With the outbreak of COVID-19, or Coronavirus, getting worse by the day, many large public events are being postponed or canceled altogether. One such victim is South by Southwest, the Austin based festival that celebrates music, film, and many other things for over a week.
The festival is a huge loss to the film community, as it is a massive opportunity for artists to screen their films, or even premiere them. Our hearts go out to every filmmaker that was scheduled, and we wish you the best of luck in finding places to show your films. Here are ten films, in particular, that should stay on everyone's radar, and be sought out as soon as possible.
Drunk Bus
This coming of age film follows an aimless campus bus driver and a charismatic security guard as they navigate the chaotic late-night shift aptly nicknamed "drunk bus." The film comes from Brooklyn filmmaking team Ghost+Cow, also known by John Carlucci and Brandon LaGanke.
Their film was originally slated to have its premiere at the 2020 SXSW festival but is now looking to debut at The Cleveland International Film Festival.
Beast Beast
This drama comes from filmmaker Danny Madden. The Southeast filmmaker made Filmmaker Magazine's 25 new faces of independent film in 2012 and has had ten short films become Vimeo Staff Picks. Beast Beast is his debut feature and just premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
SXSW attendees would have still been an early viewing for the new film, following two high-schoolers that face turmoil in a small Southern town. It is unclear what kind of release plan is in store for the film, but it will likely start playing more festivals, or head for limited release in the coming months.
Basic
This short film comes from comedian/writer/director Chelsea Devantez and is about "A dumb lil' ho doing lil' ho things. The film stars Georgia Mischak (Arrested Development) and Nelson Franklin (New Girl) and explores the insecurities that live within all of us.
It was set to have its second screening at SXSW and has nearly a dozen more festivals lined up on its circuit, mostly around the Los Angeles area. Hopefully after in a few months it will find its way farther out or be online where we can all give it the likes and hearts it deserves.
Beached
Beached is an exception on the list, but a worthy one. Not a film, but a new series from genre filmmaker Nic Collins. The series is a creepy tale about a humanoid fish creature that emerges from the ocean on a mission to take away humanity's pain. The series boasts impressive and unsettling practical effects for its creature, but Collins says the creature is truly here to help. "We want Beached to give people hope. The Wail, the central protagonist of the series, represents the light at the end of the tunnel. Painful experiences are only temporary and make us stronger."
Beached was set to premiere at SXSW, and while its new premiere isn't yet set it is only a matter of time before it lives somewhere else, for all to see.
Waffle
A short film about a sleepover between an ordinary girl and an eccentric orphan heiress that has to have things her way. Waffle is a surreal comedy from the small team of writer/actor Kerry Barker (True Detective), writer/actor Katie Marovitch (Collegehumor), and director Carlyn Hudson.
The short was scheduled to have its premiere, then two other screenings, at SXSW, and currently does not have a new premiere set. Here's hoping this one starts popping up at other festivals asap.
The Surrogate
Director Jeremy Hersh made a name for himself with his short films Actresses and Natives, which premiered at Sundance and SXSW in 2015 and 2013. He now makes his debut feature with The Surrogate, a complex queer drama about a woman who volunteers to be a surrogate mother for her best friends, a male couple. After an unexpected prenatal test result, the three find themselves conflicted, and their relationship is put to the test.
The film could be a big breakout for Hersh and was set to premiere at SXSW. At the time of this writing, a new premiere has not been set, but it seems likely a different fest will secure the film soon.
In and Of Itself
This part-documentary part-performance explores storyteller and conceptual magician Derek Delgaudio's famous routine of the same name. It is directed by famous filmmaker Frank Oz, who also directed the stage show. The film weaves Delgaudio's personal life in between footage of his show, crafting a personal exploration of who he is. a question he says he doesn't know the answer to himself.
The film was set to premiere at SXSW and does not have any other screenings announced yet, but it is one to note, as it will likely be unlike any other documentaries to come out this year.
I Used To Go Here
The fourth feature by Kris Rey continues to do what her other films have done by exploring the way young women traverse building relationships with other people. The film follows a writer (Gillian Jacobs) as she is invited to speak at her alma mater by a professor (Jemaine Clement) she has a complex past with.
Produced by The Lonely Island, the film is full of tonal shifts that make it truly unique. It was set to have its premiere at SXSW, but will undoubtedly find its way to limited release sometime later this year.
She Dies Tomorrow
This bizarre feature from Amy Seimetz follows a young woman that is obsessed with the thought that she is going to die tomorrow, and her feeling is contagious, making others share in the hysteria. The team behind the film has a great track record, making this premiere an anticipated one.
The film is currently screening for potential buyers and is expected to start playing festivals all over in the coming months.
You Cannot Kill David Arquette
Back in the 90s, actor David Arquette made himself one of the most hated men in all of... professional wrestling. In an effort to promote the film Ready to Rumble, major wrestling company WCW brought in Arquette and not only had him wrestle, but had him win their world title. The same title some of the greatest wrestlers of all time proudly held. The criticism that came Arquette's way was a large part of the downward spiral he fell into, almost ending his career.
However, about a year ago, Arquette sought redemption. He set out to prove he could wrestle with some of the best stars on the independent circuit, and somehow make up for his first run along the way. This documentary showcases his return to the ring and gives a deeply intimate look at his life in the process. It was set to premiere as a headliner of SXSW and has yet to confirm its new premiere.