February
2 SXSW Announces Strong Line-Up: Hurt Locker, Passing Strange, Sin Nombre

SXSW FILM ANNOUNCES COMPLETE LINEUP FOR 2009 FILM FESTIVAL PASSING STRANGE, WOMEN IN TROUBLE AND FOUR BOXES AMONG TITLES INCLUDED Austin, Texas – February 2, 2008 – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival is thrilled to announce the complete lineup for this year’s Festival, March 13 – 21, 2009 in Austin, Texas. Over the course of nine days, 108 features will screen at the festival, with 54 of those having their world premieres at SXSW 2009. Among the major films added to the lineup are: Spike Lee’s Passing Strange, Sebastian Gutierrez’s Women in Trouble, Wyatt McDill’s Four Boxes, David Lee Miller’s My Suicide, Tim McCanlie’s The Two Bobs, Cary Fukunaga’s Sin Nombre, Brant Sersen’s Splinterheads, Andrew Bujalski’s Beeswax, Kathryn Bigelow’s Hurt Locker, Greg Mottola’s Adventureland, Joe Swanberg’s Alexander the Last, Duncan Jones’ Moon, Nash Edgerton’s The Square, Michael Paul Stephenson’s Best Worst Movie, Lynn Shelton’s Humpday and John Inwood’s Exterminators. They join previously announced films such as Opening Night film I Love You, Man and Centerpiece screening Observe and Report, as well as documentaries Objectified, New World Order, RiP: A Remix Manifesto and Winnebago Man. These films were selected from 1,511 feature-length film submissions composed of 1,220 U.S. and 291 international feature-length films. “We couldn’t be more delighted with SXSW 2009 line-up,” says Film Conference and Festival Producer Janet Pierson, “It’s a great continuation of the quality SXSW is known for: plenty of compelling, new filmmaking talent across all budget lines, engaging documentaries ranging from the socially conscious to the hilarious, electrifying music films, prominent Texas themes, cutting edge and smart Hollywood films, and an even greater exploration into global cinema.” The festival’s main competition categories once again find eight Narrative Features and eight Documentary Features, vying for their respective Grand Jury Prizes. The Narrative Feature Competition includes: Artois the Goat, directed by Kyle Bogart, Bomber, directed by Paul Cotter, Breaking Upwards, directed by Daryl Wein, It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home, directed by Kris Swanberg, Made in China, directed by Judi Krant, The Overbrook Brothers, directed by John Bryant, That Evening Sun, directed by Scott Teems and True Adolescents, directed by Craig Johnson. The Documentary Feature Competition includes: 45356, directed by Bill Ross, Garbage Dreams, directed by Mai Iskander, MINE: Taken By Katrina, directed by Geralyn Pezanoski, Severe Clear, directed by Kristian Fraga, Say My Name, directed by Nirit Pered, The Way We Get By, directed by Aron Gaudet and Trimipin: The Sound of Invention, directed by Peter Esmonde. The comprehensive lineup, by section and with synopsis descriptions, follows below. The final panel and conference lineup as well as the short film program will be announced next week. Visit <a href="http://www.sxsw.com/film">sxsw</a> for more information and updates. NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION This year’s 8 films were selected from 737 submissions. Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are: Artois the Goat Director: Kyle Bogart. Writer: Cliff and Kyle Bogart Lab technician Virgil Gurdies embarks on an epic quest to craft the greatest goat cheese the world has ever known and reclaim the heart of his beloved Angie. Cast: Mark Scheibmeir, Sydney Andrews, Stephen Taylor Fry, Dan Braverman (World Premiere) Bomber Director/Writer: Paul Cotter A bittersweet comedy about love, family and dropping bombs on Germany. Cast: Shane Taylor, Benjamin Whitrow, Eileen Nicholas (World Premiere) Breaking Upwards Director: Daryl Wein. Writer: Peter Duchan, Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones A young New York couple who, desperate to escape their ennui, but fearful of life apart, decide to intricately strategize their own break up. Cast: Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones, Julie White, Peter Friedman, Andrea Martin, Pablo Schreiber, La Chanze, Olivia Thirlby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (World Premiere) It Was Great, But I Was Ready to Come Home Director: Kris Swanberg. Writer: Kris Swanberg, Jade Healy, David Lowery, Ben Kasulke A woman tries to get over her recent