The newest edition of the SXSW Film & TV Festival is here, and we’re ready as ever to throw some movies on your radar! Check out our picks after the jump…
$POSITIONS
(Written by Intern, Miranda Zampogna) Emerging with thrilling highs, invest this newest get-rich-quick scheme into the portfolio of tragicomedy hits. Writer/director Brandon Daley fervidly tracks a gullible nonstarter consumed by the volatile world of cryptocurrency, who quits his job after a fleeting initial success. His world quickly unravels as his investments plummet, and the pursuit of financial redemption recklessly involves his disabled brother, alienated girlfriend, and drug-abusing cousin. Not just a crackpot token of gambling addiction, this timely cautionary tale reexamines crypto as a destructive vice and offers genuine satire. Get taken for a ride, as $Positions guarantees one hilarious return.
CORINA
(Written by Intern, Miranda Zampogna) Starring the amiable Naian González Norvind and sunny Cristo Fernández (of Ted Lasso fame), Urzula Barba Hopfner marks her feature directorial debut with the ever-so-charming comedy, Corina. After a fledgling, agoraphobic worker accidentally jeopardizes her publishing house’s prized series, she braves the vibrant, bustling city of Guadalajara in search of a mysterious writer to save her job. As she conquers quiet anxieties with everyday forms of bravery, she proves to herself and others that she is a valuable employee. Enjoy Corina’s inspiring message about small acts of courage, bundled with romantic, quirky visuals, for a delightful dose of whimsy.
FUCKTOYS
A depraved, feminine-driven journey through a 16mm dreamscape, Fucktoys loudly announces the arrival of writer/director/lead actress Annapurna Sriram. Expect grimy aesthetics, hilarious cameos, and plenty of bodily fluids—for AP (Sriram), that’s just another average day in Trashtown. Sriram’s debut feature has shades of Harmony Korine blended with the campiness of Troma, but by the end, her bold creative vision has morphed into a wholly original flavor of filmmaking. Featuring all the makings of a cult classic, Fucktoys tees up outrageous absurdity wrapped in an oddly poetic cotton candy world. Come for the trashy vibes, stay for the potent comedy! In the words of AP herself, “I love trash.”
THE HOME
(Written by Intern, Alecia Wilk) An elder care facility transforms into a house of horrors in The Home, when the demons of the past become more powerful than symptoms of dementia. As Joel returns to his hometown, he is thrust into resurfacing traumas that director Mattias J Skoglund bends into a supernatural reckoning. An atmosphere of uneasiness haunts every scene, making potential monsters of empty rooms and helpless, old women. With silence and sound design playing bait and attack, the sensation of every scare is elevated. Without ever spelling out the torments of the past, a chilling legacy unravels through victims trapped in the afterlife of their abuse. Brace for a nightmarish spiral through reality and toward the paranormal in this chilling real-life terror.
ONE MORE SHOT
Another time loop comedy has arrived, this one set during New Years Eve of 1999. Making his feature length directorial debut, Nicholas Clifford does a great job of highlighting the strengths of leading lady Emily Browning and her character’s innumerable misadventures. Instead of Groundhog Day-style infinite resets, the time travel here is limited—only triggered by taking a shot of magical tequila! Heartfelt and quirky, prepare to spend an hour and a half with Emily Browning in this nostalgic Aussie comedy.
Spreadsheet Champions
(Written by Allison Brown) Catering to deeply rooted scholarly passion and fervor for education, Spreadsheet Champions emerges as a wonderfully delightful addition to the festival’s eclectic documentary selection. Director Kristina Kraskov follows six international contenders, Alkmini, Braydon, Carmina, De La Paix, Mason, and Nam, from diverse backgrounds as they travel to Orlando to wield their Excel expertise in Certiport’s Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship. Substantial risks and rewards are in play, as participants—eligible only once between the ages of thirteen and twenty-two—have secured prestigious job offers merely by placing. Blending nostalgia with a nonjudgmental perspective, this compelling human-interest piece is not to be overlooked.
For more information about this year’s exciting iteration of the SXSW Film Festival, including ticketing and the entire lineup, please head over to the official festival website for full details.