SXSW 2025 Wrapped - The Final Review
- Jurgen Sosa
- Mar 24
- 14 min read
Updated: Apr 8
Last week, I had the absolute pleasure of attending #SXSW2025 in Austin, Texas in collaboration with The Extra Mile. Not only did I sit down with some incredible filmmakers and make some new friends, I was able to screen SIXTEEN FILMS in SIX DAYS. Though not everything I saw was a masterpiece... this festival introduced me to some of my new favourite movies! Here is every film I screened ranked!
- 16 -
THE HOME
Directed by Mattias Johansson Skoglund
Written by Mattias Johansson Skoglund & Mats Strandberg
When Joel admits his elderly mother into a care facility in Iceland, her sinister past follows her there.
The Home is strongest in its opening and ending scenes. In between, it remains a dull and pulseless commentary on PTSD. Kernels of this premise feel interesting, though the film makes little effort to explore them. It often disarms its own scares, preferring to spend its runtime diving into an elaborate character study rather than finding creative ways to unnerve its audience. As a horror movie, it fails to deliver any substantial or memorable scares. As a character driven piece, it fails to give audiences a protagonist to root for. Though it plays rather grey and forgetful in the middle, it begins with an eerie opening shot and ends with a delightfully dreadful dose of ambiguity. Unfortunately, this film was woefully forgetful despite its clear effort to curate commentary around hefty themes like abuse, generational trauma, isolation, depression and aging.
- 15 -
DESCENDENT
Written & Directed by Peter Cilella
An expectant father struggles to come to grips with reality after he suffers a near death experience.
Descendent has the potential to be profound to a particular audience, but alienates the rest of those who might not directly relate to its main character. Expectant fathers might empathize with the stress, anxiety and warping of reality this man experiences as his wife’s due date quickly approaches. It leaps valiantly into the subject matter of generational trauma and a man’s duty to sever the tether before the poison is passed on to his own children. However, the story didn’t build the necessary tension to have us feeling this particular anxiety if we’ve never experienced it ourselves. There’s something existential muddled somewhere within the genre tropes and twists, but it runs the risk of losing audiences with its pace and structure. A ninety minute film shouldn't feel this long. The performances were valiant and cohesive and the film itself was visually pleasing, but it remains one of the stiffer stories on the lineup this year.
- 14 -
HOLLAND
Directed by Mimi Cave
Written by Andrew Sodroski
A woman’s perfectly quaint life unravels once she and her friend discover a troubling secret.
Holland sets out to be cheeky and endearing but ultimately plays like a kitschy disjointed mess that not even Nicole Kidman can save. Kidman plays a naive housewife who is so tragically bored in her suburban bubble that she cooks up her own capers to give her life some semblance of meaning or excitement. Though, not even Kidman’s trademark magnetism can empower this film with the necessary juice to keep it moving. Nancy (Kidman) certainly isn’t the most reliable narrator and the mystery comes when we begin to question the motivations behind her actions. Is her husband really having an affair? Is his secrecy tied to something deeper? Is she bored and crazy and jumping to conclusions? Or is she the only one who can see what’s really going on in this small town? The tone of this film will certainly drive some audiences away, while enthralling few others. Kidman isn't afraid to lead a divisive film, as we witnessed last year with Babygirl, but will her supporters rally behind this latest role?
- 13 -
THE TRUE BEAUTY OF BEING BITTEN BY A TICK
Directed by Pete Ohs Written by Pete Ohs, Zoe Chao, Callie Hernandez, James Cusati-Moyer & Jeremy O. Harris
A woman visits her friend at a remote country home and is bitten by a tick, which leads her through an ominous transformation.
The True Beauty of Being Bitten By a Tick is certainly the most original and unprecedented of the festival. It is singular in its concept, but also in its message to audiences—and to the world. It’s grounded by four performances that are perfectly in line with the film’s tone. These are four actors who understood what this film is a vehicle for, which isn’t surprising, as each of them are credited as writers. There’s a particular nuance to this film that feels colloquial yet poetic. Something we can all understand yet simultaneously invites us to think a little deeper. The dialogue and atmosphere expertly crafts an uneasiness that crawls under your skin and leaves its message etched deep within you. It doesn’t ever shy away from its concept or its themes, despite how uncomfortable the voyage to them might be, and fearlessly commits to its story in a way that leaves us pondering long after the credits have rolled. This is festival excellence and every bit as shockingly moving as its title might suggest. Director Pete Ohs is a genius and a marvel and deserves multitudes of praise for his latest festival darling.
