This year’s South By Southwest continues to fill out its slate. So far, we have Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s horror hybrid Cabin In the Woods opening the film component of the fest; Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s 21 Jump Street as the centerpiece; and Emmett Malloy’s documentary Big Easy Express serving as the Closing Night film.
The next shoe to drop? Midnighters and Shorts, which were announced this afternoon by SXSW programmers. Last year, SXSW saw the debut of Attack the Block, Kill List and The Innkeepers. Standouts in the late-night category for 2012 look to include Don Coscarelli’s John Dies at the End, V/H/S, and a Super Secret Screening of a feature that will be heading to theaters … in time.
We have the full run down of Midnighters and Shorts below. What are you looking forward to? SXSW runs March 9-17, and we’ll be covering it from start to finish, so bookmark us for the best the fest has to offer:
MIDNIGHTERSThe Aggression ScaleDirector: Steven C. Miller, Screenwriter: Ben Powell4 hitmen + $500,000 of stolen cash + 1 family = WARCast: Fabianne Therese, Ryan Hartwig, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, Joseph McKelheer, Boyd Kestner, Lisa Rotondi, Ray Wise (World Premiere)CITADEL (Ireland, Scotland)Director/Screenwriter: Ciarán FoyAn agoraphobic father teams up with a renegade priest to save his daughter from the clutches of a gang of twisted feral children.Cast: Anuerin Barnard, James Cosmo, Wumni Mosaku, Jake Wilson, Amy Shiels (World Premiere)Girls Against BoysDirector/Screenwriter: Austin ChickA psychological thriller about two girls on a killing spree. With edgy and ironic humor and a darkly meditative tone, it is also a coming-of-age story about a girl learning how the world really works.Cast: Danielle Panabaker, Nicole LaLiberte, Liam Aiken, Michael Stahl-David, Andrew Howard (World Premiere)Intruders (Spain, UK)Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Screenwriters: Nicolás Casariego, Jaime MarquesThe haunting story of two children living in different countries, each visited nightly by a faceless being who wants to take possession of them.Cast: Clive Owen, Carice Van Houten, Daniel Brühl, Pilar López de Ayala (U.S. Premiere)Iron Sky (Finland, Germany, Australia)Director: Timo Vuorensola, Screenwriters: Michael Kalesniko, Timo VuorensolaIn 1945 the Nazis went to the moon; in 2018 they are coming back.Cast: Julia Dietze, Götz Otto, Christopher Kirby, Peta Sergeant, Stephanie Paul, Tilo Prückner, Michael Cullen, Udo Kier (North American Premiere)John Dies At The EndDirector & Screenwriter: Don CoscarelliOn the street it’s called “soy sauce,” a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. Suddenly, a silent otherworldly invasion is underway. Can college dropouts John and Dave save humanity? No, they can’t.Cast: Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Paul Giamatti, Clancy Brown, Glynn TurmanModus Anomali (Indonesia)Director/Screenwriter: Joko AnwarA man tries to save his family who go missing during a vacation in the forest.Cast: Rio Dewanto, Hannah Al Rashid, Izziati Amara Isman, Aridh Tritama, Surya Saputra, Marsha Timothy, Sadha Triyudha, Jose Gamo (World Premiere)[REC] ³ GENESIS (Spain)Director: Paco PlazaScreenwriters: Luiso Berdejo, Paco PlazaKoldo and Clara’s wedding is horrifically interrupted when some of the guests start showing signs of a strange illness. Before they know what’s happening, the bride and groom find themselves in the middle of a hellish ordeal, as an uncontrollable torrent of violence is unleashed on the wedding.Cast: Leticia Dolera, Diego Martin (World Premiere)Super Secret ScreeningBe the first to see this feature film coming to theaters near you.The Tall ManDirector/Screenwriter: Pascal LaugierWhen her child goes missing, a mother looks to unravel the legend of the Tall Man, an entity who allegedly abducts children.Cast: Jessica Biel, Jodelle Ferland, Stephen McHattie, William B.Davis (World Premiere)V/H/SDirectors: Ti West, Adam Wingard, Joe Swanberg, David Bruckner, Glenn Mcquaid, Radio Silence, Screenwriter: Ti West, Simon Barrett, David Bruckner, Radio Silence, Glenn McquaidA group of misfits are hired to burglarize a house in the countryside and acquire a rare tape. The guys are confronted with a dead body and an endless supply of cryptic footage, each video stranger than the last...Cast: Joe Swanberg, Calvin Reeder, Kate Lynn Shiel, Sophia Takal, Lane Hughes, Helen Rogers, Adam WingardSHORT