breakup by backpacking in Costa Rica with her best friend, and through traveling together, the two women realize they may be on separate trips. Cast: Kris Swanberg, Jade Healy (World Premiere) Made in China Director: Judi Krant. Writer: Judi Krant and Dan Sumpter Lost in Shanghai, an inventor discovers that it takes more than a bright idea to succeed. Cast: Jackson Keuhn, Dan Sumpter (World Premiere) The Overbrook Brothers Director: John Bryant. Writer: John Bryant and Jason Foxworth Jason brings his girlfriend home for Christmas… and bad things happen. Cast: Nathan Harlan, Mark Reeb, Laurel Whitsett, Steve Zissis, John Jones (World Premiere) That Evening Sun Director/Writer: Scott Teems A ruthless grudge match between two old foes. Lines are drawn, threats are made, and the simmering tension under the Tennessee sun erupts, inevitably, into savagery. Cast: Hal Holbrook, Mia Wasikowska, Ray McKinnon, Walton Goggins, Carrie Preston (World Premiere) True Adolescents Director/Writer: Craig Johnson Aging indie rocker Sam Bryant takes two teen boys on an ill-fated hiking trip that forces everyone to grow up, and fast. Cast: Mark Duplass, Melissa Leo, Bret Loehr, Carr Thompson (World Premiere) DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION This year’s 8 films were selected from 737 submissions. Films screening in Documentary Feature Competition are: 45356 Director: Bill Ross An inquiring look at everyday life in middle America, the film explores the congruities of daily life in an American town Sidney, Ohio. (World Premiere) Garbage Dreams Director: Mai Iskander Filmed over four years, the film follows three teenage boys born into the trash trade and growing up in the world's largest garbage village. Each boy chooses a different path when their community is suddenly faced with the globalization of their trade. (World Premiere) MINE: Taken By Katrina Director: Geralyn Pezanoski After Hurricane Katrina, thousands of pets were rescued and adopted by families around the country, leading to many custody battles. Through these stories, the film examines issues of race, class and animal welfare in the U.S. (World Premiere) Say My Name Director: Nirit Peled A story is built around the lives of entrepreneurs, mothers and artists fighting to be themselves in a society that offers few opportunities for women. (World Premiere) Severe Clear Director: Kristian Fraga Armed with the world's most lethal ordnance and his home video camera, First Lieutenant Michael T. Scotti captures the chaos and complexity of war. (World Premiere) Sons of a Gun Director: Rivkah Beth Medow A family of 3 schizophrenic men and their alcoholic caregiver/Dad get evicted, move into one motel room, argue, joke around, and find a new home. (World Premiere) The Way We Get By Director: Aron Gaudet On call 24/7 for the past 6 years, a group of senior citizens transform their lives by greeting nearly one million U.S. troops at a tiny airport in Maine. (World Premiere) Trimpin: The Sound of Invention Director: Peter Esmonde A wild ride through the sonic world of an eccentric creative genius of Artist inventor/engineer/composer Trimpin. (World Premiere) SPOTLIGHT PREMIERES Premieres and sneak previews of films with distribution, plus world premieres from notable filmmakers or about notable subjects. Films screening in Spotlight Premieres are: Adventureland Director/Writer: Greg Mottola In 1987, a recent college graduate takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park and discovers the job is perfect preparation for the real world. Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Martin Starr Alexander the Last Director/Writer: Joe Swanberg A sensual and intimate portrait of a young marriage. Focusing on an artistic young couple, the film illuminates the challenges of monogamy amidst myriad sexual and creative temptations. Cast: Jess Weixler, Justin Rice, Barlow Jacobs, Josh Hamilton, Jane Adams (World Premiere) Beeswax Director/Writer: Andrew Bujalski Something like a legal thriller for anyone who considers "legal thriller" an oxymoron, the film revolves around a pair of twin sisters, Jeannie and Lauren – “same face, different bodies" – and Jeannie's brewing conflict with business partner Amanda. Cast: Maggie Hatcher, Tilly Hatcher, Alex Karpovsky (US Premiere) Best Worst Movie Director: Michael Paul Stephenson When an Italian filmmaker, an Alabama dentist and fledgling Utah