SXSW Film Festival Lives On

South by Southwest may have been cancelled this spring in an unprecedented move, but thanks to Amazon Prime, the film portion of the iconic annual Austin festival will live on — virtually.

The upcoming 10-day digital festival (SXSW2020) has teamed up with SXSW’s 2020 filmmakers to showcase their works for the first time to an at-home audience. All you need is a free Amazon account — you don’t even need to pay for Prime.

Although participating filmmakers have yet to be disclosed, and Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae’s highly anticipated romantic comedy Lovebirds is already headed to Netflix, here are some thoughts on which films from the festival’s original lineup would be great to see shared virtually even though we’re unable to attend and soak up the atmosphere with live audiences.

The Green Knight, a fantasy film directed by David Lowry follows the story of Sir Gawain, King Arthur’s headstrong nephew (played by Dev Patel), and his journey to battle the eponymous green-skinned giant. You might not think you needed a gritty re-imagining of a 14th-century Middle English story in the year 2020, but A24’s trailer and its captivating image of Patel’s head catching on fire are sure to tempt you.

Another film that’s garnered hype is Bad Trip, starring comedian Eric Andre. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, the hidden-camera comedy follows two best friends (Andre and Lil Rel Howery) as they pull pranks on unsuspecting strangers. Girls Trip‘s Tiffany Haddish also makes an appearance in the R-rated comedy.

After a five-year directing break, Judd Apatow returns with The King of Staten Island, starring Pete Davidson. The film sees the SNL cast mate living in the titular city with his mother, played by Oscar winner Marisa Tomei, and still grappling with the death of his firefighter father when he was seven years old. The plot seems to mirror Davidson’s real life, and given Apatow’s penchant for moving dramedies, we’d appreciate being able to shed the potential tears from home.

Beyond the headliners, narrative films such as Best Summer Ever, documentaries, and shorts are also in play for the digital festival. Stay updated on the premiere date and which films will be screened via the SXSW website and facebook page.