The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film & TV Festival is one of the main pillars of the annual South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas — serving as both a platform for emerging filmmakers and a home to premieres of some of the year’s most unique and genre-bending studio releases. SXSW 2025 boasts a diverse selection of narrative features and documentary films, so the team at DiscussingFilm has compiled a list of the top 20 movies to look out for. Whether you’re an attendee in person or interested in finding more projects to look forward to that will be released throughout 2025 and beyond, these are the films (in alphabetical order) from this year’s SXSW Film Festival to remember.
The Top 20 Movies to Look Out for from SXSW 2025
1. The Accountant 2
Directed by Gavin O’Connor.
Written by Bill Dubuque.
Produced by Ben Affleck, Lynette Howell Taylor, Mark Williams.
Main Cast: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Daniella Pineda, Allison Robertson, & J.K. Simmons.
SXSW has premiered some big sequels in the past (John Wick: Chapter 4 being one of the more recent ones). Now, director Gavin O’Connor brings his long-gestating sequel to The Accountant (2016) to Austin. Nearly a decade since the release of the original film, The Accountant 2 follows Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) out of hiding after someone close to him from the previous movie is found dead. Wolff’s brother, Brax (Jon Bernthal), returns as a partner to Christian in what looks to be an action-packed and highly energetic sequel. Having been five years since Affleck and O’Connor collaborated (2020’s The Way Back), this director and actor duo is a proven winning combo.
2. The Age of Disclosure
Directed and produced by Dan Farah.
Besides the various narrative features to look forward to, The Age of Disclosure is one of many documentaries premiering at SXSW 2025 that feels particularly fascinating, thanks to its alluring subject matter. Audiences get up close and personal with 34 senior U.S. Senate, House, military, and intelligence community members as they discuss the attempted government cover-up of non-human intelligent life and possible alien technology. The Age of Disclosure sounds more like a Hollywood sci-fi thriller than a documentary, making it a must-see from SXSW 2025.
3. American Sweatshop
Directed by Uta Briesewitz.
Written by Matthew Nemeth.
Produced by Anita Elsani, Uta Briesewitz, Jason Sosnoff, Barry Levinson, and Tom Fontana.
Main Cast: Lili Reinhart, Daniela Melchior, Jeremy Ang Jones, Josh Whitehouse, Tim Plester, Christiane Paul, & Joel Fry.
Director Uta Briesewitz (having previously directed episodes of Severance, Black Mirror, and Stranger Things) returns to feature filmmaking after a decade for American Sweatshop, a mystery thriller set in the all-too-relevant backdrop of a social-media-driven world. It stars Lili Reinhart (Riverdale) as Daisy Moriarty, a social media moderator who begins investigating a violent crime she sees online while working her job. American Sweatshop has too much potential for biting social commentary and chilling mystery, making it another SXSW 2025 premiere to look forward to.
4. Another Simple Favor
Directed by Paul Feig.
Written by Jessica Sharzer & Laeta Kalogridis.
Produced by Paul Feig & Laura Fischer.
Main Cast: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell, Henry Golding, & Allison Janney.
The sequel to 2018’s A Simple Favor reunites Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) in the foreign backdrop of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s lavish wedding to an Italian businessman. There will undoubtedly be several twists, turns, and betrayals as director Paul Feig continues the alluring cat-and-mouse dynamic between Kendrick and Lively that made the original movie so well-received. Another Simple Favor will cause a stir at this year’s SXSW film festival, that’s for sure.
5. Ash
Directed by Flying Lotus.
Written by Jonni Remmler.
Produced by Nate Bolotin & Matthew Metcalfe.
Main Cast: Eiza González, Aaron Paul, Flying Lotus, Iko Uwais, Kate Elliott, & Beulah Koale.
A science-fiction murder mystery directed by famed musical artist and producer, Flying Lotus? It shouldn’t take much more than that to get moviegoers interested in Ash. But, just in case, there is also the talented cast that will bring the horrors of the planet Ash to life. The premise sounds like something right out of a John Carpenter flick, with Riya (Eiza González) waking up to discover the entire crew of her remote space station dead. Not knowing who or what to trust, the unease between her and the man supposedly sent to save her, Brion (Aaron Paul), tests the psychological and physical limits of both characters.
6. The Astronaut
Directed by Jess Varley.