actors filmed the low-budget horror movie, Troll 2, they'd no idea that twenty years later they would be celebrated for making the worst movie ever made. (World Premiere) For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism Director: Gerald Peary The first documentary to dramatize the rich, fascinating history of American film criticism. (World Premiere) Goodbye Solo Director: Ramin Bahrani. Writer: Ramin Bahrani and Bahareh Azimi On the lonely roads of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, two men from very different worlds forge an improbable friendship that will change both of their lives forever. Cast: Souleymane Sy Savane, Red West, Diana Franco Galindo, Carmen Leyva, Lane ‘Roc’ Williams Humpday Director/Writer: Lynn Shelton A farcical comedy about straight male bonding gone a little too far. Cast: Mark Duplass, Joshua Leonard, Alycia Delmore, Lynn Shelton, Trina Willard. Hurt Locker Director: Kathryn Bigelow. Writer: Mark Boal Forced to play a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse in the chaos of war, an elite Army bomb squad unit must come together in a city where everyone is a potential enemy and every object could be a deadly bomb. Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce (US Premiere) I Love You, Man Director/Writer: John Hamburg The film centers on a man who, upon getting engaged, realizes he has no close male friends and must find someone to be the Best Man at his wedding. Cast: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly (World Premiere, Opening Night Film) The Last Beekeeper Director: Jeremy Simmons This documentary follows the lives of three commercial beekeepers over the course of one year as they struggle with Colony Collapse Disorder. As they all take their bees to California's enormous annual almond pollination, they are forced to ask the question "If all the bees die, what do you have to live for?" (World Premiere) Monsters from the ID Director: David Gargani The untold story of 1950’s American Sci-Fi Cinema and the role of the Modern Scientist. (World Premiere) Moon Director: Duncan Jones. Writer: Nathan Parker Before returning to Earth after three years on the moon, things go horribly wrong for astronaut Sam Bell. Cast: Sam Rockwell New World Order Director Andrew Neel and Luke Meyer Impassioned conspiracy theorists travel the globe trying to expose the group that they claim rules the world. (World Premiere) Objectified Director: Gary Hustwit A glimpse into our relationship to manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them. (World Premiere) Observe and Report Director/Writer: Jody Hill This dark comedy follows the story of Ronnie Barnhardt, a deluded, self-important head of mall security who squares off in a turf war against the local cops. Cast: Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Michael Peña and Ray Liotta (World Premiere, Centerpiece Slot) Passing Strange Director: Spike Lee. Lyrics: Stew. Music &amp; Lyrics: Stew and Heidi Rodewald A musical documentary about the international exploits of a young man from Los Angeles who leaves home to find himself and 'the real'. A theatrical stage production of the original Tony-Award winning book by Stew. Cast: De’Adre Aziza, Daniel Breaker, Eisa Davis, Colman Domingo, Stew. Sin Nombre Director/Writer: Cary Fukunaga Writer/director Cary Fukunaga’s firsthand experiences with Central American immigrants seeking the promise of the U.S. form the basis of this epic dramatic thriller. Cast: Edgar Flores, Paulina Gaitan, Kristyan Ferrer, Tenoch Huerta Mej’a, Luis Fernando Pe–a, Diana Garc’a. The Square Director: Nash Edgerton. Writer: Joel Edgerton and Matthew Dabner Nash Edgerton's debut feature is a film-noir in a bleak Australian town where a simple crime goes horribly wrong and escalates into a nightmare of unforeseen events. Cast: David Roberts, Claire Van Der Boom, Joel Edgerton, Anthony Hayes, Peter Phelps and Bill Hunter (North American Premiere) Three Blind Mice Director/Writer: Matthew Newton Three young Navy officers hit Sydney for one last night on land before being shipped over to the Gulf to fight. Throughout the night the boys lose each other, find themselves, and along the way discover courage, friendship and redemption. Cast: Ewen Leslie, Toby Schmitz, Matthew Newton, Tina Bursill The Two Bobs Director/Writer: Tim McCanlies Just as they finish their groundbreaking violent video-game