Canadian projects at SXSW!

08 • 03

With Canadian films and XR works in SXSW’s official selection; a week’s worth of film, tech, and music programming at Canada House; plus the debut of the new Canadian Innovation Lounge, Canada’s presence at SXSW 2024 promises to be entertaining, inspiring, and impactful!

This year’s SXSW takes place in Austin, Texas from March 8 to 16, and we can’t wait to bring you some of the best of Canada’s creators, innovators, and content.

Let’s discover the outstanding Canadian films, coproductions, and XR experiences in the fest’s official selection:

Features

24 Beats Per Second

Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee’s Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story

Executive produced by Oscar-nominated Elliott Page, this feature-length doc about Black trans soul singer Jackie Shane is making its world premiere.

Documentary Spotlight

Yuqi Kang’s 7 Beats Per Minute

Also in its world premiere is this story about freediving champion Jessea Lu as she confronts the trauma of a near-death experience.

Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s Plastic People

Learn about the impacts of our society’s addiction to plastic and the health and environmental consequences of microplastics in the world premiere of this long-form doc.

Simon Ennis’s The Hobby

Delve deep into board game culture in the world premiere of this character-driven documentary film.

Festival Favorite

Fawzia Mirza’s The Queen Of My Dreams

A Canadian-born woman returns to Pakistan upon the death of her father, where she and her Pakistani-Muslim mother connect over a love of Bollywood. This 2SLGBTQIA+ story is making its U.S. premiere.

Midnighter

Annick Blanc’s Hunting Daze

In this thriller making its world premiere, an exotic dancer stuck in the North stays with a group of men for a few days, until a stranger’s arrival changes things.

Kourtney Roy’s Kryptic (Canada-U.K. coproduction)

A woman searches for a monster hunter in this horror thriller making its world premiere, only to discover they are connected.

Narrative Feature Competition

D.W. Waterson’s Backspot

Starring Evan Rachel Wood and with Elliott Page among its executive producers, this 2SLGBTQIA+ cheerleading drama is making its international premiere.

David Lambert’s Turtles (Canada-Belgium coproduction)

Thom and Henri have been together for decades, and are trying to save their relationship, challenged by inevitable life changes. This.2SLGBTQIA+ dramatic comedy is having its North American premiere.

Visions

Shannon Walsh’s Adrianne & The Castle

Love, grief and fantasy unite in this feature-length musical documentary about a couple who built a fairy-tale castle in Illinois, in its world premiere.

Shorts

Documentary Short Competition

Amélie Hardy’s Hello Stranger

Animated Short Competition

Alexandra Myotte and Jean-Sébastien Hamel’s A Crab in the Pool (Un trou dans la poitrine)

Narrative Short Competition

Alexandre Isabelle’s À toi les oreilles
Benoît Le Rouzès Ménard’s My Tomato Heart
Adebukola Bodunrin’s We Are Not Alone (Canada-U.S.)

XR Experience Competition

Roman Rappak and Luke Higgs’s Detachment (Canada-U.S.-U.K.)
Émilie Rosas and Colas Wohlfahrt’s Joseph Rouleau: Final Encore
The Expats (Connor Illsley, Jon Riera, Grayson Moore and Aidan Shipley)’s Last We Left Off

XR Experience Special Event