SXSW 2024 | What are the highlights of this year’s SXSW Film Festival and how to attend?

The news earlier today that The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, will be attending this year’s SXSW Film and TV Festival reminded us at NationalWorld that this year’s event is two days away and had us browsing through this year’s programme to pick out some of our highlights.

Part of the bigger South By Southwest Festival that also features its acclaimed musical programming, the film element grew in size and reputation, attracting filmmakers, industry professionals, and cinephiles from around the world. 

The festival became known for its eclectic programming, which included a mix of narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and experimental films, with some feature films that had their world premieres at SXSW going on to receive major accolades and critical acclaim. “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” which premiered at SXSW before its general release, happens to be one of those films that earned a raft of accolades - including several wins at the 2023 Academy Awards.

So while some of us mull over the question if Francis Ford Coppola will screen “Megalopolis” as part of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, what are some of NationalWorld’s highlights at SXSW this year?

What are the opening and closing night films at SXSW 2024?

Opening the SXSW Film Festival this year is a feature that is shortly going to also make it’s way onto Prime Video by the end of the month; the reimaging of the Patrick Swayze cult classic “Road House,” with Jake Gyllenhaal taking the lead role as a former MMA fighter tasked with working at a local “joint,” only to discover things aren’t exactly how they appear. UFC fans can also expect a host of names from the world of mixed martial arts to be involved, including “The Notorious” Conor McGregor.

Closing this year’s festival is the Anne Hathaway-led adaptation of Robinne Lee’s “The Idea of You,” a romantic drama in which Solène (Hathaway) is a 40-year-old divorced mother who, at her ex-husband’s request, takes their 16-year-old daughter to Coachella and things take a surprising turn when she strikes up a budding romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of the famous pop boyband August Moon. That too is expected to arrive on Prime Video in May 2024.

What are some of the other film highlights at SXSW 2024?

Too many to list them all in one article, but we’ve picked out some of our favourites from this year’s selection.

“Sing Sing” is the latest A24 film which has just seen its trailer released mere days before the start of the festival. The film stars 2024 Oscar nominee Colman Domingo (“Rustin”) as Divine G, imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men, including a wary newcomer (Clarence Maclin), in this stirring true story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.

Action director David Leitch also finally screens his long-awaited remake of “The Fall Guy,” which at one stage was meant to be on Netflix already - but for those attending SXSW this year, prepare to see 2024 Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling as 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.

It’s also a world premiere for “28 Days Later” and “Ex Machina” filmmaker Alex Garland, who will screen his new film “Civil War” during the festival. The film, starring Kirsten Dunst and “Priscilla” star Cailee Spaeny, is said to be “an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride through a near-future fractured America balanced on the razor’s edge.”

SXSW 2024 will also be where British actor Dev Patel screens his directorial debut with “Monkey Man.” Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meagre living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash.

Are any awards given out at SXSW?

There are indeed; awards handed out at SXSW across various categories, including Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition, Design Awards, and Special Awards during the Film & TV Awards ceremony.

Interestingly, SXSW is also an official qualifying festival for the Academy Awards Short Film competition. The winners of the Best Animated, Best Narrative and Best Documentary Short Film categories at SXSW are eligible for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awards, commonly known as the Oscars. Additionally, any British Short Film or British Short Animation that is screened at SXSW is eligible for a BAFTA nomination. Furthermore, the films that participate in the festival are eligible for the Independent Spirit Awards.

When does the SXSW Film Festival take place?

The 2024 SXSW Film and Television Festival begins on March 8 2024 and runs until March 16 2024.

How can I get tickets to events taking place at SXSW Film Festival 2024?

It’s not quite as easy as buying a ticket to a screening; given the nature of SXSW Festival, attendance is more a case of buying a pass to attend the screenings and events, or in SXSW’s case, a “badge.”

For more information on what badges entail and what access during SXSW 2024, you can visit the official page on the website regarding attendance; for those who just want to know the cost of a pass to the Film and TV screenings, you’re looking at a cool $1595 for the smorgasbord of screenings on offer.