- 12 -
FRIENDSHIP
Written and Directed by Andrew DeYoung
Once a quirky suburban dad befriends his new neighbour, he becomes obsessed with their friendship, even after it ends.
The theatre roared with cheers and laughter during Friendship, though its humour requires an acquired taste. The film does what it sets out to do in exploring the absurdity of the main character’s pursuit of a friendship that is clearly not being reciprocated, but its humour is so distinct and obscure that it runs the risk of excluding other audiences. Tim Robinson delivers a one-of-a-kind performance alongside Paul Rudd, steering the film away from any story lulls and maintaining its energy like a firework that refuses to sputter and die. Though this film was certainly not an example of my sense of humour, judging by the reactions of those around me in a packed theatre of two thousand people, it's safe to say I am in the minority.
- 11 -
ASH
Directed by Flying Lotus Written by Jonni Remmler
An astronaut with no memories wakes up in a space station to find the rest of her crew has been viciously murdered.
Technically, Ash is outstanding. It has a heart pounding score, a stellar blend of visuals, lighting and colours accompanying an atmosphere that feels reminiscent of console gameplay. It’s edited in a captivating way with a careful combination of action, horror, gore and science fiction. Riya (Eiza Gonzalez) wakes up on a stormy planet with no recollection of how she arrived there, serving up the classic Who am I? How did I get here? trope while imbuing a thrilling race against time as the level of oxygen in her station depletes. Aaron Paul, a crew mate stationed at another post uphill, arrives.... surprised to find the rest of the crew slaughtered. Or is he? Ash does well in building suspense and keeping us guessing, but its story isn’t sturdy or inventive enough to qualify as anything new. Despite its attempt at an innovative narrative structure, it concerns itself more with how it looks than how it plays. It looks effervescent and gorgeous and absolutely haunting at times, yet it leaves much to be desired in relation to its characters and story. Fans of science fiction and Lovecraftian horror might enjoy themselves with this, as long as they have the stomach for its jaw dropping gore.
- 10 -
THE ASTRONAUT
Written and Directed by Jess Varley
When an astronaut returns from a nearly lethal mission in space, she discovers something has followed her back to Earth.
The Astronaut was my most anticipated film on the lineup from the premise alone. It promised an intriguing concept and with Kate Mara as the lead, it seemed impossible for the film to falter. Yet, it found itself veering from its strongest elements leading into the third act after some halfhearted sequences. The film spends its runtime reaching for something interesting but fails to ever attain it. There are some truly frightening moments that are glossed over or abandoned too quickly, forbidding any tension from building in service to a predictable plot twist; there is such a thing as too many breadcrumbs! Though this was the most disappointing film I screened, it was technically marvellous. The costuming, production design and colouring was exceptional and told a story of its own while remaining perfectly in line with Sam's (Mara) story on screen. Her performance was as expected—magnificent. This film’s biggest issue is that it presents itself as a sci-fi home invasion thriller, but only contains one or two scenes that qualify within that classification. It's all retch and no vomit, promising a high octane nail-biter and delivering a lukewarm collection of sequences that relies on its setting rather than its story.
- 9 -
O'DESSA
Written and Directed by Geremy Jasper
In a dystopian world poisoned by plasma and greed, a farm girl embarks on a quest to recover a family heirloom with the potential to save the world.
O’Dessa is offbeat, playful, mythological, bright and colourfully textured with sparkling neon industrial cityscapes and effervescent grime. Packed with a ferociously vibrant colour palette and the costumes to match, Sadie Sink is truly magnificent, bringing powerful vocals to match her magnetic presence on screen. The rock opera begins and ends with its most powerful numbers, letting some forgetful pieces fall prey to the murky waters of the second act. The film starts off as an epic quest and quickly abandons the premise for a stab at romance, exploring a relationship that transcends labels and identities—a triumphant leap for Disney, who has recently signed on as a distributor. But Jasper sacrifices story for style in this neon dream, dragging its feet until we get to our unsurprising resolution. Murray Bartlett is outstanding as Plutonovich, an eccentric dictator who plays like an evil Caesar Flickerman, hosting his own deadly game show in search of The One. Enter O’Dessa Galloway, the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, armed with an old six string and a dream.
- 8 -
THE SURRENDER
Written and Directed by Julia Max
When a patriarch dies, a grieving mother and daughter take part in a ritual to resurrect him.
