SXSW 2024 is coming up, and our writers made a list of 10 films to watch! Here’s what you don’t want to miss at South By Southwest this year, from anticipated movies to hidden gems!
SXSW 2024 is approaching, and the Loud and Clear Reviews team will be at the festival this year! If you don’t know which movies to add to your watchlists yet, we made a list of 10 films to watch at South By Southwest, from the most anticipated premieres to promising new releases and hidden gems! SXSW will take place on March 8-16, 2024, and these are the films recommended by our writers Emma Vine and Justin Bower, who’ll be attending the festival. Scroll till the end for more recommendations, don’t forget to follow us on our socials for our live updates from the festival, and happy watching!
AN ARMY OF WOMEN
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
Director: Julie Lunde Lillesæter
Country: Norway
Amy, Hanna, and Marina unite with twelve other women to bring forth an impactful federal class action lawsuit against police and prosecutors after their rape case is dismissed by the Austin police. However, as the victims collectively seek justice, they experience pushback from the very system that is supposed to protect them. Many great documentaries premiere at the SXSW Film Festival each year, but from this year’s lineup, An Army of Women sounds like a harrowing yet empowering true-crime story that should be on everyone’s radar. (E.V.)
THE BLACK SEA
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
Directors: Crystal Moselle & Derrick B. Harden
Cast: Derrick B. Harden, Irmena Chichikova, Samuel Finzi, Stoyo Mirkov
Countries: United States, Bulgaria
Derrick B. Harden makes his acting and directorial debut (co-directing with Crystal Moselle) in The Black Sea. He stars as Khalid, a charismatic man from Brooklyn who chases a money opportunity that goes wrong. In his efforts to get home, he becomes the center of a small town’s attention on the Black Sea, and makes an unlikely connection with a local woman. The Black Sea will surely be an exciting watch about every person’s desire to follow and fulfill their dreams, no matter how odd that process may be. (J. B.)
BOB TREVINO LIKES IT
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
Director: Tracie Laymon
Cast: Barbie Ferreira, John Leguizamo, French Stewart, Lauren “Lolo” Spencer, and Rachel Bay Jones
Country: USA
With technological advancements throughout the years, our use of social media and the ability to create friendships online has become more prevalent than ever. When viewing SXSW’s 2024 Film Festival lineup, I was immediately drawn to Bob Trevino Likes It due to its unique premise inspired by director Tracie Laymon’s real-life experience. After becoming estranged from her mother and father, Lily Trevino (Barbie Ferreira) craves a familial bond that she never had. Elsewhere, Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo) always puts the needs of his wife, Jeanie (Rachel Bay Jones), first. He works lengthy hours to help sustain his spouse’s scrapbooking hobby and fails to prioritize his wants and needs. However, when he receives an unexpected Facebook message, his world completely changes. (E.V.)
DEAD MAIL
NARRATIVE FEATURE VISIONS
Directors: Kyle McConaghy & Joe DeBoer
Cast: Sterling Macer, Jr., John Fleck, Susan Priver, Micki Jackson, Nick Heyman, and Tomas Boykin
Country: USA
Co-directors Kyle McConaghy and Joe DeBoer are no strangers to the film festival circuit, having already won Best Cinematography and Best Feature in 2020 for their directorial debut, BAB, at the Nightmares Film Festival. This time around, the duo brings us Dead Mail, a daring crime thriller centering around an enigmatic bloody note that is mailed to a local post office. But who sent it, and why? Is it a hoax or an actual cry for help? These are all questions dead letter expert Jasper (Tomas Boykin) wishes to find out. Once his investigation gets underway, Jasper is introduced to Trent (John Fleck). Not only does Jasper’s new acquaintance move into the same men’s home as the dead letter expert, but he also shows a vast interest in the mailed note. This feature’s ominous premise, accompanied by a mysterious, alluring storyline, has me heavily invested in Dead Mail’s outcome. (E.V.)
THE FALL GUY
HEADLINER
Director: David Leitch
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Stephanie Hsu
Country: USA
Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt both deserve the spotlights they have found themselves in recently. Gosling has an opportunity to bring his “Kenergy” from Barbie into one of the most buzzworthy features coming to SXSW this year: The Fall Guy. Emily Blunt will show a pivot from her recent roles in Oppenheimer and the A Quiet Place series to lead this action-packed romantic film directed by David Leitch. The film follows a stuntman who suffers a potentially career-ending accident. In the midst of this, he must find a missing movie star wrapped up in a conspiracy, all while trying to win over the woman he loves. The Fall Guy is sure to balance humor, action, and romance, while providing an exciting glimpse into the world of stunt work and filmmaking. (J.B.)