masterpiece, the two gaming legends known as “The Two Bobs” discover that their precious game-software has been stolen... and with it, their livelihoods, genius reputations, everything they own. Cast: Tyler Francavilla, Devin Ratray, Mika Boorem, Cody Kasch, Leonardo Nam (World Premiere) Winnebago Man Director: Ben Steinbauer Jack Rebney's outrageously funny outtakes from a Winnebago sales video became an underground phenomenon and made him an internet superstar. Filmmaker Ben Steinbauer sets out to find him. (World Premiere) Women in Trouble Director/Writer: Sebastian Gutierrez One day in the lives of ten desperate women with one thing in common: trouble. Cast: Carla Gugino, Josh Brolin, Connie Britton, Adrianne Palicki, Simon Baker (World Premiere) EMERGING VISIONS Sidebar for new independent feature films, both documentary and narrative, that exhibit great innovation by filmmakers or from those earlier in their careers. Films screening in Emerging Visions are: Awaydays Director: Pat Holden. Writer: Kevin Sampson A blade-sharp rites-of-passage that buzzes with the post-punk energy of its late-70s Liverpool setting. Based on the classic novel by Kevin Sampson. Cast: Nicky Bell, Liam Boyle, Stephen Graham, Oliver Lee (North American Premiere) Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo Director: Jessica Oreck Untangling the web of cultural and historical ties underlying Japan’s deep fascination with insects… and what it says about the rest of us. (World Premiere) Brock Enright: Good Times Will Never Be The Same Director: Jody Lee Lipes Artist Brock Enright's unbridled creative force clashes with the confines of love, family, and industry, as he crafts the most significant show of his career. (World Premiere) Creative Nonfiction Director/Writer: Lena Dunham Reality and fiction are indistinguishable as a college student tries and fails to differentiate her creative writing screenplay from her increasingly awkward social life. Cast: Eleonore Endricks, David Unger, Audrey Gelman, Sam Lisenco, Lena Dunham (World Premiere) Crude Independence Director: Noah Hutton A rumination on the future of small town America through the lens of a humanistic tale of change at the hands of the global energy market and its unyielding thirst for oil. (World Premiere) Four Boxes Director/Writer: Wyatt McDill A snarky social thriller about three suburban nobodies watching a creep named Havoc on a website called fourboxes.tv – Rear Window on the internet. Cast: Justin Kirk, Terryn Westbrook, Sam Rosen (World Premiere) The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle Director: David Russo When Dory’s life seems like it’s going down the drain, a strange “new life” takes shape inside him and he learns that sometimes you don’t have to find meaning, it grows in you. Cast: Marshall Allman, Vince Vieluf, Natasha Lyonne, Tania Raymonde, Tygh Runyan. Luckey Director: Laura Longsworth After sculptor Tom Luckey’s devastating fall through a window, his family must cross delicate lines drawn long ago by divorce and remarriage while Tom, fully paralyzed and wacky personality intact, pursues building his biggest, most complicated sculpture ever. (World Premiere) Make-Out with Violence Director: The Deagol Brothers. Writer: The Deagol Brothers, Cody DeVos and Eric Lehning A rock musical wherein the living love the dead and break into silence instead of song. Cast: Eric Lehning, Cody DeVos, Leah High, Brett Miller, Shellie Marie Shartzer Modern Love is Automatic Director/Writer: Zach Clark A story about an apathetic nurse who moonlights as a dominatrix, her aspiring model roommate and the sad, strange world they live in. Cast: Melodie Sisk, Maggie Ross (World Premiere) Motherland Director: Jennifer Steinman Six grieving mothers journey to Africa in order to test the theory that “giving is healing.” (World Premiere) My Suicide Director: David Lee Miller. Writer: David Lee Miller, Eric Adams, Gabriel Sunday, Jordan Miller An isolated, media obsessed teenager announces he's going to kill himself for his high school, video production class final project. Cast: Gabriel Sunday, David Carradine, Joe Mantegna, Nora Dunn, Mariel Hemingway (North American Premiere) Pulling John Director: Vassiliki Khonsari The universal story of a champion arm wrestler’s glory in an unsung sport, who after 25 years of success is now burdened with the inevitable transformation of aging. (World Premiere) RATS