Throughout much of the 1980s and into the '90s, the Sundance Film Festival was the undisputed king of American independent film showcases. But Robert Redford's mountaintop fete gained some serious competition in 1994 when South by Southwest—or SXSW to its friends—added a film component to what had previously been a music festival and conference series.
It didn't take long for word to spread to the independent film community that Sundance was no longer the only game in town. Particularly as the Park City stalwart's reputation as a breeding ground for truly independent artists was being increasingly called into question.
SXSW, on the other hand, seemed to embrace its hometown's official directive to "Keep Austin Weird." Though both attendance and the number of major films that choose to premiere here continue to grow, SXSW—which also features an Interactive component—keeps the vibe casual.
"We like to take chances," the fest's "head honcho," Janet Pierson, recently told Variety of their preferred type of content. "We like stuff that’s out there sexually, politically incorrect or not glossy, and there’s a bias towards naturalism and authenticity.”
Clearly that's not just marketing speak. From Oscar nominees to SNL stars (and hosts), these are The 10 biggest careers made at the SXSW Film Festival (so far).
Throughout much of the 1980s and into the '90s, the Sundance Film Festival was the undisputed king of American independent film showcases. But Robert Redford's mountaintop fete gained some serious competition in 1994 when South by Southwest—or SXSW to its friends—added a film component to what had previously been a music festival and conference series.
It didn't take long for word to spread to the independent film community that Sundance was no longer the only game in town. Particularly as the Park City stalwart's reputation as a breeding ground for truly independent artists was being increasingly called into question.
SXSW, on the other hand, seemed to embrace its hometown's official directive to "Keep Austin Weird." Though both attendance and the number of major films that choose to premiere here continue to grow, SXSW—which also features an Interactive component—keeps the vibe casual.
"We like to take chances," the fest's "head honcho," Janet Pierson, recently told Variety of their preferred type of content. "We like stuff that’s out there sexually, politically incorrect or not glossy, and there’s a bias towards naturalism and authenticity.”
Clearly that's not just marketing speak. From Oscar nominees to SNL stars (and hosts), these are The 10 biggest careers made at the SXSW Film Festival (so far).
Destin Daniel Cretton
One cannot overlook the importance the Sundance Film Festival has had on filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton's career. It is, after all, where he premiered the truncated version of Short Term 12 as part of its Shorts program in 2009, and where his debut feature, I Am Not a Hipster, made its debut in 2012. But both of these projects were just a lead in to Cretton's breakout feature-length version of Short Term 12, which premiered at SXSW last year. Next up for Cretton is an adaptation of Jeanette Walls' The Glass Castle, with Jennifer Lawrence rumored to star.
Jeffrey Blitz
SXSW was just the beginning for documentarian Jeffrey Blitz, who made his film debut at SXSW with the 2002 documentary Spellbound, a surprisingly compelling look at the lives of eight teens all vying for the top spot at the 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee. The film—and Blitz—would go on to be nominated for an Oscar.
Drew Goddard
Drew Goddard had a good thing going as a writer and producer, mostly for television, on such series as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Alias, and Lost. In 2012, he decided to test out what the director's chair felt like and—with the help of his longtime mentor Joss Whedon—created one of the most unique horror films in recent history with The Cabin in the Woods, which made its premiere at SXSW.
Andrew Bujalski
Warning: You're going to read the word "Mumblecore" several times before this story is over. Because SXSW has proved to be a particularly fertile ground for filmmakers who've been given that designation, including "the Godfather of Mumblecore," Andrew Bujalski. His film Mutual Appreciation, one of the first movies to be given the Mumblecore moniker, premiered at SXSW in 2005. Which was the first of many festival appearances by Bujalski.
The Duplass Brothers
“The crowds are not only smart, they are also enthusiastic,” Mark Duplass recently told Variety of the scene at SXSW. He should know; he's one of the festival's most familiar faces. In addition to acting in a number of SXSW-bound films over the years, the fest has become a favorite launching pad for Mark's filmmaking efforts with his brother, Jay. Their co-directed films Baghead, Cyrus, and The Do-Deca-Pentathlon have all screened in Austin.
Joe Swanberg
Like Andrew Bujalski, Joe Swanberg's name is synonymous with the Mumblecore movement. And his relationship with SXSW dates back to his very first film—2005's Kissing on the Mouth—all the way through to his biggest film to date, 2013's Drinking Buddies, which starred Anna Kendrick and Olivia Wilde.
Gareth Edwards
Visual effects artist-turned-director Gareth Edwards made history at SXSW in 2010 when his low-budget horror/sci-fi movie, Monsters, was purchased by Magnolia on the very night it premiered. (The SXSW marketplace doesn't normally work that quickly.) Clearly Magnolia's powers-that-be knew they were in the company of a serious up-and-coming talent. Edwards was quickly tapped to direct this summer's highly anticipated Godzilla remake.
Greta Gerwig
If Andrew Bujalski is the Godfather of Mumblecore, then Greta Gerwig is its Queen. Though she's best known as an actress (one who has worked frequently with some of the other names on this list), the star of last year's critically acclaimed Frances Ha, and the face of the in-development How I Met Your Mother spinoff, Gerwig has also collaborated with Joe Swanberg as a writer on films like Hannah Takes the Stairs and co-director on Nights and Weekends, both of which have screened at SXSW.
Fred Armisen
Four years before he landed a spot on Saturday Night Live, Fred Armisen made his on-screen debut with the 1998 short film Fred Armisen's Guide to Music and SXSW, in which he interviews festival attendees—including a confused Janeane Garofalo—as a range of characters.
Lena Dunham
It doesn’t matter whether or not you like Girls, or even Lena Dunham for that matter. The fact is she's one of Hollywood’s biggest power players these days, and one of its youngest to boot. Which is particularly impressive considering that she was far from a household name as recently as 2010. the same year she won the Jury Award at SXSW for her debut film, Tiny Furniture.
