Sundance is just a few weeks away, but it’s not too early to start prepping yourselves for the next industry festival, South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, TX, taking place March 10-19. There are two 2022 alumni releases happening this month to help you get your adrenaline pumping. They’ll also give you an idea of the kind of intense storytelling celebrated by the festival that industry insiders love. SXSW will also be announcing its full lineup this week, right before Sundance starts!
Description of both SXSW alumni films being released this month and where to watch them
Kicking off January releases, follow a woman terrorized by a stalker who forces her to confront her biggest fear in Jethica and embark on a married couple’s journey to extremes after seeing their neighbor commit a crime in A Lot of Nothing.
Jethica
World Premiere, Narrative Feature, 2022
Jessica lives in fear of a man named Kevin who follows her everywhere she goes. While on a road trip, she reconnects with Elena, an old friend she hasn’t seen since high school. Elena has been hiding out at her deceased grandmother’s ranch in New Mexico. When Kevin mysteriously appears at the ranch, Jessica and Elena seek help from beyond the grave to get rid of him for good. But Kevin is different from other stalkers and won’t move on so easily.
Jethica releases in select theaters January 13 and is then available on Fandor February 14.
A Lot of Nothing
World Premiere, Narrative Feature, 2022
A Lot of Nothing is a wildly entertaining and humorous exploration of what people today do in moments of extreme despair and conflict. Our two main characters, James and Vanessa, seem to be happily married, successful, and comfortable in every way. They are rocked to their core while watching the news one night when they see cell phone footage of their neighbor committing a crime. In a state of shock, and with opposing points of view about how to address the issue, they go on a highly combustible journey to ‘do something.’
A Lot of Nothing is in theaters and on demand February 3.
I’m particularly looking forward to the lineup announcement for 2023 features, which will take place on January 11. Considering that the festival debuted two of my favorite documentaries to come out in the last few years—the astounding Introducing, Selma Blair (which I cried my eyes out watching) and the fun Twyla Moves, a long-overdue documentary on the dance legend in 2021—I can’t wait to see what they pronounce for this year’s event.
In the meantime, you can also inspect the lineup of important speakers scheduled to headline SXSW this year and the featured sessions. The Zombies are also among the musical artists touching down in Austin, TX for the 37th edition of the entertainment festival.
Like much of the industry coming back from COVID, SXSW will be in person this year. Last year’s was a live event as well, with the festival going even bigger. How can we forget such iconic moments such as Voughtland with the full cast of The Boys?
Stay tuned for the full SXSW lineup announcement on Jan. 11, just a few days away.