and CATS Director: Tony Ayres. Writer: Jason Gann, Adam Zwar Ex-soap star Darren McWarren destroyed his career with a series of indiscretions. Now he's living the live away from the spotlight when a "Where are they now" journalist comes to call. Cast: Jason Gann, Adam Zwar, Anya Beyersdorf, Tony Rogers (North American Premiere) Sissyboy Director: Kate Turinski A juncture in the lives of performance art revolutionaries, the film explores a Portland-based gender-bending drag troupe that has served up their audacity, ambivalence and social commentary throughout the Rose City for over 3 years before hundreds of devoted fans. Sorry, Thanks Director: Dia Sokol, Writer: Dia Sokol and Lauren Veloski Disaster looms when Kira (reeling from a brutal break-up) sleeps with Max (who already has a girlfriend) and Max takes up two new pursuits: an obsessive-tending interest in Kira, and the mystery of whether he may in fact be an ass. Cast: Wiley Wiggins, Kenya Miles, Andrew Bujalski, Ia Hernandez (World Premiere) Splinterheads Director/Writer: Brant Sersen For Justin Frost, a typical day is rolling out of bed at one, practicing improvised karate, and mowing grass for his best friend's landscaping business. But when a traveling carnival lands in his small town, Justin falls for a sexy con artist and wakes up to the life he has yet to begin living. Cast: Thomas Middleditch, Rachael Taylor, Christopher McDonald, Lea Thompson, Dean Winters (World Premiere) St. Nick Director/Writer: David Lowery A stark, haunting portrait of childhood following the adventures of a runaway brother and sister as they try to survive, all on their own, out on the wintry plains of the great southwest. Cast: Tucker Sears, Savanna Sears, Barlow Jacobs, Mara Lee Miller (World Premiere) The Time of Their Lives Director: Jocelyn Cammack With a combined age of almost 300, Hetty, Rose and Alison are still powerfully engaged in their individual forms of activism - from journalism, to public speaking to anti-war demonstrations - while quietly negotiating the final moments of their lives. (North American Premiere) Trust Us, This Is All Made Up Director: Alex Karpovsky Immortalized in the world of improv comedy, Second City veterans TJ Jagodowksi and David Pasquesi explore the unique partnership and transcendental forces that govern their legendary performances. (World Premiere) Wake Up Director: Jonas Elrod An average 36-year old guy suddenly wakes up with the ability to see and hear angels, demons, auras and ghosts. With his girlfriend by his side, he goes on a journey to figure it all out, and his search becomes a guide to revealing larger truths about the world and everyone in it. (World Premiere) SX GLOBAL An initiative to build upon our strong commitment to international films, organized in conjunction with a variety of international film agencies, institutes, broadcasters and producers. Films screening in SX Global are: Calling E.T. (Netherlands) Director: Prosper de Roos. A close-up look at a small group of people listening, watching, waiting and preparing for their perceived inevitable earthly encounter with extraterrestrial intelligence. (U.S. Premiere) Favela on Blast (Brazil) Director: Leandro HBL Globe trotting taste-maker DJ Diplo presents a look at Brazil's Baile Funk music scene from directly inside the mountain ghettos where it spawned and thrives. The Forgotten Tree (Mexico) Director: Luis Rincon A documentary that revisits the slums featured over fifty years ago in Los Olvidados, (Luis Buñuel), and reveals the current and similar conditions for the people in this area of Mexico City. Journey to the End of Coal (France) Director: Samuel Bollendorff Millions of Chinese coal miners are making sacrifices everyday, risking their lives and spoiling their land to satisfy their country’s appetite for economic growth. Meet them and learn more about how they live in this valley of death and pollution in the frozen winter of Northern China. (U.S. Premiere) Love on Delivery (Denmark) Director: Janus Metz. In a remote fishing village in Denmark, 575 Thai women are married to Danish men. An intimate look at the unique relationships between these Danish men and their Thai wives. (U.S. Premiere) Roadsworth: Crossing the Line (Canada) Director: Alan Kohl Stencil artist Peter Gibson’s personal and professional struggle to defend his work, define himself as an artist and address difficult questions