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Wednesday, February 1, 2012
SXSW announces features lineup, including ‘21 Jump Street,’ ‘Bernie’ and ‘Killer Joe’
Filmmaker Emmett Malloy and his cameras followed Mumford and Sons on the British band’s train tour that passed through Austin in April. His “Big Easy Express,” a documentary about the tour that included Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show, will close the festival March 17.
The festival will also feature the latest from University of Texas alumnus Matthew McConaughey, who stars with Emile Hirsch in the crime drama “Killer Joe” from “French Connection” director William Friedkin. Austin filmmaker Richard Linklater, who gave McConaughey his big break in “Dazed and Confused,” will screen his dark comedy, the locally shot “Bernie,” which stars Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine and McConaughey.
Other movies with Austin ties playing SXSW include “Do-Deca-Pentathalon” from University of Texas alumni, brothers Jay and Mark Duplass; Austinite Bob Byington’s “Somebody Up There Likes Me,” starring Offerman and Kevin Corrigan; the Zellner brothers’ “Kid-Thing,” which recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival; and the documentary “America’s Parking Lot,” Austinite Jonny Mars’ directorial debut about two die-hard Cowboys fans and their finals days as tailgaters at Texas Stadium.
Always a highlight in the Live Music Capital of the World, the 24 Beats Per Second category features music-related films. Those include “Charles Bradley: Soul of America,” a documentary about the late-blossoming soul singer who drew raves with his performance at last year’s SXSW. Two Los Angeles-themed documentaries, “Sunset Strip,” which chronicles the 100-year history of the legendary street, and Mark Ford’s “Uprising: Hip Hop & The L.A. Riots,” a look at hip-hop’s role in the social unrest of the ’90s, should also play to large audiences at the film festival.
SXSW will screen 130 features during the festival, including 51 films from first-time directors. The narrative and documentary feature categories will each consist of eight films making their world premieres.
“SXSW has long been a haven for bold filmmaking and a launching pad for authentic voices,” says Janet Pierson, the film conference and festival producer. “Every year we start anew, trying hard not to rely on our own formulas or expectations. This year we’re excited to present a fresh slate of breakout talent, but one that’s still uniquely SXSW.”
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