FILMSNARRATIVE SHORTSAaron Burr, Part 2Director: Dana O'KeefeHistory is a contest.Another Bullet DodgedDirector: Landon ZakheimIn the fading echoes of a relationship, character is revealed.BearDirector: Nash EdgertonJack means well, but sometimes good intentions have horrible consequences.The Black BalloonDirector: Benny Safdie, Josh SafdieIn New York City, a lone black balloon, once part of a huge 100-balloon bouquet, learns that humans are complicated creatures with extreme highs and lows. Part Sci-Fi, part children's film.The ChairDirector: Grainger DavidThe story of one boy's reaction to a mysterious outbreak of poisonous mold in his small town.A Chjána (The Plain)Director: Jonas CarpignanoInspired by real events, A Chjàna (The Plain) follows Ayiva, an African migrant worker who seeks to reunite with his best friend in the wake of the most significant race riot in Italian history.A FábricaDirector: Aly MuritibaAn inmate convinces his mother to take a risk smuggling a cell phone for him into the penitentiary.FOXESDirector: Lorcan FinneganA young couple trapped in a remote estate of empty houses and shrieking foxes are beckoned from their isolation into a twilight world. A world of the paranormal or perhaps insanity.Heimkommen (Coming Home)Director: Micah MageeWhen Robert's girlfriend dies, he turns his grief against his younger sister Jo. Jo plays ice hockey with the boys, hoping to gather strength to bring her brother back to the land of the living.In The PinesDirectors: Zeek Earl, Chris CaldwellSimultaneously an exploration of nature and psyche, the film documents a young woman's hunt for extraterrestrial meaning. Part science fiction, part psycho-thriller, part poetry - this film crafts a memorable scene rooted in the Pacific Northwest.JoyDirector: Colm QuinnNicola reluctantly introduces her newborn daughter to her best friend Tess.LiarDirector: Adam Garnet JonesWhen a brutal teenage revenge plot gets pushed too far, 14 year-old Tara is forced to choose between standing helplessly on the sidelines or stepping in to defend the boyfriend that hurt her.Life and Freaky Times of Uncle LukeDirectors: Jillian Mayer, Lucas LeyvaA modern Miami adaptation of the 1962 French short film La Jetee, starring Uncle Luke of the 2 Live Crew.Little DadDirector: Noah PritzkerAn insecure father prepares for a party at his in-laws.MouthfulDirector: Robert G. PutkaBobby and Bliss are a happy couple, that is, until they begin to tell each other things probably better left unsaid. A single question leads them down a highway to relationship hell.My Friend Kills TimeDirector: Jakob RørvikThomas moves to a remote cabin in an attempt to disappear completely... even from himself. My Friend Kills Time mixes visual textures and haunting soundscapes to create a cinematic diary of a young man's isolation.Not Far From The AbattoirDirector: Kyle ThomasA story of a man controlling his demons and trying to imagine a better life outside of the only town he has ever called home.Pitch Black HeistDirector: John MacleanTwo men, professional safe crackers, meet on a simple job to relieve an office safe of its contents. The catch; a light activated alarm system impelling them to embark on a pitch black heist.Playtime (Spielzeit)Director: Lucas MirelesA seamless journey through the lives of German youth on a Sunday afternoon.Random StrangersDirector: Alexis Dos SantosLulu and Rocky meet, fall in love, spend the night together, and fall asleep looking at each other…except for the fact that he is in Berlin and she is in Buenos Aires.Reinaldo ArenasDirector: Lucas LeyvaTold from the point of view of a dying shark, Reinaldo Arenas is the story of an unintentional immigrant in Miami.REMAINSDirectors: Jeremiah Zagar, Nathan CaswellA blend of documentary and fiction, Remains is about recollection and fading memories. Combining three years of recorded voice messages with stunning macro photography, the film documents a relationship from its inception to its end.Sea MeadowDirector: Lily BaldwinA disoriented young woman stumbles upon an empty estate. There are signs of a lush life, but the inhabitants have disappeared. Or have they? Sea Meadow revamps the thriller with pop mashups and stylized dance tableaux.Shoot the FreakDirector: Bradford WillinghamThrough the freak’s musings, this film chronicles the last days of the iconic, abrasive Coney Island attraction Shoot the Freak. In masked anonymity, the nihilistic teen indulges in drug-induced daydreams of violence and oceanic