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The Criterion Mobile Closet Closes Line Four Hours Ahead of Closing Due to Austin’s Crowds

Film lovers line up nearly seven hours in advance for The Criterion Mobile Closet at SXSW, a limited-time pop-up selling 1,000 curated titles

  • By Amelia Engstrom
  • March 07, 2025
The Criterion Closet President Peter Becker (far left) talks with film fans waiting to enter the Criterion Mobile Closet parked across from The Paramount Theatre. (Photo by Amelia Engstrom)
The Criterion Closet President Peter Becker (far left) talks with film fans waiting to enter the Criterion Mobile Closet parked across from The Paramount Theatre. (Photo by Amelia Engstrom)

Inside a humble box truck, over 1,000 staples of classic and independent cinema await Austin film fanatics. Today starting at 8:30 a.m., crowds lined up along Congress Avenue to step inside the Criterion Mobile Closet, anticipating its 3 p.m. opening. The queue grew long enough that the Criterion team opened the closet early around 1 p.m. By 2:30 p.m., crew members were turning people away, anticipating they would not get in before a 7 p.m. close. 

“We never know what to expect,” El Shami said. “New York, you’re on your home turf. So you’re like, ‘yeah, we expect the numbers.’ Here, it’s a wild card.”

Some individuals drove hours just to visit the closet, and many stayed in line without a guarantee of entry. The closet will be in Austin from today until Sunday afternoon. Criterion Chief Marketing Officer Nur El Shami suggests in the following days that people arrive early and bring water. 

“Bring friends, bring a sense of adventure. The line is part of the experience. We’ve got all our staff here on ground that is interacting and engaging with people,” El Shami said. “It’s a really special moment for community engagement, too.”

The Criterion Mobile Closet will be open from 3 to 7 p.m. on March 7, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 8 and 9, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 10.

South by Southwest is the second film festival visited by the mobile closet after the New York Film Festival last September. The mobile closet began in honor of Criterion Collection’s 40th anniversary, and welcomes visitors inside a replica of the original Manhattan Criterion Closet. 

Guests who visit the Criterion Mobile Closet receive a complimentary Criterion tote bag. (Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection)
Guests who visit the Criterion Mobile Closet receive a complimentary Criterion tote bag. (Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection)

The closet has gained popularity on social media for its Criterion Closet Picks videos that invite directors, actors and more to pick their favorite films from Criterion’s collection. Viewers enjoy watching their favorite artists talk about films that inspire them. The mobile closet allows fans to do the same.

“What excites me about it is getting the chance to nerd out,” said Shama Khan, who drove from the Houston area. “I watched a lot of those (Criterion Closet Picks) videos online, so it’s kind of fun to role play.”

Others are drawn to the mobile closet by their love for the Criterion Collection itself. Criterion publishes DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K Ultra HDs, focusing on quality and artistry. The collection is popular among cinephiles dedicated to physical media. Fernando Alcantar said he likes Criterion because it honors the director’s vision during preservation.

“I’ve been collecting since ‘99. This has been a gateway to other films I never would have heard of in my life, or never would have been exposed to, just by following Criterion,” Alcantar said.

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