Julia Max weaves a jarringly real and personal story about grief and loss, using the horror genre as a device to elevate the question she poses from the very first frame—how far would you go to bring your loved ones home? The film excels in lulling you into a vulnerable state by lassoing your sense of empathy and pulling you into this story of familial grief before gutting you with its expertly crafted scares and gore. At the root of The Surrender is a story of the horror embedded within one's acceptance of grief. It is a shockingly surreal and touching story that uses a supernatural ritual as a vehicle to explore one woman’s relationship with her parents and what those relationships look like in truth and in fantasy. Max's writing in this film proposes countless scenes and scenarios between its powerhouse leads Colby Minifie and Kate Burton in which we begin to understand and fully empathize with their complicated relationship. The first half of this film truly feels like we are witnessing the troubles of a real family, brought to life by deliveries and dialogue that feel transcendent of their medium. By the film's end, audiences are guaranteed to be deeply moved, particularly by Minifie's dedication to the genre and script, but also because of the potent realism Max has injected into this story inspired by true events.
- 7 -
BRIEF SOMEBODIES
Written and Directed by Andy Reid
A filmmaker stars and directs in a film about his own sexual assault, facing the trauma reenacting the encounter triggers in him.
Though Brief Somebodies addresses themes of PTSD and sexual assault, it disarms its audiences by using deliciously dark humour to unpack the brevities in its story while subverting audience expectations multiple times. Though this is only a short, it remains one of the most memorable projects of this year's lineup. It is visceral in its exploration of trauma through artistic expression, while proposing a main character who felt very grounded, believable and real. Aldrin Bundoc plays Joel, a gay filmmaker who has completely disassociated with the trauma born from this encounter, choosing to use filmmaking as a way to contain or disarm the pain that he will inevitably have to face. This is the most fascinating part of the project, as artists often use their art to explore the darker shades of their lives. But at what cost? A poignant exploration of the queer experience rooted in artistic ingenuity, Andy Reid has cemented his place as a filmmaker to keep your eye on.
Brief Somebodies was the Winner of the Redbreast Unhidden Award presented by Andrew Scott in partnership with Redbreast Irish Whiskey.
- 6 -
DROP
Directed by Christopher Landon
Written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach
A widowed mother's first date with a man she met online quickly turns into a nightmare once she begins receiving anonymous messages asking her to kill him.
Drop will have audiences on the edge of their seats from the very beginning. The premise was enough to get me in my seat on opening night, but to have Meghann Fahy finally leading her own film made it even better. Once you go in knowing Fahy's character will be coerced by someone in the room with her, you are suspicious of everyone from the very first moment. Drops ask you to suspend your disbelief for a large portion of the film, but its performances and plot make up for the silly inconsistencies you might find. If you commit to having a good time with this, you will experience a non stop thrill ride! Christopher Landon has written and directed movies like Freaky, Heart Eyes, Happy Death Day, the Paranormal Activities and Disturbia. Though many viewers might prefer the action we get in the second half, the first is incredibly powerful. The best parts lie in its unsettling mystery. I found it more interesting the longer we remained in the dark. As we got closer to the end, things began going off the rails, but remained fun and wildly exciting. Most notably, it tells a heartfelt story about a woman's battle with abuse, the bravery it requires to open yourself up to new people and the strength she must find in herself to finally fight back.
- 5 -
THE SURFER
Directed by Lorcan Finnegan
Written by Thomas Martin
A father returns to his favourite beach only to find it guarded by a ruthless gang of surfers.
This movie was one of the hardest (but best) watches of the festival... and here’s why. The Surfer is one of those movies where everything that can go wrong for the main character goes so much worse. It immediately implores you to empathize with The Surfer (Nicolas Cage) and forces you to join him down his spiral. This movie reminded me a lot of The Pursuit of Happiness in the sense that we witness this character's rock bottom get lower and lower. What’s impressive about this film is that it channels the level of frustration you feel when you are so fed up you're on the verge of tears, but it doesn’t allow you that release until the very end. Watching this movie almost like you’re holding in a sneeze or waiting for the right moment to finally breathe. It's animated by a fearless performance from Cage, some vibrant colouring and inventive production design, somehow playing like it's a collective fifteen minutes but also the longest movie you've ever seen in your life. This is a must must see!
- 4 -
GOOD BOY
Directed by Ben Leonberg Written by Ben Leonberg and Alex Cannon
When a man moves to a rural home and falls victim to supernatural phenomena, his dog must protect him from the darkness.
