Some of this year¹s Oscar nominees are among the films and filmmakers announced as South by Southwest (SXSW) unveiled its shorts and panels lineup. Oscar-nominated live action short EVERYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY MUST can be found in the Reel Shorts competition.Meanwhile, Oscar nominees GUARD DOG and 7:35 IN THE MORNING are part of a special SXSW program of shorts presented by Comedia, the film component of the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival. They join 76 shorts from around the world at SXSW Film 2005 taking place in Austin, Texas from March 11 – 19,2005. “Short films aren¹t easily accessible in the mainstream, and for that reason, it¹s incredibly vital to find them at festivals like SXSW,” says Festival Producer Matt Dentler.
The shorts programs announced for SXSW 2005 includes: the Reel Shorts Competition, the Animated Shorts competition, the Music Video competition, a Texas Shorts sidebar, the Comedia program, a musically-oriented collection, and a competition of shorts made by Texas high school students. Another Reel Shorts competition short, LOST CAUSE, was written and directed by Jim Taylor, the Oscar nominated co-screenwriter of SIDEWAYS. Oscar nominated screenwriter, Richard Linklater, is among the panelists announced for the 2005 SXSW Film Conference. Linklater will sit on a discussion called “20 Years of the Austin Film Society,” a look at the revolutionary arts organization he helped found.
A total of 34 panels and 95 panelists have been slotted for the conference, including previously announced sessions such as “Movie Piracy and You” hosted by the MPAA and a “Conversation with Todd Solondz” to be moderated by Entertainment Weekly¹s Owen Gleiberman. Recently updated sessions include “Making Fun of Filmmaking,” a panel featuring actor/comedians Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswalt, and more, as well as a “Conversation with Christine Vachon,” featuring the independent film pioneer. Meanwhile, Marcia Gay Harden, David Krumholtz, Tim Blake Nelson, and Stephen Tobolowsky are among the thespians sitting on a panel entitled “Acting Out.” Rounding out the festival’s program, SXSW announced several Special Screenings, including a retrospective of work by Mexican producer Rogelio Agrasanchez Sr. Other Special Screenings at the fest are the features KILL YOUR IDOLS, MY BIG FAT INDEPENDENT MOVIE, and THE RING TWO.
For more info, visit the SXSW website.
