SXSW, formerly known as South by Southwest, is an annual multimedia festival held in Austin, Texas. The film consists of exhibits, conferences, music festivals and movie premieres. Since the festival began in 1987, it has grown exceptionally popular and continues to gain further momentum every year. This year, the SXSW festival will offer a hybrid of in-person and virtual events, providing festival-goers with a safe, but no less enjoyable, festival experience.
SXSW has provided a medium for up and coming directors to gain momentum, and also serves as a ground for popular directors to make a big splash and gain momentum and word of mouth for their films. The film festival isn’t limited to one genre, so it’s no surprise some films that have debuted have gone on to become massive successes. Here’s a look at some popular moves which premiered at the SXSW festival.
9 Jakob’s Wife
2021’s SXSW festival saw success with Travis Steven’s Jakob’s Wife. The film is unlike other horror films in its substance, using Vampirism as a metaphor for the mid-marriage conflict which is all too common for couples who have been together for a long time and settled into a boring routine. Horror legend Barbara Crampton is the protagonist who finds a new lease of life as a vampire, and the film makes some smart commentary on gender dynamics.
8 Knocked Up
Judd Apatow’s 2007 comedy success, Knocked Up was an example of a comedy film finding success through the SXSW festival. The film stars Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl in leading roles, as a pair of polar opposites (Heigl's character is a TV Host and Rogen's is jobless) who have a one-night stand that results in a pregnancy. They both give charming and comedic performances, but the buzz at the SXSW was largely around Rogen, and was one of his first mainstream successes, launching a huge career for him.
7 Evil Dead
Fede Alvarez remade the cult classic horror film Evil Dead in 2013 which had its premier at the SXSW festival the same year. Evil Dead was a huge success commercially as well as critically. It premiered after Cabin In The Woods, which followed a similar format, so it could easily have flown under the radar; however, Evil Dead stood strong in its own right. The subject matter is very familiar with a group of young adults who visit a secluded cabin and find themselves at the mercy of evil and supernatural forces. The film is heavy in its violence and terror and is an enjoyable experience for horror fans from the get go.
6 Keanu
2016’s Keanu is a perfect example of the power of the SXSW festival. The film was responsible largely for launching the careers of Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key. The film came fresh off their comedy sketch show, Key & Peele, and is a comedy which follows two regular people who are comically thrust into the world of crime and violence through a mission to get their kitten back. Keanu was hugely popular at the festival, and as a result performed moderately well at the box office and launched the careers of both actors, which continue to be successful and prosperous.
5 21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street was another reboot which found success after its debut at the SXSW festival. The film is a remake of the popular TV series which ran from 1988-91 of the same name and was directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum took the central roles, and delivered a comical performance which became a huge commercial and critical hit. The film was initially overlooked as a needless remake in an era where remakes were the norm, however it’s debut at SXSW festival provided a word-of-mouth buzz which meant audiences knew it was a strong film to expect. The reviews from the festival spoke for themselves, and it became a huge success.
4 Cabin in the Woods
Cabin in the Woods represented a new branch of horror film with its release in 2011. The movie was directed by Drew Goddard and written by horror veteran Joss Whedon. At first, the film seems like a cliché horror story following a group of teenagers staying at a cabin in the woods who are terrorized by zombies. As the film develops, we realize there are scientists who are controlling the situation, making a meta kind of horror film which has never been seen before. After its debut at the SXSW festival, a lot of buzz was generated which resulted in the film's success.
3 Baby Driver
2017’s Baby Driver was one of the most anticipated films of the year, starring Ansel Elgort as the protagonist, Baby, who is an orphan who just so happens to be an extremely talented getaway driver for a heist mastermind known as Doc. The film headlined the 2017 festival and generated huge buzz from its premier, making for a lot of word-of-mouth and a highly anticipated release. Baby Driver is now a cult classic and received very positive reviews.
2 Bridesmaids
2011’s Bridesmaids was directed by Paul Feig and needs no introduction. It featured a hilarious cast including Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph and Rose Byrne and centered around a wedding which was underway and the chaotic politics which the bridesmaids underwent in preparation. It was a massive success and is widely regarded as one of the funniest films that has been recently released. An initial concept was shown at the SXSW festival and has largely attributed to its success and further development due to the buzz generated.
1 A Quiet Place
When A Quiet Place debuted at SXSW it took everyone by surprise. The film starred and was directed by John Krasinski and also starred Emily Blunt, and shocked audiences with just how different it was and how good of a film it was. The film depicts a family who are attacked by monsters which hunt based on sound, meaning they need to live their life in as much silence as possible. This brings an eerie tension to the film and adds a new layer to horror which feels fresh. The film has now produced a sequel and was a huge success largely thanks to the buzz created from the festival.