28/02/2024 - Cinema from the continent has a commanding presence across the US festival’s line-up, spanning fiction, documentary, XR and genre works

UPDATE (28 February 2024): The festival has announced several new additions to its programme, including Alice Lowe's new film Timestalker [+see also:
film review
film profile] and many more. The full, updated selection is featured below.

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Following Sundance (see the news) and Slamdance (see the news), the European wave continues rolling across the Atlantic Ocean for the Texan event South by Southwest (SXSW, 8-16 March). This year, for the 38th edition, as was the case last year (see the news), British cinema is at the forefront of the European contingent, trailed by Germany, France and Spain. The UK's influence is particularly pronounced in the XR category, extending beyond its established strength in fiction, documentary and genre films.

Two films representing European cinema will premiere in the Narrative Feature Competition. Directed by Crystal Moselle and Derrick B Harden, The Black Sea [+see also:
film review
film profile] is the tale of Khalid, a Brooklyn native, who ends up in a small Bulgarian coastal town. His journey, marked by cultural isolation and unexpected friendships, reflects the themes of identity and belonging. Liliana Torres will unveil Mamífera [+see also:
film review
film profile], following Lola, who faces the dilemma of an unplanned pregnancy at 40, challenging societal norms about motherhood.

The Narrative Spotlight section includes the German flick Cuckoo [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Tilman Singer, centring on Gretchen, who uncovers disturbing secrets in a seemingly idyllic resort town; the UK’s Magpie by Sam Yates, which examines the intricate dynamics within a family grappling with the consequences of fame and ambition; and the Belgian-Canadian co-production Turtles [+see also:
film review
interview: David Lambert
film profile] by David Lambert, which delves into the gradual erosion of a long-standing relationship.

The documentary programme will showcase How to Build a Truth Engine [+see also:
film review
film profile] by Friedrich Moser, about the complex realm of neurological behaviour and its vulnerability to misinformation, offering insightful perspectives on counteracting these tendencies; Torquil Jones’ She Looks Like Me [+see also:
film review
film profile], which traces the journey of Jen Bricker, a woman born without legs, as she discovers a startling connection to her idol, US gymnast Dominique Moceanu; and Whatever It Takes by Jenny Carchman, which tackles the issue of cyberstalking and extreme harassment, revealing the darker facets of digital connectivity.

In the genre-focused Midnighter section, French cinema is represented by the Ladj Ly-produced Hood Witch by Saïd Belktibia, featuring Denis Lavant in a story about Nour as she grapples with a surge of violence in the wake of a disastrous exorcism; Kourtney Roy offers the psycho-thriller Kryptic, exploring a woman's unsettling bond with a creature she is tracking; and Oddity will fly the flag for Irish cinema. Directed by Damian McCarthy, this supernatural drama centres on a blind medium who, with the aid of a wooden mannequin, seeks to unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding her sister's death.

The XR sections demonstrate the amalgamation of art, technology and storytelling, with this fusion exemplified in a variety of European projects. The line-up includes a cosmic ghost story exploring the mysteries of life in the universe in Eliza McNitt’s Astra, a gripping narrative set in the world of pirates highlighting survival and moral dilemmas in Madame Pirate: Code of Conduct by Morgan Ommer and Dan-Chi Huang, and a novel take on the superhero genre in Poulomi Basu and CJ Clarke’s Maya: The Birth of a Superhero, where the powers are derived from natural biological processes. The immersive experiences range from introspective journeys exploring the human body and emotions in SoulPaint by Sarah Ticho and Niki Smit, to adventurous excursions into uncharted natural environments in Buried in the Rock, and an interactive exploration of aphasia in Marion Burger and Ilan J Cohen’s Emperor. The showcase also features a documentary on the life of a Brazilian trans woman, Her Name Was Gisberta by Sérgio Galvão Roxo, and a mixed-reality experience blending gaming with real-life stories in Impulse by Barry Gene Murphy and May Abdalla.

Here is the list of European (co-)productions in the premieres sections:

Narrative Feature Competition

Mamífera [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Liliana Torres (Spain)
The Black Sea [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Crystal Moselle, Derrick B Harden (USA/Bulgaria)

Documentary Feature Competition

An Army of Women [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Julie Lunde Lillesæter (Germany/Norway)
Grand Theft Hamlet [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Pinny Grylls, Sam Crane (UK)

Narrative Spotlight

Cuckoo [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Tilman Singer (Germany)
Magpie - Sam Yates (UK)
Turtles [+see also:
film review
interview: David Lambert
film profile] - David Lambert (Belgium/Canada)
Timestalker [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Alice Lowe (UK)

Documentary Spotlight

How to Build a Truth Engine [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Friedrich Moser (Austria)
She Looks Like Me [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Torquil Jones (UK)
Whatever It Takes - Jenny Carchman (UK)

Midnighter

Hood Witch - Saïd Belktibia (France)
Kryptic - Kourtney Roy (Canada/UK)
Oddity - Damian McCarthy (Ireland)

Visions

The Trouble with Mr Doodle - Ed Perkins, Jaimie D'Cruz (UK)
7 Keys - Joy Wilkinson (UK)
Doppelgängers³ - Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian (USA/Algeria/Armenia/France/UK)
Sew Torn - Freddy Macdonald (USA/Switzerland)

24 Beats per Second

Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound - Antony Crook (UK)
Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird - Nicolas Jack Davies (Germany)

Global

Krzyk - Losing Control [+see also:
interview: Ewa Wikieł
film profile] - Ewa Wikiel (Germany)
Malta - Natalia Santa (Argentina/Colombia/Norway)
My Sextortion Diary [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Patricia Franquesa (Spain)
Natatorium [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Helena Stefánsdóttir (Iceland/Finland)

XR Experience Competition

Astra - Eliza McNitt (USA/France)
Madame Pirate: Code of Conduct - Morgan Ommer, Dan-Chi Huang (France/Taiwan)
Maya: The Birth of a Superhero - Poulomi Basu, CJ Clarke (USA/France/UK)
SoulPaint - Sarah Ticho, Niki Smit (Netherlands/UK)

XR Experience Spotlight

Buried in the Rock - Shehani Fernando, Matthew Shaw, William Trossell (UK)
Emperor - Marion Burger, Ilan J Cohen (France/Germany)
Her Name Was Gisberta - Sérgio Galvão Roxo (Brazil/Portugal)
Impulse (Preview) - Barry Gene Murphy, May Abdalla (France/UK)
Energēia - Ugo Arsac (France)
The Imaginary Friend - Steye Hallema (Netherlands)
Shadowtime - Sister Sylvester, Deniz Tortum (USA/Netherlands/Turkey)
Songs for a Passerby - Celine Daemen (Netherlands)

XR Experience Special Event

A Picture Can't Take Me - Cibelle Cavalli Bastos (Germany)
Kiss/Crash (Installation) - Adam Cole (UK)