abandon.A Short Film About Ice FishingDirector: Jason ShahinfarIn rural South Dakota two friends go out for the most explosive day of ice fishing either will ever experience.SyndromesDirectors: The Golden Filter, Kristoffer BorgliA young girl's bizarre and unexplained ability to help others leads to her involvement in a sinister underworld.Would YouDirectors: Brian McGinn, Rod BlackhurstTwo friends play 'Would You Rather.' When their choices magically start to come true, they find themselves in a variety of awkward and funny situations.DOCUMENTARY SHORTSAisha's SongDirector: Orlando von EinsiedelMusically lush and stunningly shot, Aisha's Song is a touching and uplifting story of female empowerment from a part of the world where women are all too often overlooked.A Brief History of John BaldessariDirectors: Henry Joost, Ariel SchulmanNo more boring films! Everything you need to know about the godfather of Conceptual Art... narrated by Tom Waits.BRUTE FORCEDirector: Ben SteinbauerThe story of Apple Records notoriously irreverent recording artist, Brute Force.CatCamDirector: Seth KealWhen a German engineer creates a tiny camera for his newly adopted stray cat to wear, the photographs reveal more than ever expected.Cutting LooseDirectors: Finlay Pretsell, Adrian McDowall“I’m trusted with a pair of scissors and I’m in here for murder.” A snapshot of prison life in the build up to the annual hairdressing competition.Family NightmareDirector: Dustin Guy DefaUnearthed home movies and haunting dubbed voices collide to create a personal portrait of family dysfunction.The Fuse: or How I Burned Simon BolivarDirector: Igor DrljacaA nine-year-old boy thinks he is responsible for the civil war in Bosnia.Kudzu VineDirector: Josh GibsonThis ode to the climbing, trailing, and coiling species Pueraria lobata evokes the agricultural history and mythic textures of the American South.The Love CompetitionDirector: Brent HoffThe World's First Love Competition.The Man That Got AwayDirector: Trevor AndersonA musical documentary that tells the true life story of Trevor's great-uncle Jimmy in six original songs.Meaning of RobotsDirector: Matt LenskiMike Sullivan's world is overrun by an army of miniature sex robots with no end in sight.Minor/Major: The TV on the Radio Tour DocumentaryDirector: Chioke NassorAn intense documentary portrait on the band TV on the Radio as they transition from minor label darlings to major label success.New York AccentDirector: Caleb SlainOnce a man with all the answers, Dr. Ed Dobson is struggling to resolve his own questions before succumbing to the unusual disease eating away his body.Written in InkDirector: Martin RathCan one change what has already been written in ink?SX GLOBAL SHORTS AbuelasDirector: Afarin EghbalIn Buenos Aires, an old woman looks forward to all the joys of becoming a grandmother. However, unfolding historic events mean she is forced to wait over 30 years.The ContestDirector: Jakub CumanObservational documentary made during the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition Preliminaries in 2010.Chronicle of Oldrich S.Director: Rudolf SmidMr Sedlacek wrote one-sentence entries in his chronicle from 1981 to 2005, everyday stories of his life, his village, and of international events. This animated documentary is based on 80 of those entries.The ContractDirector: Lina MannheimerOn the 5th of May 2005, Beverly Charpentier declares an oath of allegiance to Catherine Robbe-Grillet. Hereby she gives up her freedom, for the rest of her life.Doctor RaoDirectors: Alexej Tchernyi, Wu ZhiDoctor Rao passed away. Family and friends are celebrating his last journey.Walt Disney SquareDirectors: Renata Pinheiro, Sergio OliveiraA “quasi-musical” approach to contemporary urban life that reflects Brazilian society and many others throughout the world, this documentary describes at the same time a place, a city and a country.ANIMATED SHORTS663114I am a 66-year cicada. There was a big earthquake. There was a big tsunami. There also was a big accident.BellyDirector: Julia PottI can feel you in my belly.CalderaDirector: Evan VieraA young girl goes off her medication to leave a bleak metropolis and immerse herself in a vibrant oceanic cove.Chocolate MilkDirector: Eliza KinkzGrowing up in a Texas drug rehab, a teenage girl learns the rules of life and dairy products.CombustionDirector: Renaud HalléeFire used as a visual and musical tool.Giraffe DangerDirector: Randall HopkinsA giraffe with personal space anxiety has a bad day.The HunterDirector: Marieka WalshA hunter searches for a missing boy deep in the snow covered mountains. He must make decisions that will forever change his relationship with the wilderness he fears. The Hunter is a stop-motion sand animation."it's such a beautiful day"Director: Don HertzfeldtBill finds himself in a hospital struggling with memory problems, in this third and final chapter to Don Hertzfeldt's "Everything will be OK" trilogy.Little BoatDirector: Nelson BolesOne little boat, one big journey.The MakerDirector: Christopher KezelosLife is what you make it.