IMMACULATE
HEADLINER
Director: Michael Mohan
Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Álvaro Morte, Dora Romano, Benedetta Porcaroli, Giorgio Colangeli, Simona Tabasco
Country: USA
After starring in a rom-com (Anyone But You) and an American crime drama (Reality) in the space of a year, Sydney Sweeney has proven there isn’t anything she can’t do. Immaculate leads the actress into the field of horror, and as a genre fan, I can’t wait to see the rising star embrace a completely different role from her previous works. Celia (Sweeney) moves to a beautiful covenant in Italy. However, full of terrors and evil secrets, her new humble abode is anything but welcoming. Based on the trailer, I have a feeling this is going to be one of the best horror films of 2024 and a damn good time! (E.V.)
MONKEY MAN
HEADLINER
Director: Dev Patel
Cast: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Sikandar Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte,, Makarand Deshpande
Country: USA
Whenever I hear the names Dev Patel or Jordan Peele, my interest in a film instantly piques, so I feel extra spoiled to have two of my favorite creators as part of the same project. In fact, Peele had so much faith in Monkey Man that he believed the feature deserved a theatrical release, which gives the audience a lot of faith entering the viewing experience. Monkey Man follows Kid (Patel), who joins an underground fight club. Each night, in hopes of making money, he fights other members of the group while wearing a gorilla mask. As unresolved feelings resurface from Kid’s childhood, he seeks revenge on a group of men who severely impacted his livelihood. Showcasing Patel in his directorial feature debut and equipped with a rollercoaster ride of a trailer, this action-packed SXSW headliner is one of the festival’s most anticipated films and is destined to be a hit. (E.V.)
THIS IS A FILM ABOUT THE BLACK KEYS
24 BEATS PER SECOND
Director: Jeff Dupre
Cast: Patrick Carney, Dan Auerbach
Country: USA
The Black Keys are one of modern rock’s most beloved bands. For more than 20 years, they have kept rock ‘n roll alive, and continually expanded their boundaries stylistically with every album they release. This is a Film About The Black Keys documents Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney’s lifelong journey from two kids jamming in a basement in Akron, Ohio, to worldwide rock legends. The film will provide intimate and exciting stories on The Black Keys that will capture longtime fans and interest new rockers alike. (J.B.)
TURTLES (LES TORTUES)
NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT
Director: David Lambert
Cast: Dave Johns, Olivier Gourmet, Brigitte Poupart, Vanessa Van Durme
Countries: Canada, Belgium
Writer-director David Lambert is making movies again. After time away from filmmaking, he wrote the screenplay for the 2023 feature Amal, and now returns to directing with Turtles, a film about the long-form impact of a loving relationship. Thom (Dave Johns) and Henri (Olivier Gourmet) have been together for 35 years, but their relationship has not been the same since Henri’s retirement from the police. As they start to drift apart, Thom comes to realize how far he will go to save their relationship and rekindle the spark in their home. Turtles is a promising queer drama that may offer a deeper look at the lifelong journey of love that people find themselves on. (J.B.)
WE STRANGERS
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
Director: Anu Valia
Cast: Kirby, Tina Lifford, Sarah Goldberg, Maria Dizzia, Kara Young, Hari Dhillon, Paul Adelstein, Mischa Reddy
Country: USA
Anu Valia, known for directing She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, brings an exciting narrative feature to SXSW with We Strangers. The film stars Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Rayelle Martin, a commercial cleaning woman in Gary, Indiana. She stumbles into a new job cleaning for several rich suburban families, and tells one lie that spins out of control. We’re excited for this film as a haunting study of race, class, and assimilation. It will likely be a suspenseful, dramatic, and intense experience that we don’t want to miss. (J.B.)
SXSW 2024: MORE FILMS TO WATCH:
- Audrey
- Cuckoo
- Dìdi (弟弟)
- Ghostlight
- It’s What’s Inside
- I Saw the TV Glow
- I Wish You All The Best
- The In Between
- Malta
- Natatorium
- The Queen of My Dreams
- Resynator
- Songs for a Passerby (XR)
- Tulpamancer (XR)
- The Uninvited
The 2024 South By Southwest Film Festival will take place on March 8-16, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Follow us on our socials for more SXSW updates!
