The SXSW Film & TV Festival just dumped another big armful of programming onto its 2026 slate, adding 50+ projects as the Austin gathering heads toward its March 12–18 run with a lineup that’s now swollen to 107 features (including 82 world premieres), plus a fresh batch of TV, shorts, music videos, and XR selections.
As SXSW VP of Film & TV Claudette Godfrey put it, the festival’s aiming for the full buffet: “bold new filmmakers, high-profile studio premieres, gripping series, powerful documentaries, and stunning international cinema,” with the kind of risk-taking work that “demand[s] to be seen live and in person.”
READ MORE: The 75 Most Anticipated TV Shows & Mini-Series Of 2026
Among the buzziest new add-ons is “Pretty Lethal,” the headliner action-thriller from Vicky Jewson (“Close,” “Born of War”), which strands five ballerinas in a remote forest and lets them weaponize years of brutal training—led by a cast that includes Uma Thurman, Iris Apatow, Lana Condor, Millicent Simmonds, Avantika, and Maddie Ziegler. If SXSW likes anything, it’s a crowd-pleaser with a sharp premise and a movie-star anchor, and this one reads calibrated to light up the room.
The festival’s Narrative Spotlight additions are stacked with familiar faces and filmmaker heat, too. There’s “Normal,” the Ben Wheatley (“Kill List,” “Free Fire”) action thriller written by Derek Kolstad (“John Wick”), starring Bob Odenkirk, Henry Winkler, and Lena Headey, set for a U.S. premiere. And on the international side, “Beast Race (Corrida dos Bichos)” brings Fernando Meirelles (“City of God,” “The Two Popes”) into the mix alongside co-directors Ernesto Solis and Rodrigo Pesavento, with a Brazil-set dystopian blood-sport story and a cast that includes Rodrigo Santoro, Isis Valverde, Seu Jorge, and Anitta.
There are also some instant “hey, wait—that cast?” entries: “Chili Finger” stars Judy Greer, Sean Astin, Bryan Cranston, and John Goodman in a small-town chaos spiral; “Kill Me” is led by Charlie Day alongside Allison Williams and Giancarlo Esposito; and “Dreamquil” teams Elizabeth Banks and John C. Reilly with Juliette Lewis and Sofia Boutella in a near-future scenario involving a helper robot that starts crossing lines.
On the TV side, the biggest “come watch this with a crowd” beacon might be HBO’s “The Comeback” Season 3, bringing Lisa Kudrow back with showrunner/director Michael Patrick King for what’s being billed as the third and final season—an event-y SXSW play if there ever was one.
The documentary additions carry real weight as well, led by “Serling,” the authorized portrait of “Twilight Zone” creator Rod Serling, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, alongside “Your Attention Please,” which frames a growing pushback against addictive tech as AI reshapes everyday life. Music-forward docs are also well represented, including “Jack Johnson: SURFILMUSIC,” tracing the surfer-musician’s evolution from wave rider to global star, and “The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel,” an in-depth look at the band’s formative years and the lasting influence of original guitarist Hillel Slovak on the sound and soul of Red Hot Chili Peppers.
FILM PROGRAM
HEADLINER
Big names, big talent featuring red carpet premieres and gala film events with major and rising names in cinema.
“Pretty Lethal” (United Kingdom)
Director: Vicky Jewson
Producers: Kelly McCormick, Mike Karz, William Bindley, Piers Tempest
Screenwriter: Kate Freund
An action-packed thriller where five ballerinas, stranded in a remote forest, take shelter at an unsettling roadside inn and weaponize years of brutal training to survive.
Cast: Iris Apatow, Lana Condor, Millicent Simmonds, Avantika, Maddie Ziegler, Uma Thurman
(World Premiere)
NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT
Unforgettable features receiving their World, North American, or U.S. premieres.
“Anima”
Director/Screenwriter: Brian Tetsuro Ivie
Producers: Harrison Allen, Brian Tetsuro Ivie, Chloe Rahal, Alexander Lycette, Jason Pamer, Brev Moss
A young woman and an old man embark on a road trip to preserve his consciousness at an experimental facility.
Cast: Sydney Chandler, Takehiro Hira, Marin Ireland, Lili Taylor, Maria Dizzia, Tom McCarthy, Emil Wakim, Maximilian Lee Piazza
(World Premiere)
“Basic”
Director/Screenwriter: Chelsea Devantez
Producers: Marc Platt, Katie McNicol, Nadine De Barros
A woman spirals after discovering her boyfriend’s very basic, very hot ex is about to take over her life—and her story.
