Your Ultimate Guide to SXSW ’24: The 24 Films, TV Shows, Music Artists, Panels, and Events to Check Out in Austin
As another South by Southwest (SXSW) approaches, the abundance of programming across film, television, gaming, and the interactive track may leave you pondering how to curate your schedule effectively. With countless options competing for your attention, deciding what to prioritize can be daunting. Fortunately, we’ve assembled the ultimate guide to SXSW 2024, providing insights into the essential events, standout panels, captivating workshops, and invaluable networking opportunities that demand your attention. Whether you’re a seasoned attendee or a newcomer to SXSW, our comprehensive guide will help you navigate the festival’s diverse offerings and ensure you make the most of this dynamic experience.
Film & TV
Road House
Director: Doug Liman, Producer: Joel Silver, Screenwriters: Anthony Bagarozzi, Charles Mondry
In this adrenaline-fueled reimagining of the 80s cult classic, ex-UFC fighter Dalton takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems. Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Joaquim de Almeida, Conor McGregor, Lukas Gage, Arturo Castro, B.K. Cannon, Beau Knapp, Darren Barnet, Dominique Columbus, Bob Menery, Catfish Jean, Kevin Carroll, Travis Van Winkle, Hannah Love Lanier (World Premiere)
Screening: Paramount Theatre – Mar 8, 2024 (6:00pm—7:54pm)
Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion in 4 Parts
Director/Screenwriter: Shaun Seneviratne, Producers: Shaun Seneviratne, Doron Jepaul Mitchell
The romantic reunion of Ben Santhanaraj and Suzanne Hopper is thwarted when Suzanne’s boss asks her to work during their holiday road trip in Sri Lanka. Cast: Sathya Sridharan, Anastasia Olowin (World Premiere)
Screenings:
- Alamo Lamar 5 – Mar 11, 2024 (7:15pm—9:04pm)
- Alamo Lamar 6 – Mar 12, 2024 (5:45pm—7:34pm)
- Alamo Lamar 9 – Mar 14, 2024 (2:30pm—4:19pm)
A House Is Not A Disco
Director: Brian J. Smith, Producers: Jeremy Truong, Joe Conforti
What if you really did put all the gays on an island? In this vibrant portrait of queer paradise, Fire Island Pines, past and present blur as the iconic beach town bands together to celebrate its legacy and redefine itself for a new, inclusive era. (World Premiere)
Screenings:
- Alamo Lamar 4 – Mar 8, 2024 (3:45pm—5:15pm)
- Alamo Lamar 6 – Mar 10, 2024 (3:30pm—5:00pm)
- Satellite Venue: AFS Cinema – Mar 14, 2024 (9:00pm—10:30pm)
A Nice Indian Boy
Director: Roshan Sethi, Producers: Renee Witt, Charlie McSpadden, Andrew Calof, Justin Baldoni, Screenwriters: Eric Randall, Madhuri Shekar
When Naveen brings his fiancé Jay home to meet his family, his traditional Indian parents must contend with accepting his white-orphan-artist-boyfriend and helping them plan the most fabulous Indian wedding their community has ever seen. Cast: Karan Soni, Jonathan Groff, Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg, Harish Patel, Peter S. Kim, Sas Goldberg (World Premiere)
Screenings:
- Stateside Theatre – Mar 12, 2024 (1:30pm—3:06pm)
- Alamo Lamar 4 – Mar 13, 2024 (2:45pm—4:21pm)
- ZACH Theatre – Mar 14, 2024 (9:30pm—11:06pm)
I Wish You All The Best
Director/Screenwriter: Tommy Dorfman, Producers: Matt Kaplan, Tommy Dorfman
After Ben, a non binary teen, is kicked out of their conservative parents house, they move in with their estranged sister and embark on a journey of self-discovery that teaches them about love, friendship, and family. Cast: Corey Fogelmanis, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Alexandra Daddario, Cole Sprouse, Lena Dunham, Amy Landecker, Lexi Underwood, Lisa Yamada, Judson Mills, Brian Michael Smith (World Premiere)
Screenings:
- Alamo Lamar 4 – Mar 12, 2024 (3:15pm—4:47pm)
- Stateside Theatre – Mar 14, 2024 (2:30pm—4:02pm)
Bob Trevino Likes It
Director/Screenwriter: Tracie Laymon, Producers: Tracie Laymon, Sean Mullin, Edgar Rosa, Felipe Dieppa
