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Festival coverage

South by Southwest

7 March – 15 March 2025

The first big headline festival for US films in 2025, SXSW is the place to be if you want to be the first to discover the coming year's hits.

The festival runs from 7 to 15 March.

Other years (7)

Box office and information

Latest reviews

  • The Perfect Neighbor
    Review preview for The Perfect Neighbor

    The film is a triumph of editing by Viridiana Lieberman, in terms of storytelling

    Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
    A seemingly minor neighbourhood dispute in Florida escalates into deadly violence. Police bodycam footage and investigative interviews expose the consequences of Florida’s 'stand your ground' laws.
  • The Dutchman
    Review preview for The Dutchman

    There’s a lot of very good work in The Dutchman.

    Jennie Kermode · 3 out of 5
    A successful black businessman, haunted by his crumbling marriage and identity crisis, is drawn into a sexualised game of cat and mouse with a mysterious white woman on a subway that leads to a violent conclusion.
  • Fucktoys
    Review preview for Fucktoys

    Any number of films try to sell themselves on inviting us to ogle outsiders like these. The difference with Fucktoys is that it’s made by people who actually get it.

    Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
    A bubblegum grindhouse adventure through sunny and romantic Trashtown, USA.
  • Dead Lover
    Review preview for Dead Lover

    The expressionist feeling of early 20th century cinema is further enhanced by the specific colour scheme, resembling a very early version of Technicolor, while the sound recalls that of the early sound films.

    Marko Stojiljkovic · 3.5 out of 5
    A lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses finally meets her dream man, but their whirlwind affair is cut short when he tragically drowns at sea. Grief-stricken, she goes to morbid lengths to resurrect him through madcap scientific experiments, resulting in grave consequences and unlikely love.
  • Strange Journey: The Rocky Horror Story
    Review preview for Strange Journey: The Rocky Horror Story

    There are some great stories here, and whilst fans will already be familiar with many of them, they include a few surprises.

    Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
    The story of the cult musical phenomenon, its transfer from stage to screen and its enduring liberatory legacy.
  • The Home
    Review preview for The Home

    The real candy is the omnipresent densely uncomfortable atmosphere that comes on top of the richly detailed observations and conclusions in the film's lower layers.

    Marko Stojiljkovic · 4 out of 5
    Many years after leaving, Joel returns home to move his mother Monika to a care facility for the elderly struggling with dementia. But as she starts to have terrifying visions, he begins to suspect something supernatural is at work.
  • Death Of A Unicorn
    Review preview for Death Of A Unicorn

    The alchemy of film means that sometimes this amount of gold can still feel leaden.

    Andrew Robertson · 2.5 out of 5
    A father and daughter accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where the father's billionaire boss seeks to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties.
  • 42nd Street
    Review preview for 42nd Street

    Like its subject, the film is a fusion of styles.

    Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
    On a vibrant Dominican street, dancers and artists chase stardom while battling police oppression. Their raw expression and rebellious spirit create an electrifying clash of culture, authority, and artistic freedom.
  • Ash
    Review preview for Ash

    Lotus may love pretty things, but he doesn’t hold back on the gore.

    Jennie Kermode · 3 out of 5
    A woman wakes up on a distant planet and finds the crew of her space station viciously killed. Her investigation into what happened sets in motion a terrifying chain of events.
  • Mermaid
    Review preview for Mermaid

    The film hangs on Pemberton’s performance, and he imbues Doug with a sweetness that makes us feel for him despite his deeply misguided actions.

    Jennie Kermode · 3 out of 5
    A drug addicted Florida man finds a wounded mermaid and takes her home. When word spreads about his secret, he'll stop at nothing to protect her.

A–Z of South by Southwest 2025 reviews

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