While film festivals like Sundance, TIFF and Cannes might come to mind first, Austin’s SXSW, taking place this year from March 13-22, has become one of the more important ones on the annual calendar. Once again Orcasound will be there covering the goings on, but there are so many films to see we will also give you a sampling of the roster of films going to screen at the festival and their screening dates and times. Here are some:
IN & OF ITSELF
(Documentary Feature | World Premiere)
DIRECTOR | Frank Oz
CAST | Derek DelGaudio
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER | Stephen Colbert, Evelyn McGee Colbert, Daryl Roth, Tom Werner
PRODUCER | Glenn Kaino, Vanessa Lauren, Jake Friedman
ABOUT | Storyteller and Conceptual Magician Derek DelGaudio thought he knew who he was, but then a stranger told him the truth. Filmed in an intimate theater in NYC, IN & OF ITSELF chronicles Derek’s attempt to understand the illusory nature of identity and answer one deceptively simple question: Who am I?
Screenings:
Saturday, March 14 at 5:30PM at Stateside Theatre
Sunday, March 15 at 11:15AM Zach Theatre
Friday, March 20 at Satellite Venue: AFS Cinema
GOLDEN ARM
(Narrative Feature | World Premiere)
DIRECTOR | Maureen Bharoocha
CAST | Mary Holland, Betsy Sodaro, Olivia Stambouliah, Eugene Cordero, Aparna Nancherla, Dawn Luebbe, Ron Funches, Ahmed Bharoocha, Dot-Marie Jones, Kate Flannery
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER | Russell Wayne Groves, Ann Marie Allison, Jenna Milly, Jane Fleming, Mark Ordesky
PRODUCER | Geeta Bajaj
ABOUT | Imagine a badass world where women are beautiful badass beings who arm wrestle for money. And they love it! This is not a world familiar to our hero Melanie. She’s a baker in a small town, struggling with debt and a major case of the blahs caused by her failed marriage. When her ex demands half her grandmother’s bakery in their divorce, Melanie has no other choice but to take her best friend Danny’s advice — to train for the Ladies Arm Wrestling Championship and its prize of $15,000. Sounds crazy, right? So crazy, it just might work if Melanie can toughen up and take down the reigning champ, a complete hulk who is also Danny’s arch nemesis, Brenda “The Bonecrusher” Smith!
Screenings:
Sunday, March 15 at 8:00PM at Alamo Lamar B
Tuesday, March 17 at 3:15PM at Alamo Lamar A
Wednesday, March 18 at 7:15PM Alamo Ritz 2
SHIVA BABY
(Narrative Feature Competition | World Premiere)
DIRECTOR & SCREENWRITER | Emma Seligman
PRODUCER | Kieran Altmann, Katie Schiller, Lizzie Shapiro
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER | Rhianon Jones, Martin Altmann, Fiona Altmann, Sue Ann Collins
CAST | Rachel Senott, Polly Draper, Molly Gordon, Danny Deferrari, Dianna Agron, Fred Malamed
ABOUT | A young woman struggles to keep up different versions of herself when she runs into her sugar daddy and her ex-girlfriend at a shiva with her parents.
Screenings:
Sunday, March 15 at 11:15AM at Alamo Lamar D
Monday, March 16 at 5:15PM at Violet Crown Cinema 2
Monday, March 16 at 5:45PM at Violet Crown Cinema 4
Friday, March 20 at 10:45AM at Alamo Ritz 2
HBO’s
AFTER TRUTH:
DISINFORMATION AND THE COST OF FAKE NEWS
(Documentary Spotlight | World Premiere)
***Premiering on HBO March 19, 2020***
DIRECTOR | Andrew Rossi
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER | Brian Stelter
CAST | Kara Swisher, James Alefantis, Aaron Rich, Oliver Darcy, Will Sommer, Craig Silverman, Ross Ramsey, Elizabeth Williamson, Adam Goldman, Yochai Benkler
ABOUT | In the age of social media, this eye-opening documentary examines the rising phenomenon of “fake news” in the U.S. and the impact that disinformation, conspiracy theories and false news stories have on the average citizen. The film focuses on several high-profile made-up news stories in recent years with real world consequences, including the infamous “Pizzagate” case, the disinformation campaigns that influenced the 2016 presidential election, the Jade Helm conspiracy, and others. Drawing from exclusive verite access and interviews with a variety of experts, as well as purveyors and targets of misinformation, the documentary sheds light on how post-truth culture has become an increasingly dangerous part of the global information environment. Directed by Andrew Rossi and executive produced by Brian Stelter.
Screenings:
Monday, March 16 at 2:00PM at Zach Theatre
BEST SUMMER EVER
(Narrative Spotlight | World Premiere)
DIRECTORS | Michael Parks Randa and Lauren Smitelli
WRITTEN BY | Will Halby, Michael Parks Randa, Lauren Smitelli, Andrew Pilkington, Terra Mackintosh
PRODUCERS | Andrew Pilkington, Terra Mackintosh, Leah Romond, Jake Sharpless, Katie White
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS | Will Halby, Ila Halby, Peter Halby, Vanessa Halby, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Amy Brenneman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ted Danson & Mary Steenburgen, Michael Parks Randa, Michael Barnett, Stacie & Rod Pitts, Abhilash Patel, Ken Hirsch, Jeff Pechter, Susan Halby, Dominique Dauwe, Angela Howard, George Loenig & Kimbrough Towles, Kat Taylor & Tom Steyer, Becky Blodgett, Lindsay Eberts
CAST | Shannon DeVido, Rickey Wilson Jr., MuMu, Jacob Waltuck, Emily Kranking, Bradford Hayes, Eileen Grubba, Holly Palmer, Ajani A.J. Murray, Lawrence Carter-Long
ABOUT | A fresh and exhilarating take on the beloved teen musical genre featuring eight original songs and a fully integrated cast and crew of people with and without disabilities
Screenings:
Saturday, March 14 at 11:15AM at Austin Convention Center – SXSW Film Theater
Monday, March 16 at 8:45PM at Rollins Theatre at The Long Center
Thursday, March 19 at 6:00PM at Satellite Venue: AFS Cinema
HBO’s
BABY GOD
(Documentary Spotlight | Documentary Feature)
Director & Producer: Hannah Olson
Executive Producer: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady
Logline | For more than 30 years, Dr. Quincy Fortier covertly used his own sperm to inseminate his fertility patients. Now his secret is out. Baby God follows his children as they seek the truth about his motives and try to make sense of their own identities.
Screenings:
Friday, March 13 at 5:30PM at Alamo Lamar
Saturday, March 14 at 8:45PM at the Rollins Theatre at The Long Center
THE REASON I JUMP
(Festival Favorites | Documentary Feature)
Based on the Book by | Naoki Higashida
Director | Jerry Rothwell
Producers | Jeremy Dear, Stevie Lee, Al Morror
Executive Producer | Stewart le Marechal, Jonny Persey, Peter Webber, Paul G. Allen, Rocky Collins, Jannat Gargi, Ruth Johnston, Carole Tomko, Lizzie Francke
Logline | Based on the best-selling book by Naoki Higashida, THE REASON I JUMP is an immersive film exploring the experiences of nonspeaking autistic people from around the world.
Screenings:
Friday, March 13 at 8:30PM at Violet Crown Cinema 2
Friday, March 13 at 9:00PM at Violet Crown Cinema 4
Saturday, March 14 at 11:30AM at Alamo Lamar C
Saturday, March 21 at 5:00PM at Alamo Lamar C
