NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT
High profile narrative features receiving their World, North American or U.S. premieres at SXSW.
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 (UK)
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 (UK)
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 (Australia)
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
Shining a light on new documentary features receiving their World, North American or U.S. premieres at SXSW.
Bikes vs Cars (Sweden)
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, Adrien Brody
Stone Barn Castle is a documentary portrayal of the pursuit of dreams and the distance one must travel to achieve them. (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)
* SXsports screening