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
- Thibaut Duverneix and Guillaume Cardell’s Opal
Keep your eyes on our page for all your Canadian SXSW updates!