After searching for her estranged father online, a people-pleasing young woman unexpectedly forms a close bond with a grieving, childless man with the same name as her father on Facebook. Inspired by a true story. Cast: Barbie Ferreira, John Leguizamo, French Stewart, Lauren “Lolo” Spencer, Rachel Bay Jones (World Premiere)
Screenings:
- ZACH Theatre – Mar 9, 2024 (3:00pm—4:42pm)
- Alamo Lamar 8 – Mar 12, 2024 (10:45am—12:27pm)
- Alamo Lamar 7 – Mar 12, 2024 (11:15am—12:57pm)
- Alamo Lamar 6 – Mar 16, 2024 (2:15pm—3:57pm)
We’re All Gonna Die
Directors/Screenwriters: Freddie Wong, Matthew Arnold, Producer: Adam Maffei
A struggling beekeeper is forced to team up with an emotionally raw EMT on a roadtrip to retrieve her bees (and his car) after their stuff is suddenly teleported across the country by a massive alien tentacle that looms over Earth. Cast: Ashly Burch, Jordan Rodrigues, Nicole Javier, Chase Mangum, Luis Antonius Canete, Tom E. Proctor, Clinton Lowe, Vin Vescio, Beth May, Alexander Chard (World Premiere)
Screenings:
- ZACH Theatre – Mar 10, 2024 (2:15pm—4:05pm)
- Rollins Theatre at The Long Center – Mar 12, 2024 (9:45pm—11:35pm)
- Violet Crown Cinema 2 – Mar 13, 2024 (5:15pm—7:05pm)
- Violet Crown Cinema 4 – Mar 13, 2024 (5:45pm—7:35pm)
Dead Mail
Directors/Screenwriters: Kyle McConaghy, Joe DeBoer, Producers: Zachary Weil, Brett Arndt
An ominous, bloody help note finds its way to the desk of a seasoned “dead letter” investigator at a 1980’s Midwestern post office, leading him down a violent, unforeseen path to a kidnapped keyboard engineer and his demented business associate. Cast: Sterling Macer, Jr., John Fleck, Susan Priver, Micki Jackson, Nick Heyman, Tomas Boykin (World Premiere)
Screenings:
- Violet Crown Cinema 2 – Mar 9, 2024 (3:00pm—4:46pm)
- Violet Crown Cinema 4 – Mar 9, 2024 (3:30pm—5:16pm)
- Alamo Lamar 8 – Mar 11, 2024 (8:45pm—10:31pm)
- Alamo Lamar 7 – Mar 11, 2024 (9:15pm—11:01pm)
- Alamo Lamar 8 – Mar 13, 2024 (2:00pm—3:46pm)
- Alamo Lamar 7 – Mar 13, 2024 (2:30pm—4:16pm)
Marvin Is Sorry
Showrunners/Screenwriters: Brett Morrow, Alex Gehrlein, Jack Gacek, Director: Clint Pang, Producers: Aidan Erbter, Kenzie Packer
After accidentally killing one of his fans during the filming of a YouTube video, famed YouTuber Marvin Weaver must save his career by teaming up with Tag Taggart, an alt-right news anchor bent on cultural domination. Cast: Sam Song Li, Matt Walton, Haskiri Velazquez, Lea Zawada, Donna Vivino, Lucas Caleb Rooney (World Premiere)
Screenings:
- Alamo Lamar 5 – Mar 10, 2024 (3:00pm—4:53pm)
- Alamo Lamar 6 – Mar 14, 2024 (5:30pm—7:23pm)
Dìdi (弟弟)
Director/Screenwriter: Sean Wang, Producers: Carlos López Estrada, Josh Peters, Valerie Bush, Sean Wang
In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can’t teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom. Cast: Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Shirley Chen, Chang Li Hua (Texas Premiere)
Screenings:
- Stateside Theatre – Mar 12, 2024 (8:45pm—10:18pm)
- Alamo Lamar 5 – Mar 13, 2024 (10:45pm—12:18am)
Música
Director: Rudy Mancuso, Producers: McG, Mary Viola, Screenwriters: Rudy Mancuso, Dan Lagana
Based on writer, director and star Rudy Mancuso, Música is a coming-of-age love story that follows an aspiring creator with synesthesia, who must come to terms with an uncertain future, while navigating love, family and his Brazilian Culture. Cast: Rudy Mancuso, Camila Mendes, Francesca Reale, Maria Mancuso, J.B. Smoove (World Premiere)
Screening: ZACH Theatre – Mar 13, 2024 (3:00pm—4:31pm)
The Greatest Hits
Director/Screenwriter: Ned Benson, Producers: Michael London, Shannon Gaulding, Ned Benson, Stephanie Davis, Cassandra Kulukundis
Harriet finds art imitating life when she discovers certain songs can transport her back in time – literally. Cast: Lucy Boynton, Justin H. Min, David Corenswet, Austin Crute (World Premiere)
Screening: Paramount Theatre – Mar 14, 2024 (11:45am—1:19pm)
The Idea of You