Written by Jess Varley.
Produced by Brad Fuller, Eric B. Fleischman, Chris Abernathy, and Cameron Fuller.
Main Cast: Kate Mara, Laurence Fishburne, Gabriel Luna, Ivana Milicevic, & Macy Gray.
Ash isn’t the only psychological thriller/horror with a space-themed premise at SXSW 2025. The Astronaut continues the streak of uncertainty and thrills of the galactic frontier. However, the film sets its backdrop on Earth after a space mission carried out by Sam Walker (Kate Mara). When strange occurrences happen in Walker’s high-security NASA housing, the astronaut begins to believe something has followed her back to Earth. Writer-director Jess Varley‘s horror movie seems like an interesting subversion of the unknown terrors of space trope, and it should definitely be kept on your radar.
7. Death of a Unicorn
Directed by Alex Scharfman.
Written by Alex Scharfman.
Produced by Drew Houpt, Lucas Joaquin, Alex Scharfman, Lars Knudsen, Tyler Campellone, Tim Headington, & Theresa Steele Page.
Main Cast: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Richard E. Grant, Anthony Carrigan, Sunita Mani, & Jessica Hynes.
It wouldn’t be a film festival without a hotly anticipated A24 movie, and Death of a Unicorn fits that bill perfectly with its quirky premise and stacked cast ensemble. The feature directorial debut of producer Alex Scharfman centers on a father (Paul Rudd) and daughter (Jenna Ortega) as they accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss seeks to exploit the creature’s magical properties. The SXSW film festival always proves to be the perfect place for zany and wildly creative feature debuts, and this year will be no different with Death of a Unicorn.
8. Deepfaking Sam Altman
Directed by Adam Bhala Lough.
Produced by Kevin Hart, Luke Kelly-Clyne, Bryan Smiley, Harold Berón III, Adam Bhala Lough, Dana J. Olkkonen, Scoop Wasserstein, Elizabeth Weil, & Mark W. Olsen.
As discourse over the use of AI in filmmaking has become increasingly more prevalent and controversial, director Adam Bhala Lough has decided to create this comedic documentary to record his attempts at understanding the technology and the people behind it. There perhaps isn’t a more relevant and timely feature that should be seen at SXSW 2025, and Deepfaking Sam Altman will undoubtedly create plenty of buzz and conversations when the movie eventually finds a wide release. Lough’s creation of an AI version of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to interview is only the tip of the iceberg for this one.
9. Drop
Directed by Christopher Landon.
Written by Jillian Jacobs & Chris Roach.
Produced by Jason Blum, Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, & Cameron Fuller.
Main Cast: Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, & Ed Weeks.
Drop’s premise of “a widowed mother, on her first date in years, being irritated and then terrorized by a series of anonymous drops to her phone” is about as Blumhouse as it gets, but that’s precisely why we’re looking forward to checking it out at SXSW 2025. The production company has made a name for itself in recent years with horror films like M3gan (and its upcoming sequel, M3GAN 2.0) pushing the limits of their eccentric premises. Fan-favorite horror director Christopher Landon, best known for 2020’s Freaky, the two Happy Death Day movies, and for co-writing the early 2025 box office success Heart Eyes, is sure to give horror fans an interesting twist with Drop.
10. The Dutchman
Directed by Andre Gaines.
Written by Andre Gaines & Qasim Basir.
Produced by Andre Gaines & Jonathan T. Baker.
Main Cast: André Holland, Kate Mara, Zazie Beetz, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Aldis Hodge, & Lauren E. Banks.
A modern adaptation of the 1964 Obie Award-winning play by Amiri Baraka, The Dutchman explores timeless themes of race and identity. Audiences follow the odyssey of a successful black businessman named Clay, André Holland (Exhibiting Forgiveness, Moonlight), as he seeks to salvage his marriage and life while surviving the night after encountering a mysterious white woman (Kate Mara) on the subway. This contemporary re-imagining from writer-director Andre Gaines and co-writer Qasim Basir will undoubtedly make Baraka’s original story all the more emotionally charged and tragic. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that this SXSW 2025 narrative feature has the makings of a new potential classic.
11. Forge
Directed by Jing Ai Ng.
Written by Jing Ai Ng.
Produced by Liz Daering-Glass, Gabrielle Cordero, Jing Ai Ng, & Damian Bao.