Good Boy is an absolute standout of the festival and deserves every accolade and ounce of praise it is receiving. This is a truly touching story about our connection with pets and how though we often believe they are less intelligent than we are, they can see things we don't see in ourselves; supernatural and otherwise. This is without a doubt the most inventive film on the lineup, redefining an entire genre by bringing us into a new perspective without burdening audiences with a cheesy talking dog device. Indy is a regular dog who uses actions and expressions in place of dialogue as he discovers his owner may or may not be possessed. This film has the most heart by miles, reeling you in with a level of pathos that isn’t achievable when watching human-led stories. With a whopping four hundred days of shooting under their belt, this cast and crew deserve praise for their gargantuan efforts, as well as their brilliant execution.
- 3 -
HALLOW ROAD
Directed by Babak Anvari
Written by William Gillies
One late night, two parents receive a distress call from their estranged daughter, who might have accidentally killed someone.
The mark of any great thriller is when the credits roll and you have completely forgotten you are in a theatre. You haven’t even noticed you've been holding your breath, gripping the seat with clenched fingers and leaning completely forward with your jaw still open. This is exactly how we found ourselves at the end of Hallow Road, the kind of thriller that sneaks up on you and bubbles towards its climax without sacrificing story, character or cinematography. Most of this film takes place inside of one car. Single location thrillers are already incredibly difficult to pull off, but it’s possible when you have the following formula: exceptional performances and an incredible script. Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys show off their impressive skills, reeling us in with their dramatic performances and refusing to let us go, even after it's all over. Gillies subtly weaves in elements of suspense, mystery, horror and even folklore to tell a story of parenthood that will stay with you long beyond the rolling credits.
- 2 -
GLORIOUS SUMMER
Written and Directed by Helena Ganjalyan & Bartosz Szpak
Three women live within the walls of a Renaissance palace, provided with all they might ever need. But tensions rise once they consider what might exist beyond the walls, and whether they prefer comfort or freedom.
What would you do if you lived in an elegant Renaissance palace where it’s always summer and you have everything you could ever ask for? The only catch is… you’re never allowed to leave. Glorious Summer is armed with the best performances of the entire festival, as well as the best use of atmosphere. Three girls have lived in this palace for years, never wanting for anything, because everything they ask for appears. But once upon a time, there were more than three. When the other girls began to question what waited for them outside the walls, they disappeared. So what happens when one of them returns? Laced with an enthralling story, beautifully hazy cinematography and dialogue so poetic and profound, it was impossible to look away for even a moment as this Polish indie played. These performances were outstanding. This film is elegant and opulent and does so well in presenting its premise, themes and message. This is a one of a kind film that pulls from cerebral concepts like totalitarian dystopianism, drenched in summer and sunshine. A beautiful oxymoron with a poignant question that acts as the throughline of this entire film, refusing to absolve you of its existence. This is what all art should strive to be.
- 1 -
CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD
Directed by Eli Craig
Written by Eli Craig & Carter Blanchard
Based on the novel by Adam Cesare
The teens of a small midwestern town are hunted down by a killer clown.
Though SXSW is infamous for its lineup of subversive and inventive films, no other film that screened this year juggled the various facets and responsibilities of a popular genre as expertly as Clown in a Cornfield did with horror. This movie was fresh, funny, frightening and full of everything a horror lover could want in a slasher movie. With shocking kills, inventive trope subversions, gripping sequences and a stellar commentary on the genre (and our society), Eli Craig’s latest is truly an instant classic. Clever, sharp and witty, it honours the genre’s greatest traditions while pivoting to deliver something truly original. It is surprisingly heartfelt and riotous, guaranteed to have you screaming, cheering and laughing throughout. This film is a faithful adaptation of the novel, as well as an excellent blend of horror and comedy. Katie Douglas delivers a performance with an aura that solidifies her as this generation’s Kristen Stewart, with an effortless cool girl quality that works as both endearing and admirable. Wherever she takes us, we can’t wait to see what she does next. Hopefully, she leads us into a flurry of sequels. Because this movie was bloody brilliant!
Though the movies I was fortunate enough to screen were substantial, entertaining and absolutely major, the highlight of the festival was meeting so many incredible people! Getting to spend the week surrounded by so many like minded cinephiles, film lovers and filmmakers was unlike any other experience I've had... and I've been attending TIFF for nearly a decade now. SXSW was truly another experience and I implore everyone who's ever wanted to go to DO IT! The community you will find in Austin is truly unlike any other and I am eternally grateful for the connections, memories and friendships this experience has given me!
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