Director: Michael Showalter, Producers: Cathy Schulman, Gabrielle Union, Anne Hathaway, Robinne Lee, Eric Hayes, Michael Showalter, Jordana Mollick, Screenwriters: Michael Showalter, Jennifer Westfeldt
Based on the acclaimed, contemporary love story of the same name, The Idea of You centers on Solène, a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. Based upon the book by Robinne Lee. Cast: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Reid Scott, Annie Mumolo, Viktor White, Raymond Cham, Jaiden Anthony, Dakota Adan, Perry Mattfeld, Mathilda Gianopoulos, Jordan Aaron Hall
Screening: Paramount Theatre – Mar 16, 2024 (7:00pm—8:55pm)
Events & Activations
Audible Sound Experience
Let your imagination run wild at the Audible Sound Experience at SXSW! Audible brings you the greatest range of audio content on the planet–stories that feed the imagination with new ideas, perspectives, and voices.
12-5pm: Stop by to see Austin from atop Audible’s Ferris wheel, play carnival games, win prizes, and discover your next listen.
8-10pm: Join us after dark for a special performance, heightened experiences, and delectable refreshments.
Location: 3rd and Congress Lot
Dates & Times: 12:00pm – 10:00pm
Paramount+’s The Lodge at SXSW 2024
Welcome to Paramount+’s The Lodge! From the Mountain to Rainey St, this tour will take you on a journey through the unique world of Paramount+. Sip on themed cocktails at the Lawmen: Bass Reeves‘ speakeasy, or grab an Azalea, the signature drink of The Masters, at the Paramount+ Pub. Fans are invited to harness the potential power of the artifact relic from Halo, step onto the iconic bridge of the U.S.S. Discovery ahead of the Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 premiere at SXSW, and explore interactive experiences inspired by your favorite titles like The Chi, Survivor, Ink Master and many more.
Location: The Clive Bar (609 Davis St, Austin, TX 78701)
Dates & Times:
- Friday, March 8 from 4pm to 12am (all consumers, Badge Access Priority)
- Saturday, March 9 from 12pm to 7pm (all consumers, Badge Access Priority) & 8pm to 11pm (SXSW Badge Holders)
- Sunday, March 10 from 12pm to 7pm (all consumers, Badge Access Priority) & 8pm to 11pm (SXSW Badge Holders)
- Monday, March 11 from 12pm to 7pm (all consumers, Badge Access Priority)
Fallout
Get ready to experience the Wasteland shanty-town of Filly, teeming with eccentric characters, risky endeavors, and oddities around every corner! Do you have what it takes to survive outside of the Vaults? Come find out!
Location: Hotel San Jose (1316 S Congress Ave Austin TX 78704)
Dates & Times:
- Friday, March 8 from 12pm to 6pm
- Saturday, March 9 from 10am to 6pm
3 Body Problem – 3D Visual Experience
3 Body Problem comes to life at SXSW! Festival attendees can watch never-before-seen moments from the series during an epic 3D spectacle projected over the Austin skyline. The fully immersive projection will be timed to the series’ world premiere, giving attendees a first-look at all-new visuals from the series, including a larger-than-life version of Sophon (an avatar appearing in a mysterious VR game in the series) addressing them from the night sky.
Location: 400 Congress Ave
Date & Time: Friday, March 8 from 7pm to 11pm
Keynotes & Sessions
Mindfulness Over Perfection: Getting Real On Mental Health
It’s tempting to share only the highlight reel of our lives, but when we’re open about the difficult moments as well, we make it easier to tap into our emotions and create space for other people to process theirs, too. In this panel session, Wondermind co-founders Selena Gomez and Mandy Teefey will explore the importance of bringing mental health conversations into the light alongside Solomon Thomas and Dr. Corey Yeager – not just for decreasing stigma and building awareness, but as a way to deal in hard times. Moderated by Dr. Jessica Stern, the conversation will cover the importance of flexibility over strict routines in mental healthcare, dealing with negative self-talk, and getting real about when you’re not feeling OK.