(notes on) biologyDirector: Danny MaddenAn animated account of an organism adapting to its environment.Once It Started It Could Not End OtherwiseDirector: Kelly SearsA terrifying look back at high school.Paint ShowersDirector: Miguel JironSwirling cosmos of paint give way to a storm of color and drips.PhotographsDirectors: Christina Manrique, Robert ClogherAn elderly woman living in an abandoned town finds a camera, which becomes a means for her to recreate her past life and remember a lost love.Reddish Brown and Blueish GreenDirector: Samantha GurryChild services, schwag, and the American dream.The Shrine / An ArgumentDirector: Sean PecknoldAn elk wanders through a world of madness.Summer BummerDirector: Bill PlymptonA man daydreams about what terror could be lurking in his backyard pool.MIDNIGHT SHORTSCheap ExterminationDirector: Minka Farthing-KohlFor Ernst, the perfect disguise was to play himself.Cherry On TopDirector: Mike DamanskisA prostitute finds new ways to attract business.Don't Hug Me I'm ScaredDirectors: Rebecca Sloan, Joseph PellingA short film about teaching creativity—by This Is It Collective.Duck Sauce, “Big Bad Wolf”Director: Keith SchofieldKeith Schofield’s original, outrageous and very, very funny promo for Duck Sauce’s single Big Bad Wolf has been burning up the internet, causing millions of pelvises to be thrust worldwide. An instant classic.I Am Your GrandmaDirector: Jillian MayerAn autobiographical video diary log (vlog) that Jillian Mayer records for her unborn grandchildren.J.P.B.F.Director: Steve CollinsA woman interviews for a job at a nefarious company that may or may not f**k b**ts.Jacuzzi Boys, “Glazin''Directors: Lucas Leyva, Jillian MayerGlazin' is part of a larger narrative where a group of 6 anonymous girls innocently paint their privates and rig them to lip-synch their favorite song as a gift to the band.Machines of the Working ClassDirectors: James Dastoli, Robert DastoliTwo robotic blue-collar workers take a brief hiatus to discuss delusions of grandeur.Man & GunDirector: Brian McOmberA post 9/11 fairy tale about a man’s love affair with guns.MermanDirector: Jono FoleyHarrison swims through the darkest recesses of his mind.OtherDirector: Daniel DelPurgatorioPatrick is a brilliant doctor in an obsessive race to alter his own grim prognosis. During a series of unconventional experiments, he discovers a scientific loophole unlike anything he had ever imagined.PerishedDirectors: Aaron McCann, Stefan Androv RadanovichSometimes survival is worse than death.Zombie ChicDirector: Todd CoberyA stuffy dinner party is interrupted by the zombie apocalypse.MUSIC VIDEOSAlexander, ''A Million Years''Director: Benjamin KutskoBaskerville, ''Reloaded''Director: Marieke VerbiesenBattles, ''My Machines''Director: DANIELSCasey Veggies, ''Euphoria II''Director: John BollozosCéline Desrumaux, ''Countdown''Director: Céline DesrumauxCHRISTEENE, "African Mayonnaise" Director: PJ RavalCults, ''You Know What I Mean''Director: Kevin LinGanesh Rao, ''Empyrean''Director: Ganesh RaoThe Good The Bad, “030”Jeppe KolstrupGotye (Feat. Kimbra), ''Somebody That I Used To Know''Director: Natasha PincusHawaaii, ''Welcome''Director: Churl GwonHerman Dune, ''Tell Me Something I Don't Know''Director: Toben SeymourHooray For Earth, ''True Loves''Director: Young ReplicantHyperpotamus, ''De Camino''Director: Lucas BorrasKina Grannis, ''In Your Arms''Director: Greg JardinLittle Tybee, ''Boxcar Fair''Directors: Brock Scott, Tom HaneyOk Go, ''All Is Not Lost''Director: Ok Go, Pilobolus, & Trish SiePorter Robinson, ''Spitfire''Director: Saman KeshavarzSon of Kick,“Playing the Villain”Director: Matt Devine (Glues Society)When Saints Go Machine, ''Parix''Director: Daniel Kragh-JacobsenWhomadewho, ''Every Minute Alone''Director: William StahlYip Deceiver, “Get Strict”Directors: Brandon LaGanke, John CarlucciYuksek, ''ALWAYS ON THE RUN''Directors: David Hache, Marc-Edouard Leon