Cast: Ashley Park, Leighton Meester, Taylor John Smith, Nelson Franklin, Kandy Muse, Ashley Nicole Black, Kenzie Elizabeth, Amber Ruffin, Jon Gabrus, Georgia Mishak
(World Premiere)
“Beast Race (Corrida dos Bichos)” (Brazil)
Directors: Ernesto Solis, Rodrigo Pesavento, Fernando Meirelles
Producers: Fernando Meirelles, Andrea Barata Ribeiro, Vinicio Espinosa
Screenwriters: Ernesto Solis, Rodrigo Lages, Eva Klaver, Marco Abujamra
In a dystopian Rio de Janeiro addicted to blood sport, a resistance leader enters a deadly race to save his sister.
Cast: Matheus Abreu, Rodrigo Santoro, Isis Valverde, Bruno Gagliasso, Thainá Duarte, Seu Jorge, Silvero Pereira, João Guilherme, Grazi Massafera, Anitta
(World Premiere)
“Chili Finger”
Directors: Edd Benda, Stephen Helstad
Producers: Sam Sandweiss, Jo Henriquez
Screenwriter: Stephen Helstad
A small-town lawyer finds a severed finger in her chili and blackmails a restaurant, sending her life into chaos.
Cast: Judy Greer, Sean Astin, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Madeline Wise, Paul Stanko, Sarah Herrman, Sara Sevigny, Dann Florek
(World Premiere)
“Crash Land” (Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Dempsey Bryk
Producers: Billy Bryk, Finn Wolfhard, Julian Geneen, Dempsey Bryk
Two amateur stuntmen try to make a “real movie” and crash spectacularly.
Cast: Gabriel LaBelle, Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk, Noah Parker, Abby Quinn
(World Premiere)
“Dreamquil”
Director: Alex Prager
Producers: Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman, Alison Small, Vincent Landay, Michael Mendelsohn
Screenwriters: Alex Prager, Vanessa Prager
A woman returns from a virtual retreat to discover the helper robot sent to her home is infringing on her identity.
Cast: Elizabeth Banks, John C. Reilly, Juliette Lewis, Sofia Boutella, Kathryn Newton, Lamorne Morris
(World Premiere)
“He Bled Neon”
Director: Drew Kirsch
Producers: Nate Bolotin, Lucan Toh
Screenwriters: Tim Cairo, Jake Gibson
A man returns to Las Vegas after his brother’s suspicious overdose and uncovers corruption—and his own violence.
Cast: Joe Cole, Rita Ora, Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Paul Wesley, Josh Holloway
(World Premiere)
“Kill Me”
Director/Screenwriter: Peter Warren
Producers: Nate Bolotin, Keith Goldberg, Natalie Metzger, Maxime Cottray, Mike Richardson, Charlie Day
A man investigates whether someone is trying to kill him—or if he’s chasing himself.
Cast: Charlie Day, Allison Williams, Giancarlo Esposito, Aya Cash, Jessica Harper, David Krumholtz, Tony Cavalero
(World Premiere)
“Normal”
Director: Ben Wheatley
Producers: Marc Provissiero, Derek Kolstad, Bob Odenkirk
Screenwriter: Derek Kolstad
A provisional sheriff clashes with his town after a sordid secret ignites a violent reckoning.
Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Henry Winkler, Lena Headey
(U.S. Premiere)
“Poetic License”
Director: Maude Apatow
Producers: Judd Apatow, Josh Church, Benjamin Hung, Thalia Daniel
Screenwriter: Raffi Donatich
A mother becomes the unexpected fault line between two inseparable college seniors.
Cast: Leslie Mann, Cooper Hoffman, Andrew Barth Feldman
(U.S. Premiere)
“Same Same But Different”
Director: Lauren Noll
Producers: Dalia Rooni, Lauren Noll, Zein Khleif, Medalion Rahimi
Screenwriter: Dalia Rooni
An Iranian immigrant agrees to a green card marriage that spirals into cultural chaos.
Cast: Medalion Rahimi, Logan Miller, Layla Mohammadi, Kevin Nealon, Joey Lauren Adams
(World Premiere)
“The Saviors”
Director: Kevin Hamedani
Producers: Matt Smith, Dan Gedman, Nicholas Weinstock, Naomi Scott, Adam Scott
Screenwriters: Kevin Hamedani, Travis Betz
An estranged couple suspects their Airbnb guests may be plotting something dangerous.
