The annual trek to Austin, Texas in March for the SXSW Film Festival has been made by many notable filmmakers.  And once they take in the sights, sounds and culture permeating Sixth Street, they are hooked.  In fact, after losing their SXSW virginity, many make movies they plan to take to what is becoming the festival world’s most desirable destination.

Having covered SXSW and attended as a filmmaker a few years myself, I can attest to the fact that while other festivals are necessary for business, this one offers all the networking of those other festivals with more friendly fun than can be packed into days that seem to blur together.  A simple math equation might explain this best:
Great Films + Parties + Tex Mex + Texas Women + College Town + Local Brews – Pretentious Hollywood Attitude = The Best Fest in the West

Whatever the formula, it’s a combination that works and gets better every year.  Here’s a round-up of filmmakers from South Bys’ past who offer their own take on what makes this festival rock…

“I talk a lot about not getting wrapped up in a single festival.  It’s hard work making a film and usually your team is there to share the moment with you, so it can be overwhelming to all be together to see your work screened for the first audience.  I find a few drinks help, but that’s usually my answer to most things.  So make a great film and then look down the line to the next festivals – SXSW.”
- AJ Schnack, director of the They Might Be Giants music doc Gigantic

“When we made Super High Me, we knew Sundance wouldn’t accept us because we were a comedy and we were parodying a Sundance darling in Super Size Me.  Luckily, we had a relationship with Matt Dentler at SXSW and showed him the picture, he loved it and ended up making us the opening night film in 2008.  A good film will get accepted at a good festival. I’ve seen too many filmmakers get their hopes dashed because they don’t get invited to Sundance.  However, I think it is actually a curse to get accepted to Sundance.  My first choice of festivals is always SXSW.”
Alex Campbell, producer of the docu-comedy Super High Me

“SXSW was the funnest festival by far with the best venues for screenings. In my opinion Sundance is vastly overrated and the film selection process is somewhat corrupt due to the amount of money a rare few films fetch in that marketplace.”
- Seth Gordon, director of the videogame documentary The King of Kong

“They take extremely good care of the invited filmmakers and, more importantly, show you an awesome time.”
- Jeremy Coon, producer of Napoleon Dynamite

“SXSW was the best for me. The pressure was off from the first screening and Austin is a great town.  The weather is warm and you don’t have to trudge through snow and stay in an expensive ski resort.  Plus, the audiences are amazing.  There were two sold out shows and I kept running into people later who would tell me that they had been there.  It’s just a more laid-back atmosphere than the industry frenzy of Park City.”
- Grace Lee, director of the mockumentary American Zombie

by Chris Gore