SXSW Most Intriguing Projects
March 4th, 2025 / Kevin Ward
Beyond the major headliners, SXSW Film and TV Festival is always home to a wealth of inventive, genre-defying, and unexpected gems. These six projects stand out for their unique concepts, creative talent, or sheer unpredictability, making them some of the most exciting films to keep an eye on this year.
Holland
Synopsis: In this wildly unpredictable thriller, Nicole Kidman is the meticulous Nancy Vandergroot, a teacher and homemaker whose picture-perfect life with her community pillar husband and son in tulip-filled Holland, Michigan tumbles into a twisted tale. Nancy and her friendly colleague become suspicious of a secret, only to discover nothing in their lives is what it seems.
What Excites Me: Director Mimi Cave proved her talent for blending horror and social commentary with Fresh, and with a powerhouse cast including Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen, and Gael García Bernal, this could be another unsettling, gripping thriller.
Credits: Directed by Mimi Cave, written by Lauryn Kahn, starring Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen, Gael García Bernal, Jude Hill. Produced by Amazon MGM Studios. US Release date: March 27, 2025 (digital).
Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video
Redux Redux
Synopsis: In an attempt to avenge her daughter’s death, Irene Kelly travels through parallel universes, killing her daughter’s murderer over and over again. But as she becomes addicted to her revenge streak, she risks losing her own humanity.
What Excites Me: This high-concept sci-fi thriller sounds like it could be an electrifying watch. The synopsis is incredibly intriguing that seems like it’s drawing from Looper, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and perhaps a little bit of Memento. Jim Cummings is always a fascinating presence in genre films, making this one a must watch for me personally.
Credits: Directed by Kevin McManus, Matthew McManus. Starring Michaela McManus, Stella Marcus, Jeremy Holm, Jim Cummings, Grace Van Dien, Taylor Misiak, Dendrie Taylor. Produced by Mothership Motion Pictures. US Release Date: Awaiting distribution.
Credit: Alan Gwizdowski
We Are Storror
Synopsis: A documentary following the extreme parkour collective Storror, capturing their most death-defying stunts while exploring the philosophy and physical risks behind their craft.
What Excites Me: Michael Bay directing a parkour documentary promises high-intensity cinematography and some mind-blowing drone footage. Storror’s reputation for pushing the limits of human movement makes this a thrilling prospect. And come on…it’s Michael Bay directing a documentary.
Credits: Directed by Michael Bay. Starring Josh Burnett-Blake, Benj Cave, Max Cave, Callum Powell, Sacha Powell, Toby Segar, Drew Taylor. Produced by Make Make. Release date: Awaiting distribution
Good Boy
Synopsis: A haunted house film, where the main character is the family dog–and the only one who can see the forces that haunt us. Our canine hero, Indy, finds himself on a new adventure with his human—and best friend—Todd, leaving city life for a long-vacant family home in the country. After moving in, Indy is immediately vexed by empty corners, tracks an invisible presence, perceives phantasmagoric warnings from a long-dead dog, and is haunted by visions of the previous occupant’s grim death. When Todd begins succumbing to the dark forces swirling around the house, Indy must battle a malevolence intent on dragging his beloved Todd into the afterlife!
What Excites Me: The idea of a horror film told entirely from a dog's POV is fresh and intriguing. Steven Soderbergh’s ghost story experiment Presence was a fascinating look at non-human perception, and Good Boy could take that concept even further in the horror space.
Credits: Directed by Ben Leonberg. Screenplay by Alex Cannon, Ben Leonberg. Starring Indy, Shane Jensen, Larry Fessenden, Arielle Friedman, Stuart Rudin, Anya Krawcheck, Max. US Release date: Awaiting distribution.
Credit: Good Boy.
Slanted
Synopsis: As a high school senior obsessed with becoming prom queen, Joan Huang undergoes an experimental racial transformation to become white. But what seems like a dream-come-true soon reveals itself as an emotional and physical nightmare.
What Excites Me: A bold, satirical take on race and identity, Slanted sounds like a sharp and deeply uncomfortable critique of assimilation culture. With Shirley Chen, McKenna Grace, and Vivian Wu in the cast, this has loads of potential.
Credits: Directed by Amy Wang. Screenplay by Amy Wang. Starring Shirley Chen, McKenna Grace, Vivian Wu, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Amelie Zilber, Fang Du, Elaine Hendrix, R. Keith Harris. Produced by Tideline Entertainment. US Release Date: Awaiting distribution.
O’Dessa
Synopsis: A post-apocalyptic rock opera following a young woman’s journey across a wasteland to reclaim a cherished family heirloom, only to find herself caught in a surreal battle between warring factions.
What Excites Me: A Mad Max-style musical starring Sadie Sink (Stranger Things, The Whale) and Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves, Chevalier)? Sign me up. With Dir. Geremy Jasper (Patti Cake$) at the helm, this has the potential to be an electrifying, visually dazzling experience.
Credits: Directed by Geremy Jasper. Screenplay by Geremy Jasper, starring Sadie Sink, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Murray Bartlett, Regina Hall, Pokey LaFarge. Produced by Searchlight Pictures. US Release date: March 20, 2025.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures