To say Tyler Cornack is a visionary would be an understatement. His fearless approach to filmmaking challenges convention, proving that the most compelling stories come from those who refuse to play by the rules. Cornack doesn’t just take creative risks—he fully embraces them, crafting experiences that must be seen to be believed. With Mermaid, he delivers a fish out of water tale that is equal parts poignant, unsettling, hilarious, and immersive—brought to life with precision and an audacious sense of style. Featuring standout performances from Johnny Pemberton and Avery Potemri,
There’s nothing more powerful than a filmmaker reclaiming their own story, but true brilliance comes from knowing how to shape that experience into something bigger than themselves. Daisy Friedman doesn’t just reflect on her past with Unholy—she crafts a deeply resonant and masterfully told exploration of identity, tradition, and the unspoken complexities within family. Inspired by her own struggles with chronic illness, the film follows Noa, played with striking vulnerability by Olivia Nikkanen, as she attends her first Passover Seder since being placed on a feeding tube. Confronted by overbearing
Sweetness isn’t just a film—it’s a layered, unsettling portrait of fame, grief, fixation, and the stories we tell ourselves. A decade in the making, Emma Higgins’ feature debut is a SXSW standout that showcases her bold, genre-bending storytelling. Blending nostalgia, teenage angst, and a striking visual style, the film explores the murky territory between admiration and obsession—creating characters so fully realized they feel like people you know, yet so complex that audiences will be left questioning how they should feel about them. Its visual language shifts between moments of deep
Few projects at this year’s SXSW are likely to strike a chord quite like Mix Tape, a poignant and transportive story about love, music, and the weight of nostalgia. Featuring a stellar cast, including Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe, Cloud Atlas) and newcomer Rory Walton-Smith, who makes a striking debut, the series seamlessly weaves past and present. Alongside them, Teresa Palmer (A Discovery of Witches, Hacksaw Ridge) and Florence Hunt (Bridgerton) bring depth and nuance to Alison across two timelines. Set in Sheffield in 1989, Mix Tape follows teenagers Daniel