The Austin-based South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) plans to welcome in-person audiences this year for the first time since the spring of 2019.
Taking place March 11-20, the festival will feature 99 full-length films – 76 of which are set to make their world premieres there. 111 short films, 29 XR titles, and 24 music videos will also be shown, according to Variety.
“The last two years have been complicated, and full of uncharted new waters for all of us. While there’s been innovation in building community in isolation and figuring out how to pivot, we’ve intensely missed being able to gather together,” said SXSW’s director of film Janet Pierson. “For our 29th edition of SXSW Film Festival, we are thrilled to share a bounty of creative work to experience together, in-person, with some virtual possibilities, as well.”
Richard Linklater’s “Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood” will debut at the festival next month. Set in 1969 Houston, the coming-of-age story stars Jack Black, Zachary Levi, and Glen Powell. Among the other films slated to premiere are “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” a sci-fi adventure with Michelle Yeoh, “The Lost City,” starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum, “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” with Amandla Stenberg, Pete Davidson, and Maria Bakalova, and the Nicholas Cage action comedy “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” according to Deadline.
In addition, after nearly a four-year-long hiatus, the highly anticipated third season of FX’s “Atlanta” is scheduled to debut on the final night of the festival.
While there is no mask mandate in Texas, SXSW will require face coverings at registration, in session rooms, and at exhibits. Festival participants must also present proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test to attend in-person events.