Location: Austin Convention Center Room Ballroom D
Date & Time: Sunday, March 10 from 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Live Podcast Episode of Visitations with Elijah Wood & Daniel Noah
On their podcast, Visitations, Elijah Wood and Daniel Noah of SpectreVision visit the homes and workshops of their favorite creators in film and beyond for intimate conversations about how they turn their lives into art. In this special, live edition to launch season two, Wood and Noah will chat with a guest from the 2024 SXSW lineup.
Location: Austin Convention Center Room 16 AB
Date & Time: Monday, March 11 from 11:30am – 12:30pm
Good Humor: Lilly Singh on her Entertainment-First Approach to Changing Culture
In this session, Emmy Award-winning entertainer, actress, writer and producer, Lilly Singh, will discuss how her company, Unicorn Island Productions, uses an entertainment-first approach to storytelling without compromising important social commentary that ignites impact. There is nothing funny about shame, but as the co-writer, producer and star of her debut film feature, Doin’ It, Singh will share how she employs comedy to subvert cultural norms and expectations to change culture. Singh will also discuss her learnings from the independent filmmaking process on Doin’ It, which will have its World Premiere at this year’s SXSW Film & TV Festival.
Location: Austin Convention Center Room Ballroom EF
Date & Time: Tuesday, March 12 from 11:30am – 12:30pm
Daniels: How We Pulled Off Everything Everywhere All at Once
Join award-winning writers and directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert as they talk about the process of developing, creating, and releasing their surprise hit movie that took the world by st—okay, look, if you’re still reading this, we should tell you that we’ve run out of new things to say about Everything Everywhere All At Once, so although we’ll try our best to stay on topic, we’ll most likely go on a bunch of tangents about the state of the world, the impending climate crisis, the collapse of consensus truth, the rise of AI, the importance and impossibility of self care, and our collective responsibility as storytellers to confront the issues of our time, because that’s probably going to be what’s on our mind, but we can’t make any promises, but at times we don’t feel qualified to talk about any of that stuff.
Location: Austin Convention Center Room Ballroom D
Date & Time: Tuesday, March 12 from 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Music
The Black Keys
The story of Ohio Players—The Black Keys’ twelfth studio album and a record unlike any other in their long ride through deep blues and soul power—begins on a Saturday in February 2003. Singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney were on the road supporting their debut album, 2002’s The Big Come Up, opening for Sleater-Kinney at New York’s Roseland Ballroom, when the headliners invited them to a party after the gig: the traditional bash following the broadcast of Saturday Night Live with the TV show’s cast and guests.
Date & Time: The Black Keys at Stubb’s – March 16 (12:30am-2:00am)
Alec Meza
Date & Time: Mohawk Indoor – March 12 (11:40pm – 12:10am)
Photo Credit: Edgar Danielthuy
With over 500 million streams and praise from premier publications including Billboard, Rolling Stone, Paper, Nylon, and Wonderland, Bay Area bred recording artist/songwriter, thuy is the artist to watch. Marked by her celestial vocals, hitmaking penmanship, and modern R&B stylings, the Vietnamese American starlet has carved out a space for herself both within and beyond the community of self-made musical artists that have emerged in the streaming era. Inspired by early 2000s pop and R&B idols Britney Spears, Brandy, and Mariah Carey, thuy’s debut EP ‘i hope u see this’ released in 2021 alongside its breakout single, “universe”. Her second EP, ‘girls like me don’t cry’ then catapulted her into global recognition. The title track became a cultural lexicon and won the hearts of fans worldwide. It was named one of the Top 10 Global Songs on TikTok in 2023.
Date & Time: thuy at Empire Garage – March 15 (1:10am-2:00am)
Photo Credit: Alex GreenLogan Crosby
Singer-songwriter Logan Crosby is a proud Georgia native and credits his early musical start to singing at his grandmother’s Baptist church. Having grown up in a musical family in rural America, Crosby always gravitated towards country music. Logan first gained notoriety when a string of successful videos on TikTok, as well as other social media outlets, garnered the attention of thousands of followers. In July 2022, Logan appeared on the highly acclaimed ABC hit television series Claim To Fame where he came in second place while becoming a central beloved character of the series. Logan has released multiple singles, continues to tour with some of country music’s hottest acts, and just released his debut EP 23 Days In LA in July 2023.
Date & Time: Logan Crosby at Cooper’s BBQ – March 12 (8:00pm-8:40pm)
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