SXSW Film & TV Festival Announces Opening and Closing Night Films, Final 2025 Lineup

Some of Hollywood’s biggest names could be walking the red carpet March 7-15 as the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film & TV Festival returns with a star-studded lineup. Matthew McConaughey, Blake Lively, Jacob Elordi and Daisy Edgar-Jones are among the actors expected to premiere their latest films at the annual festival, which will showcase narrative features, documentaries, short films, TV premieres, music videos and XR experiences.

A highly anticipated sequel and a sweeping period drama will bookend this year’s SXSW Film & TV Festival. Paul Feig’s “Another Simple Favor” will open the event on March 7, while Daniel Minahan’s “On Swift Horses” will serve as the closing night film on March 16.

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Andrew Rannells, Anna Kendrick and Paul Feig on the set of “Another Simple Favor.” (Photo courtesy of Lorenzo Sisti © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC)

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Daisy Edgar-Jones as Muriel, Jacob Elordi as Julius in “On Swift Horses.” (Photo courtesy of Luc Montpellier ASC, CSC)

Feig’s “Another Simple Favor,” the follow-up to his 2018 hit “A Simple Favor,” brings back Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells and Allison Janney for another stylish mystery. This time, Stephanie Smothers and Emily Nelson head to Italy for an extravagant wedding where betrayal and intrigue unfold. “When we saw this film last fall, we instantly knew it had to open SXSW—it gave us that electric feeling we live for as programmers,” said Claudette Godfrey, SXSW’s VP of Film & TV in a recent press release.

Minahan’s “On Swift Horses,” starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter, Diego Calva and Sasha Calle, will close the festival. The Sony Pictures Classics film follows a newlywed couple whose life is disrupted by the arrival of the husband’s brother, leading to a secret life of gambling and unexpected love.

The 2025 lineup additions

Alongside the opening and closing night films, this year’s SXSW Film & TV Festival will feature 111 feature films, 57 short films, 19 music videos, and 32 XR projects, as well as 17 television projects, including high-profile premieres, independent pilots, and international selections.

“We’re absolutely delighted to pull back the curtain on our full SXSW 2025 program,” said Godfrey. “From boundary-pushing independent voices to major premiere events, this year’s lineup showcases storytelling at its finest.”

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Still from the film “The Rivals of Amziah King,” starring Matthew McConaughey and Angelina LookingGlass. (Photo courtesy of SXSW)

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Still from the film “Magic Hour,” directed by Katie Aselton. (Photo by Sarah Wheldon)

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Sam Morelos and Chloe Fineman in “Summer of 69” (Photo courtesy of Disney/Brett Roedel)

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Carl Lewis with Medals. (Photo by Getty Images/Joe McNally)

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Tim Rarus, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Greg Hlibok and Jerry Covell in “Deaf President Now!,” coming soon to Apple TV+. (Photo courtesy of Apple TV+)

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Marlee Matlin in the documentary “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore.” (Photo by Aurora Brachman)

Narrative and Documentary Highlights

Among the world premieres in the festival’s Narrative Spotlight category are:

• The Rivals of Amziah King (Dir. Andrew Patterson) – A crime drama set in the American Southwest featuring Matthew McConaughey, Kurt Russell and Cole Sprouse.
• Magic Hour (Dir. Katie Aselton) – A relationship drama starring Daveed Diggs, Katie Aselton and Brad Garrett.
• Summer of ’69 (Dir. Jillian Bell) – A coming-of-age comedy starring Chloe Fineman, Nicole Byer and Liza Koshy.

Documentary highlights include:

• I’m Carl Lewis! (Dirs. Julie Anderson, Chris Hay) – A documentary exploring the career of nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis.
• Deaf President Now! (Dirs. Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim) – A chronicle of the 1988 student-led protest at the world’s only Deaf university.
• Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore (Dir. Shoshannah Stern) – A portrait of the Academy Award-winning actress, featuring interviews with Troy Kotsur and Henry Winkler.

The festival’s TV lineup includes 17 projects, with major premieres such as “The Yogurt Shop Murders,” a docuseries examining Austin’s infamous 1991 case. The XR Experience Program will feature 32 immersive projects, with 15 competing in the XR Experience Competition, showcasing new frontiers in storytelling and interactive media.

SXSW film awards and ticket information

In addition to screenings, SXSW will present special awards, including the SXSW Best of Texas Award, the Vimeo Staff Pick Award and the Independent Spirit Awards qualifiers. The Narrative Feature Competition, Documentary Feature Competition and Short Film winners will be announced on March 12, with Audience Award winners revealed the following week.

SXSW 2025 runs March 7-15 in Austin. Access to SXSW events can be secured by purchasing a badge or wristband through the official SXSW website. Advance tickets for select films at the Paramount, Stateside, ZACH and AFS theaters are also available for purchase for those without a badge or wristband.

Platinum badges, which provide primary access to all SXSW events, are priced at $2,195, with a walk-up rate of $2,295. Film & TV badges cost $1,355 in advance and $1,395 at the walk-up rate. Wristbands are available for $120 in advance and $150 at the walk-up rate. Badges grant primary access to Film & TV events, while wristbands offer secondary access. For tickets, schedules and updates, visit their website.

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