about art and freedom of expression. (U.S. Premiere) Snowblind (England) Director: Vikram Jayanti Rachael Scdoris, 23, and legally blind since birth, is racing in her third Iditarod, the grueling 1,100 mile dog sled race in Alaska that's the toughest race in the world. (World Premiere) Sounds Like Teen Spirit...a popumentary (England) Director: Jamie Johnson. Behind the scenes look at of the world’s premiere youth music spectacle: The Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Ticket to Paradise (Denmark) Director: Janus Metz. The sequel to Janus Metz' Love on Delivery’ follows the story of a young Thai-girl's journey from peasant to sex worker. (U.S. Premiere) 24 BEATS PER SECOND A showcase for documentaries about music, musicians, or the cultural ties that exist around them. Films screening in 24 Beats Per Second are: Anvil! The Story of Anvil Director: Sacha Gervasi At 14, Toronto school friends Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner made a pact to rock together forever. They meant it. Cast: Steve “Lips Kudlow,” Robb Reiner. All Tomorrow’s Parties Director: All Tomorrow’s People A kaleidoscopic journey into the parallel musical universe of cult music festival All Tomorrow’s Parties. (World Premiere) Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love Director: Chai Vasarhelyi Youssou Ndour, one of Africa's most prominent musicians, returns home for the release of his highly controversial album, Egypt. (U.S. Premiere) Intangible Assets Number 82 Director: Emma Franz An Australian drummer searches for an enigmatic Korean shaman and is transformed by the journey. (North American Premiere) Number One with A Bullet Director: Jim Dziura A feature-length documentary that pulls back the curtain on gun violence in Hip Hop. The Promised Land – A Swamp Pop Journey Director: Matthew Wilkinson The story of South Louisiana super group Lil' Band o'Gold. 8 members, 25 egos, 6 livers - coming together to just play music. (World Premiere) RiP: A Remix Manifesto Director: Brett Gaylor A documentary feature exploring issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers. (North American Premiere) Soul Power Director: Jeffrey Levy-Hinte Jeffrey Levy-Hinte takes us on an epic trip back to 1974 when the most famous R &amp; B acts in the world, including James Brown, B.B. King, and Bill Withers, put on 12 hour long concert to help promote Muhammad Ali and George Foreman's historic "Rumble in the Jungle" in Kinshasa, Zaire. (U.S. Premiere) When You’re Strange Director: Tom DiCillo Using only original footage shot between 1966 and 1971, When You’re Strange: A Film About The Doors, attempts to disentangle truth from myth, depict Jim Morrison, artist and alcoholic/addict, and showcase the other members of the band: Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore, who together channeled the group's magic. LONE STAR STATES A showcase for new independent feature films, both documentary and narrative, that are made by Texas residents or center on Texas subject matter. Films screening in Lone Star States are: American Violet Director: Tim Disney. Writer: Bill Haney The astonishing story of Dee Roberts, a young African American single mother, whose courageous fight against her unwarranted drug arrest forever changes her life and the Texas justice system. Cast: Nicole Beharie, Tim Blake Nelson, Will Patton, Michael O’Keefe, Xzibit, with Charles Dutton and Alfre Woodard. Blaze Foley Inside Director: Kevin Triplett A documentary on the everyday man behind the legend, Blaze Foley. Born in a tree house, killed in a friend's living room and 86'ed from his own funeral, is now a bona fide country music legend whose songs are covered by Merle Haggard, John Prine, Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett. (World Premiere) Exterminators Director: John Inwood. Writer: Suzanne Weinert A dark comedy about a group of women who meet in court mandated rage therapy and decide to form a traditional business with very untraditional methods. Cast: Heather Graham, Jennifer Coolidge, Amber Heard, Joey Lauren Adams, Matthew Settle (World Premiere) The Least of These Director: Clark Lyda Detention of immigrant children in a former medium-security prison leads to controversy when three activist attorneys discover troubling conditions at the facility. (World Premiere) Over the Hills and Far Away Director: Michel Orion Scott This documentary