Main Cast: Kelly Marie Tran, Andie Ju, Brandon Soo Hoo, Edmund Donovan, Eva De Dominici, T. R. Knight, Jack Falahee, & Sonya Walger.
Forge centers on siblings Raymond (Brandon Soo Hoo) and Coco Zhang (Andie Ju), who run a flourishing art forgery ring in Miami. The duo soon find themselves working with a disgraced millionaire needing their expertise in counterfeiting artworks. But things become complicated when the Zhang siblings are caught in the crosshairs of FBI Art Crimes agent Emily Lee (Kelly Marie Tran). The feature film debut of Jing Ai Ng is sure to be filled with suspense and emotional thrills, especially with the sibling crime duo at the center of it all. Moreover, star Kelly Marie Tran (Raya and the Last Dragon, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) is in the middle of making somewhat of a comeback.
12. Friendship
Directed by Andrew DeYoung.
Written by Andrew DeYoung.
Produced by Raphael Margules, J.D. Lifshitz, Nick Weidenfeld, & Johnny Holland.
Main Cast: Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, & Jack Dylan Grazer.
Another buzz-worthy A24 film, Friendship, is taking advantage of the growing popularity of comedian Tim Robinson (I Think You Should Leave). Telling the story of suburban dad Craig, the synopsis details how “his life [is] turned upside down by the arrival of a new neighbor. As Craig’s attempts to make a friend spiral out of control, their blossoming relationship threatens to ruin both of their lives.” For those who love the awkward social situation skits that spiral out of control in Robinson’s Netflix series, this movie seems like the perfect extension of that unconventional humor. Plus, it’s the second feature to star Paul Rudd at SXSW 2025!
13. Good Boy
Directed by Ben Leonberg.
Written by Alex Cannon & Ben Leonberg.
Produced by Kari Fischer & Ben Leonberg.
Main Cast: Indy, Shane Jensen, Larry Fessenden, Arielle Friedman, Stuart Rudin, Anya Krawcheck, & Max the dog.
Good Boy is a part of SXSW 2025’s Midnight section, and from its premise alone, it sounds right at home among the other intense films. The dog-centered movie asks: “Do you ever wonder why your dog stares at empty corners, barks for no reason, or refuses to enter the basement?Good Boyis the story of a dog who sees everything that goes bump in the night. No talking pets, just terrifying scares.” Introducing unseen horrors from the eyes of man’s best friend will surely attract a hyped crowd to writer-director Ben Leonberg‘s peculiar SXSW 2025 midnighter.
14. Hallow Road
Directed by Babak Anvari.
Written by William Gillies.
Produced by Lucan Toh, Ian Henry, & Richard Bolger.
Main Cast: Rosamund Pike, Matthew Rhys, & Megan McDonnell.
Hallow Road centers around two parents who enter a race against time when they receive a distressing late-night phone call from their daughter after she causes a tragic car accident. Rosamund Pike (Saltburn, I Care a Lot) leads this smaller-scale, intimate thriller with only four actors in speaking roles. This character-driven story in the SXSW film festival’s Midnight section will ratchet up the anxiety and tension with powerful acting and sharp writing, so keep an eye on this one.
15. Holland
Directed by Mimi Cave.
Written by Andrew Sodroski.
Produced by Kate Churchill, Peter Dealbert, Nicole Kidman, & Per Saari.
Main Cast: Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen, Jude Hill, & Gael García Bernal.
Mimi Cave‘s sophomore effort following her 2021 horror-thriller Fresh features Nicole Kidman (Babygirl) as schoolteacher Nancy. The character’s investigation into her husband’s double life becomes a “twisted tale” that eventually upends Nancy’s idyllic world. Andrew Sodroski‘s script first appeared on the Black List in 2013, and production was stuck in development hell until 2022. Kidman and Cave’s collaboration should transform this unique tale of not-so-picture-perfect suburbia into one of the more engaging headliners at SXSW 2025. Moreover, Holland is already scheduled for wide release on Prime Video on March 27, a mere few weeks after its SXSW premiere.
16. Redux Redux
Directed by Kevin & Matthew McManus.
Written by Kevin & Matthew McManus.
Produced by Michael J. McGarry, Kevin McManus, Matthew McManus, Nate Cormier, & PJ McCabe.
