Press releases are flying in at lightning speed for SXSW 2021 online, now three weeks away. While we have profiled a few so far, here are some from the latest batch:
Here Before
Official SXSW 2021 Selection
World Premiere – Narrative Feature Competition
When a new family moves in next door, their young daughter, Megan, quickly captivates Laura, stirring up painful memories of her own daughter who died several years previously. Before long, Laura’s memories turn to obsession as Megan’s unsettling behaviour begins to convince her of something supernatural. As Laura’s determination to get to the bottom of it becomes all consuming, her family begins to fracture and the line between the extraordinary and the real becomes ever more obscured in this haunting story about a mother’s love.The film is produced by Julia Godzinskaya and Sophie Vickers for Rooks Nest (SURGE, THE WITCH) and co-produced by Chris Martin. The film is financed by BBC Film, Pia Pressure and Northern Ireland Screen. Executive Producers are Eva Yates for BBC Film, Pia Getty and James Durrant for Pia Pressure and Will Norton for Rooks Nest.
Language Lessons
SXSW Narrative Spotlight
Synopsis: When Adam’s (Mark Duplass) husband surprises him with weekly Spanish lessons, he’s unsure about where or how this new element will fit into his already structured life. But when tragedy strikes, his Spanish teacher, Cariño (Natalie Morales), becomes a lifeline he didn’t know he needed. Adam develops an unexpected and complicated emotional bond with Cariño—but do you really know someone just because you’ve experienced a traumatic moment with them? Bittersweet, honest, and at times darkly funny, LANGUAGE LESSONS is a disarmingly moving exploration of platonic love.
See You Then
SXSW Narrative Spotlight
Synopsis: A decade after abruptly breaking up with Naomi (Lynn Chen), Kris (Pooya Mohseni) invites her to a dinner to catch-up on their complicated lives, relationships, and Kris’ transition. Over the course of their one night encounter, they engage in a series of increasingly intimate and vulnerable conversations, before a shocking secret is revealed. See You Then focuses on the universal truth that no matter how much you change, a part of you will always stay the same.
Synopsis: Retired hairdresser Pat Pitsenbarger (Udo Kier) has given up on life from the confines of his small-town Sandusky, Ohio nursing home. But when Pat gets word that a former client’s dying wish was for Pat to style her final hairdo, he sets out on an epic journey across Sandusky to confront the ghosts of his past–and collect the beauty supplies necessary for the job. SWAN SONG is a comical and bittersweet journey about rediscovering oneself, and looking gorgeous while doing so.