Cast: Adam Scott, Danielle Deadwyler, Theo Rossi, Kate Berlant, Ron Perlman, Greg Kinnear
(World Premiere)
“Sparks”
Director/Screenwriter: Fergus Campbell
Producer: Lola Lafia
A group of teens chase an urban legend about a time portal in the Nevada desert.
Cast: Elsie Fisher, Madison Hu
(World Premiere)
“Ugly Cry”
Director/Screenwriter: Emily Robinson
Producers: Sophia Sabella, Pablo Feldman
An actor spirals after losing a dream role because of her “ugly cry.”
Cast: Emily Robinson, Ryan Simpkins, Robin Tunney
(World Premiere)
DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT
“Serling”
Director: Jonah Tulis
Producers: Leonardo DiCaprio, Phillip Watson
The authorized documentary on Rod Serling, creator of “The Twilight Zone.”
(World Premiere)
“Jack Johnson: SURFILMUSIC”
Director: Emmett Malloy
Producers: Daniel Pappas, Tim Wheeler, Wyatt Daily
A portrait of Jack Johnson’s journey from surfer to filmmaker to global musician.
(World Premiere)
“The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel”
Director: Ben Feldman
Producer: Marc D’Agostino
An in-depth look at the band’s formative years and the influence of guitarist Hillel Slovak.
(World Premiere)
“Cornbread Mafia”
Directors: Evan Mascagni, Drew Morris
Producers: Trevor Kane, Merry-Kay Poe, Evan Mascagni
Screenwriters: Sam Wagstaff, Evan Mascagni
The rise and fall of Kentucky farmers who built the largest domestic marijuana syndicate in U.S. history.
(World Premiere)
“The Dads”
Director: Luchina Fisher
Producers: Stephen Chukumba, Luchina Fisher
A group of fathers supporting their trans and gender-expansive kids confront escalating political hostility.
(World Premiere)
“First They Came for My College”
Director: Patrick Bresnan
Producers: Holly Herrick, Harry W. Hanbury, Patrick Bresnan, Zackary Drucker
Screenwriters: Ivete Lucas, Leah Marino
A Florida public honors college becomes ground zero in a political assault on academic freedom.
(Texas Premiere)
“I Got Bombed at Harvey’s”
Directors: Amy Bandlien Storkel, Bryan Storkel
Producers: Bo Butterworth, Karen Bowlin
A true-crime story involving dynamite, millions in cash, and a casino on the brink.
(World Premiere)
“Manhood”
Director: Daniel Lombroso
Producers: Kerry Mack, Rebecca Shaid
A businessman attempts to normalize penis enlargement as casually as Botox.
(World Premiere)
“One Another”
Director: Amber Love
Producer: Andrea Raby
An intimate portrait of fractured friendships and attempts at reconnection.
(World Premiere)
“Serling”
Director: Jonah Tulis
Producers: Leonardo DiCaprio, Phillip Watson, Jennifer Davisson
The authorized documentary on Rod Serling, creator of “The Twilight Zone.”
(World Premiere)
“Summer of ’94”
Directors: Dave LaMattina, Chad Walker
Producers: Christopher Leggett, Rafael Marmor, Marc Gilbar
The unlikely story of the U.S. men’s soccer team’s World Cup moment.
(World Premiere)
“The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson”
Director: Marina Zenovich
Producer: Evan Hayes
A portrait of cyclist Moriah Wilson’s brilliance and devastating murder.
(World Premiere)
“Your Attention Please”
Director: Sara Robin
Producers: Dan Kennedy, Sara Robin
Screenwriter: Jack LeMay
A look at resistance movements pushing back against addictive technology.
(World Premiere)
MIDNIGHTER
“Hokum” (Ireland, United States)
Director/Screenwriter: Damian McCarthy
Producers: Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, Derek Dauchy
A novelist confronts disturbing folklore and buried trauma at a remote inn.
Cast: Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, Florence Ordesh
(World Premiere)
FESTIVAL FAVORITE
“American Doctor”
Director: Poh Si Teng
Producers: Poh Si Teng, Kirstine Barfod
Three American doctors enter Gaza and confront medicine, politics, and truth.
(Texas Premiere)
“Buddy”
Director: Casper Kelly
Producers: Tyler Davidson, Drew Sykes
Screenwriters: Casper Kelly, Jamie King
A group of kids attempt to escape a children’s television show.