Main Cast: Michaela McManus, Stella Marcus, Jeremy Holm, Jim Cummings, Grace Van Dien, Taylor Misiak, & Dendrie Taylor.
Midnighter film Redux Redux is the latest from The Block Island Sound directors Kevin and Matthew McManus. The McManus Brothers have also written and produced episodes of the Netflix series American Vandal and Cobra Kai. This science fiction movie looks to be a stark departure from the duo’s previous work, though. The logline describes Redux Redux as follows: “In an attempt to avenge her daughter’s death, Irene Kelly travels through parallel universes, killing her daughter’s murderer over and over again. She grows addicted to the revenge streak, putting her humanity in jeopardy.” It sounds like the kind of genre-bending mind trip that the SXSW has become well-known for debuting.
17. The Rivals of Amziah King
Directed by Andrew Patterson.
Written by James Montague.
Produced by David Heyman, Teddy Schwarzman, Jeffrey Clifford, Michael Heimler, James Montague, & Will Greenfield.
Main Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, Kurt Russell, Jake Horowitz, Scott Shepherd, Rob Morgan, Tony Revolori, Owen Teague, Bruce Davis, & Cole Sprouse.
In The Rivals of Amziah King, Matthew McConaughey‘s titular character reunites with his former foster daughter, Kateria (Angelina LookingGlass). As Amziah mentors her, his fierce competitors in the honey-making trade in rural Oklahoma close in to try and sabotage him. Andrew Patterson‘s movie explores the unexpectedly ruthless business of honey and features a stacked cast. This narrative spotlight provides an engaging, dramatic perspective on an unexpected profession.
18. Slanted
Directed by Amy Wang.
Written by Amy Wang.
Produced by Amy Wang, Mark Ankner, Trevor Wall, & Adel “Future” Nur.
Main Cast: Shirley Chen, McKenna Grace, Vivian Wu, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Amelie Zilber, Fang Du, Elaine Hendrix, & Keith Harris.
In an increasingly intolerant political climate, Slanted is a bold and necessary feature that shouldn’t be missed if you’re attending SXSW 2025. The film’s logline reads, “Desperate to fit in, an insecure Chinese American teenager undergoes experimental trans-racial surgery to become White to secure her chances of winning Prom Queen and the acceptance of her peers.” This kind of audacious satire, via writer-director Amy Wang, is guaranteed to offer an unflinching and torrid look at racial identity in modern-day America.
19. The Threesome
Directed by Chad Hartigan.
Written by Ethan Ogilby.
Produced by Tim White, Trevor White, Vince Jolivette, & Steve Shapiro.
Main Cast: Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruby Cruz, Jaboukie Young-White, Josh Segarra, Robert Longstreet, Arden Myrin, Kristin Slaysman, Allan McLeod, & Julia Sweeney.
Chad Hartigan is no stranger to movies that explore relationship dynamics. His 2020 feature Little Fish explores the foundations of a healthy relationship. With The Threesome, the filmmaker seems to be heading into a less romantic, more messy aspect of a relationship: accountability and adulthood. A threesome between characters Connor, Olivia, and Jenny leads to complications when a relationship blossoms between two of the participants. Featuring Zoey Deutch (The Politician), Jonah Hauer-King (2023’s The Little Mermaid), and Ruby Cruz (Bottoms), this SXSW 2025 premiere is sure to turn some heads based on its title alone.
20. We Bury the Dead
Directed by Zak Hilditch.
Written by Zak Hilditch.
Produced by Kelvin Munro, Grant Sputore, Ross Dinerstein, Joshua Harris, and Mark Fasano.
Main Cast: Daisy Ridley, Brenton Thwaites, & Mark Coles Smith.
We Bury the Dead continues Daisy Ridley‘s trend of sharp and exciting independent features following her career in the Star Wars franchise. Australian director Zak Hilditch‘s (1922, These Final Hours) latest feature film focuses on Ava (Ridley), a desperate woman who joins a body retrieval unit in Tasmania in hopes of finding her missing husband alive. A military experiment that decimated the land has created a post-apocalyptic situation. However, when the dead start showing signs of life, Ava must face the fact that her beloved husband could now be a walking corpse. Part emotional thriller and part zombie horror flick, We Bury the Dead must not be missed at SXSW 2025.