chronicles the journey of the Isaacson family as they travel through Mongolia in search of a mysterious shaman they believe can heal their autistic son. Sunshine Director: Karen Skloss In 1975 rural Texas, the local mayor’s daughter grapples with an unplanned pregnancy finally deciding to have her baby in secret before giving her away in a hidden adoption. Twenty-three years later, the adopted child also has an unplanned baby out of wedlock. The film tells the intimate story of these two single mothers, while exploring the times and circumstances that afforded them very different options. (World Premiere) MIDNIGHTERS Funny or scary (or both) films playing for a midnight audience. Films screening in Midnighters are: A Film With Me In It Director: Ian Fitzgibbon An actor hard on his luck ends up with a large number of dead bodies on his hands. Cast: Mark Doherty, Dylan Moran (U.S. Premiere) The Ceremony Director/Writer: James Palmer After finding a bizarre book, a young man is plagued by unexplainable occurrences inside his home. Cast: Scott Seegmiller (World Premiere) Grace Director/Writer: Paul Solet After losing her unborn child, Madeline Matheson insists on carrying the baby to term. Following the delivery, the child miraculously returns to life, but when the baby develops a desperate appetite for human blood, Madeline is faced with a mother's ultimate decision. Cast: Jordan Ladd, Samantha Ferris, Gabrielle Rose, Malcom Stewart Lake Mungo Director/Writer: Joel Anderson A supernatural drama about grief. Cast: Talia Zucker, Rosie Traynor, David Pledger (North American Premiere) Trailers from Hell.com with Joe Dante – LIVE PRESENTATION Joe Dante presents The Best of Trailers from Hell which showcases classic-era Previews of Coming Attractions - punctuated with humorous, passionate and insightful commentaries by contemporary filmmakers like John Landis, Eli Roth and Edgar Wright - with particular emphasis on the lurid, the extreme and the outrageous. Zift Director: Javor Gardev. Writer: Vladislav Todorov A man freed after a wrongful murder conviction enters a diabolical city full of decaying neighborhoods, gloomy streets and bizarre characters. Cast: Zachary Baharov, Tanya Ilieva, Vladmir Penev, Mihail Mutafov SPECIAL SCREENINGS A section reserved for highlights in recent film festival success stories or films that screen in a non-competitive capacity. Films screening in Special Screenings are: American Prince Director: Tommy Palotta After being forgotten for 30 years, filmmaker Tommy Pallotta revisits Scorcese's lost documentary "American Boy" and its raconteur subject, Steven Prince. (World Premiere) Berlin Calling Director/Writer: Hannes Stoehr Berlin Calling is an extraordinary story that starts in pre-war Berlin, spans three generations, and concludes in the dark and sweaty rock n' roll clubs that line the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Cast: Paul Kalkbrenner, Rita Lengyel, Corinna Harfouch, Araba Walton, Peter Schneider (U.S. Premiere) Blood Trail Director: Richard Parry War photographer Robert King let a camera crew follow him for over 15 years. From his first assignment in Bosnia to his breakthrough work in Chechnya, and on to his recent coverage in Iraq, Blood Trail is an extraordinary look at this difficult and dangerous profession. (U.S. Premiere) Burma VJ Director: Anders Ostergaard Armed with small handy cams, undercover Video Journalists in Burma risk their lives to keep up the flow of news from their closed country as in September 2007 thousands of monks take to the streets of Rangoon in a peaceful protest against the country’s military rulers. Daytime Drinking Director/Writer: NOH Young-seok A drinking road trip fable of a guy who just got dumped... Cast: SONG Sam-dong, YUK Sang-yeop, KIM Kang-hee (U.S. Premiere) For All Mankind Director: Al Reinart A trip to another world disguised as a documentary. De Ofrivilliga (Involuntary) Director: Ruben Östlund. Writer: Erik Hemmendorff and Ruben Östlund A tragic comedy or comic tragedy about group pressure on the individual. Five separate episodes on everyday disasters. Cast: Maria Lundqvist, Leif Edlund, Olle Lijas, Vera Vitali, Cecilia Milocco (North American Premiere) It Came From Kuchar Director: Jennifer M. Kroot The hilarious and touching story of the legendary, underground filmmaking twins, George and Mike Kuchar, and how their outrageous, no-budget movies inspired