Cast: Cristin Milioti, Topher Grace, Keegan-Michael Key
(Texas Premiere)
“Leviticus” (Australia)
Director/Screenwriter: Adrian Chiarella
Producers: Samantha Jennings, Kristina Ceyton
Two teenage boys confront a violent entity born of desire.
(Texas Premiere)
“The Oldest Person in the World”
Director: Sam Green
Producers: Alison Byrne Fields, Josh Penn
A decade-long meditation on longevity and mortality.
(Texas Premiere)
“Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story”
Directors: Judd Apatow, Neil Berkeley
Producers: Judd Apatow, Neil Berkeley
A raw portrait of comedy, mental health, and survival.
(Texas Premiere)
“Rock Springs”
Director/Screenwriter: Vera Miao
Producers: Stephen Feder, Kiri Hart
A grieving girl uncovers a monstrous legacy in a new town.
(Texas Premiere)
“The Shitheads”
Director/Screenwriter: Macon Blair
Producers: Alex Orr, Brandon James
Two inept escorts spiral into violent chaos.
Cast: Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Peter Dinklage
(Texas Premiere)
“Time and Water”
Director: Sara Dosa
Producers: Shane Boris, Elijah Stevens
A meditation on glaciers, memory, and loss.
(Texas Premiere)
VISIONS
“Bagworm”
Director: Oliver Bernsen
Producer: Zoe Rosenberg
A salesman questions reality after a mysterious infection.
(North American Premiere)
“Beyond the Duplex Planet”
Director/Producer/Screenwriter: Beth Harrington
A portrait of artist David Greenberger and the power of conversation.
(World Premiere)
“Dead Eyes” (Australia)
Director/Producer/Screenwriter: Richard E. Williams
Grief becomes a bridge between the living and the dead.
(World Premiere)
“Perfect”
Director: Millicent Hailes
Producers: Nathan Scherrer, Tara Sheree
Two women collide in a poisoned-water dystopia.
(World Premiere)
“The Peril at Pincer Point” (United Kingdom)
Directors/Screenwriters: Jake Kuhn, Noah Stratton-Twine
A sound recordist stumbles into nautical prophecy.
(World Premiere)
24 BEATS PER SECOND
“A Cowboy in London”
Director: Jared L. Christopher
Charley Crockett’s sold-out London shows capture a star on the rise.
(Texas Premiere)
“Agridulce (Bittersweet)”
Director: Frank Pavich
Four children come of age through Bachata music.
(World Premiere)
“Jack Johnson: SURFILMUSIC”
Director: Emmett Malloy
A portrait of Jack Johnson’s creative evolution.
(World Premiere)
“Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool”
Director: Amy Scott
A modern country star redefines success on her own terms.
(World Premiere)
“Mile End Kicks”
Director: Chandler Levack
A music critic becomes entangled with an indie band.
(U.S. Premiere)
“Noah Kahan: Out of Body”
Director: Nick Sweeney
A musician navigates sudden fame and personal reckoning.
(World Premiere)
“The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers”
Director: Ben Feldman
Producer: Marc D’Agostino
A deep dive into the band’s formative years and guitarist Hillel Slovak.
(World Premiere)
GLOBAL PRESENTED BY MUBI
“Apolo” (Brazil)
Directors: Isis Broken, Tainá Müller
Producers: Bianca Villar, Eduardo Rezende
A transgender couple confronts pregnancy and societal limits.
(International Premiere)
“Thanks for Nothing” (Germany)
Director/Screenwriter: Stella Marie Markert
A group of friends spiral amid crisis and bureaucratic failure.
(North American Premiere)
TV PROGRAM
TV PREMIERE
“The Comeback” Season 3
Showrunner/Director: Michael Patrick King
Producers: Michael Patrick King, Lisa Kudrow
The HBO comedy returns for a final season.
(World Premiere)
“The Dark Wizard”
Directors: Peter Mortimer, Nick Rosen
An unflinching portrait of climber Dean Potter.
(World Premiere)
“They Called Us Outlaws”
Showrunner: Eric Geadelmann
A history of outlaw country’s cultural revolution.
(World Premiere)
XR EXPERIENCE PRESENTED BY SPECTACLES
“Dark Rooms”
Directors: Laurits Flensted-Jensen, Mads Damsbo
An immersive VR documentary exploring sexuality and connection.
(U.S. Premiere)
“Reality Looks Back”
Directors: Anne Jeppesen, Omid Zarei
A tactile immersive exploration of quantum duality.
(U.S. Premiere)
