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South by Southwest · 2026

South by Southwest 2026

Documentary Feature Competition

Programme

8 films

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The Ascent

The story of Colorado Springs bilateral amputee climber Mandy Horvath’s record-breaking attempt to crawl to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro on her hands.

(Country: US; Year: 2025; Director: Edward Drake, Scott Veltri, Francis Cronin; Stars: Mandy Horvath, Julius John White aka 'Whitey', Carel Verhoef, Sally Grierson)

The Last Critic

A documentary about innovative rock music critic Robert Christgau.

(Country: US; Year: 2026; Director: Matty Wishnow; Stars: Robert Christgau, Carola Dibbell, Thurston Moore, Boots Riley, Randy Newman, Colson Whitehead, Ann Powers, Joe Levy, Amanda Petrusich, Greil Marcus)

The Life We Leave

When Washington state became the first in the world to legalize human composting, entrepreneur Micah Truman puts it all on the line to build the world's first large-scale terramation facility. But when the conventional deathcare industry resists, he is forced to pivot, and must learn to care for the grieving while transforming his business.

(Country: US; Year: 2026; Director: JJ Gerber)

My NDA

Three people bound by non-disclosure agreements face extreme personal risk to expose how a simple intellectual property contract is weaponised to silence, manipulate and control.

(Country: US; Year: 2026; Director: Miriam Shor, Juliane Dressner)

Phoenix Jones: The Rise And Fall Of A Real Life Superhero

In 2010, reports began surfacing of a masked vigilante in a black-and-gold supersuit stopping crime on the streets of Seattle. His name is Phoenix Jones. Armed with pepper spray, a taser, and a team of costumed crime fighters, he quickly becomes an international media sensation.

(Country: US; Year: 2026; Director: Bayan Joonam; Stars: Phoenix Jones, Rainn Wilson, Jon Ronson, Midnight Jack, Freedom Fodor, Caros Fodor, Ryan McNamee, Ghost, Lance Coulter, El Caballero)

Stormbound

A documentary about the world’s most powerful hurricanes with breathtaking, never-before-seen footage captured from within.

(Country: US; Year: 2026; Director: Miko Lim; Stars: Jeff Gammons, Sara Gammons)

Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story

In the summer of 2000, four pre-teen friends formed a band called X-Cetra and burned a homemade album onto a few CD-Rs. The following year, consumed by adolescent concerns of boys and drug store shoplifting, their labor of love was quickly forgotten.... Until 20 years later, when someone uploaded it online.

(Country: US; Year: 2026; Director: Ayden Mayeri; Writer: Ayden Mayeri, Barry Rothbart; Stars: Ayden Mayeri, Jessica Hall, Janet Kariuki, Mary Washburn, Robin O'brien)

#Whileblack

A documentary about the murder of George Floyd and how social platforms and corporations profit from viral Black trauma, while survivors endure lasting psychological and physical danger.

(Country: US, Canada; Year: 2026; Director: Jennifer Holness, Sidney Fussell; Writer: Ann Shin, Jennifer Holness, Sidney Fussell; Stars: Darnella Frazier, Diamond Reynolds, Matthew Cagle, Matthew Mitchell, Safiya Noble, Allissa Richardson)