SXSW FILM 2012 QUOTES

SXSW FILM 2012 QUOTES
“... The SXSW Film Festival solidified itself in the top tier of U.S. film events ... SXSW’s
not-so-secret trump card may be its overlapping music and tech-centric Interactive
events. The throngs of people who attend all three big events ... have developed a creative
dynamic that is rarely matched. And clearly so-called Indiewood and beyond have
embraced the festival.”
Deadline, March 9, 2012
“Sellers and buyers agree SXSW’s youth-skewed tech and culture-savvy audience is an
important litmus test for their product...
...While other fests expand to fill every available space, SXSW... has chosen a more modest,
intimate approach, citing the importance of the fest to provide a safe atmosphere for
filmmakers to experiment and collaborate...
...Like one of those hipsters who dresses ahead of the curve, SXSW has become the place
to watch what independent cinema will be doing two years down the road ... A film fest
wrapped in an interactive fest wrapped in a music fest, SXSW is like the hearty three-meat
Turducken of the festival world. Biting into it, you’d be impressed if SXSW could do any one
of those things well, but the nice surprise is that all three have become leading events in
their respective spheres.”
Variety, March 8, February 18, & March 18, 2012
“SXSW has the rare ability to put a spotlight on wildly subversive creativity for an
approving crowd. ... SXSW caters to the young and hip, the art nerds and fanboys, the
tech geeks and the party-seekers. ... The vibe at SXSW is so explosively celebratory...
...the festival’s brand informs the programming and vice versa, a feat that few other
festivals can pull off. SXSW offers a steady stream of parties, concerts and networking
opportunities — but unlike those ephemeral experiences, the movies that gain momentum
coming out of SXSW can run with it.
Of course, not every great SXSW entry is entirely nutty ... But SXSW keeps the door open
for movies that do, which is partly why it continues to stand out on the increasingly
fragmented festival circuit.”
Indiewire, March 13, 2012
“With its mix of outsider indies and smartly chosen studio films, South by Southwest has
carved out a unique space in the festival landscape, with a bigger presence than smaller
regional fests yet still apart from the industry-driven markets at the film festivals in
Cannes, Toronto or even Sundance. “
Los Angeles Times, March 8, 2012
“There’s something inherently cool about Austin’s annual South by Southwest film festival.
For starters, it has a fun acronym and a decidedly casual vibe, but what sets SXSW apart
from the other big film fests is that it caters to actual film fans. And there’s something
for everyone, from a few mainstream studio-made crowd-pleasers to the genre-tastic
Midnighters series to eclectic documentaries and shorts.”
MTV, March 9, 2012
sxsw.com/film

SXSW FILM 2012 QUOTES (continued)
Part musical festival, part film festival, part tech-head confab, SXSW is a unique event
in the pop-culture firmament, bringing massive stars and indie up-and-comers in music,
movies, and tech together in the Texas hill country of Austin.
Entertainment Weekly, March 8, 2012
“If you’re a fan of art, exploring creativity and just plain having fun, no festival in America
comes close to SXSW. It’s why we at Fandango make the trip out every year, and it’s why
you should also keep your eyes on the buzz escaping out of Austin because some of it
may help shape the entertainment landscape in the coming year. Plus the films they play
rock hard.”
Fandango, March 9, 2012
South by Southwest, the tech-music-movie conference ... isn’t typically a place for big
newsy announcements. The indie ethos of SXSW is more about discovering the hot
emerging thing — a new mobile app, a bold filmmaker, a brilliant set by an undiscovered
band.
CNN, March 9, 2012
“... SXSW is the cool one, and everything and everyone involved reflects that tone. It’s an
atmosphere built on enjoying everything it has to offer, a laid back environment where
you can sit in your favorite theater ... order a pitcher of your favorite brew, and potentially
watch what could become one of your favorite movies. What better time could be had than
that”
First Showing, March 9, 2012
“...sleeper films are truly beginning to break at South by—last year the virtually unheard of
sports documentary Undefeated was picked up by The Weinstein Company, and went on to
win the Academy Award for best Documentary Feature.”
BlackBook, March 19, 2012
“SXSW can be an incredibly inspiring place to be as a film lover, much less a filmmaker.
Unlike at festivals that take place in mainstay movie cities like New York and Los Angeles,
or ones such as Sundance that have cultivated a reputation for non-movie hijinks, South
By attendees really love movies, and are there to see things because they’re genuinely
looking for great content ...
... The other really great thing about SXSW is that due in no small part to the Film, Music
and Interactive components of the entire festival, their programming is much more
varied and interesting ... They of course have marquee premieres and other event-movie
screenings, but they also have separate categories for documentaries, music videos and
other sorts of entries that allow attendees to focus their attention on niches they prefer...”
HitFix, March 8, 2012
“What the South by Southwest Film Festival lacks in mainstream exposure, it makes
up for in coolness. Forget Sundance, Cannes, Toronto and Telluride: Austin is where the
hipper (and hipster) film fans direct their gaze to find their big deal movies.”
Moviefone, March 7, 2012
sxsw.com/film

SXSW FILM 2012 QUOTES (continued)
“...if there’s anything we should have learned by now about SXSW, it’s that you better be
prepared to be amazed, no matter how high your standards are.”
Playmaker, March 11, 2012
“SXSW routinely boasts the most varied and neverending film line-up of the year, and the
just-announced 2012 behemoth of a roster is no exception...
... Each year SXSW plays host to a slate of risk-taking fare of all kinds, from true indie
offerings to upcoming studio releases geared to a slightly more open crowd, and the
2012 film line-up features no shortage of movies poised to earn that precious film festival
commodity: Positive buzz.”
Movieline, February 1, & March 8, 2012
“Austin’s annual SXSW Festival is one of the best destinations to check out the newest,
coolest, and goriest indie horror movies hitting the scene.”
Fear Net, February 8, 2012
“SXSW has become one of the largest film festivals in the United States and certainly one
of the most enjoyable.”
Paste, March 27, 2012
The annual South by Southwest Conference and Festival ... gathers thousands of creators,
performers, media and industry members for 10 days onto the boozy downtown streets
of Austin, Texas. It’s really three festivals — Interactive, Film and Music — in one, but each
bleeds into the other.
Associated Press, March 8, 2012
“In addition to genre films, South by Southwest is known as a testing ground for comedies,
a way for filmmakers and studios to gauge audience reaction.”
New York Times, March 13, 2012
sxsw.com/film