generations of filmmakers (World Premiere) Know Your Mushrooms Director: Ron Mann Filmmaker Ron Mann puts the fun in fungus with his newest documentary. (U.S. Premiere) Letters to the President Director: Petr Lom Exclusive access film about President Ahmadinejad of Iran, and what life is like under his regime. The film takes as its narrative thread the letters that supposedly ten million Iranians have written to the President. (North American Premiere) Office Space – 10th Anniversary – LIVE PRESENTATION Director Mike Judge will present a special screening of the cult phenomenon film on the occasion of its 10th Anniversary. The Paranoids Director: Gabriel Medina. Writer: Gabriel Medina and Nicolas Gueilburt An aspiring screenwriter who lives in constant state of paranoia, faces the return of his successful friend Manuel and his girlfriend in this off-beat romantic comedy. (U.S. Premiere) Saint Misbehavin: The Life and Time of Wavy Gravy Director: Michelle Esrick The true story of cultural phenomenon Wavy Gravy – a man whose life proves that you can change the world and have fun doing it. (World Premiere) The Snake Director/Writer: Adam Goldstein and Eric Kutner The funniest movie about dating a bulimic... possibly ever. Cast: Adam Goldstein, Nina Braddock (World Premiere) Strongman Director: Zachary Levy Stainless Steel bills himself as the world's strongest man (at bending steel) and hopes to make it big despite his advancing age. Sweethearts of the Rodeo Director: Bradley Beesley Amidst stories of murder, hardship, heartache and redemption, the film follows the convict cowgirls of the Eddie Warriors Correctional Center in their preparation for the only rodeo where female prisoners compete rough-stock and as equals against male prison teams. (World Premiere) We Live in Public Director: Ondi Timor The story of the Internet’s revolutionary impact on human interaction as told through the eyes of Internet pioneer and visionary, Josh Harris. The Yes Men Fix the World Director: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno and Kurt Engfehr A pair of notorious troublemakers sneaks into corporate events disguised as captains of industry, then use their momentary authority to expose the biggest criminals on the planet. Cast: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno You Won’t Miss Me Director: Ry Russo-Young. Writer: Ry Russo-Young and Stella Schnabel A portrait of a modern day rebel, Shelly Brown, a twenty-three year-old alienated urban misfit recently released from a psychiatric hospital. Cast: Stella Schnabel, Rene Ricard The SXSW Film Festival will open on March 13th with a screening of I Love You, Man, directed by John Hamburg and starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel and Rashida Jones. Hamburg, Rudd, Segel and Jones will also participate in a Conversation panel. Previously announced participants for the 2009 SXSW Film Conference include acclaimed writer/directors Todd Haynes and Richard Linklater in conversation together, filmmakers Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Thirteen), Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Spy Kids) and Mike Judge (Office Space, King of the Hill), longtime Stanley Kubrick producer Jan Harlan, SXSW alum and Mumblecore pioneer Joe Swanberg (Nights and Weekends, Hannah Takes the Stairs), Mark Woollen, the award-winning creator of many memorable trailers (Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), as well as a rare appearance by Col Needham, Vice President of IMDb.com Service Limited. South By Southwest Film Conference &amp; Festival SXSW offers a uniquely creative space for filmmakers, film fans, and even cinephiles to partake in the big and small picture discussions about filmmaking today. The Conference hosts a five-day adventure in the latest filmmaking trends and new technology, featuring Conversations with film icons, intimate mini-meetings and one-on-one mentor sessions with industry veterans. The internationally-acclaimed, nine-day Festival boasts some of the most wide-ranging programming of any US event of its kind, from provocative documentaries to subversive Hollywood comedies, with a special focus on emerging talents. Learn more at sxsw.com/film. 2009 Festival Sponsors SXSW Film Conference and Festival is sponsored by Miller Lite, Fuze Beverage, ZonePerfect, The Independent Film Channel (IFC), Sierra Mist and The Austin Chronicle. # # #