, she’s got a two-fer. She steps behind the camera for the short film Maude, which looks to be a fun exploration on friendship and aspiration. She’s also starring in Austin filmmaker Michael Tully’s Don’t Leave Home, a story with Irish roots about a creepy urban legend.
Seattle’s Lynn Shelton is back at the fest. I loved My Effortless Brilliance from several years ago, and this year’s Outside In promises to be an interesting take on teacher-student relationships starring Edie Falco and Jay Duplass.
A couple more Austin films have my attention as well. Damsel by the Zellner brothers takes these indie auteur out to the Wild West. Support the Girls is my opening night pick, and sees director Andrew Bujalski tell a story set inside a “breast-aurant.” Why not!?