Plenty of film festivals champion indie and studio films, but none have become so beloved to me like the SXSW Film & TV Festival. It’s one of my highlights each year and a festival I look forward to attending. Part of it is the vibe. The sun is shining in Austin, the city relaxed and alive in a way that is buzzing with instant magnetic energy. There’s live music playing almost everywhere you go, even at the airport. The food is exceptional, the people warm, and the film and TV audiences are some of the best.

When I think of what an ideal moviegoing experience is, SXSW instantly comes to mind. Aside from the dramas and international films, the festival has become the go-to place for comedies — which is a big deal considering how the genre isn’t as huge a focus anymore, at other festivals and theatrically — and, crucially, horror.

SXSW's Horror Movies Stand Out

They're Too Intriguing Not To

The horror genre has easily become one of my favorites. The genre can have a lot to say about mental health, trauma, and mortality, just to name a few. The SXSW Film & TV Festival has been home to some of the biggest, and perhaps unexpected, releases in recent years, many of which have gone on to become quite popular conversation-starters. Halina Reijn’s Bodies Bodies Bodies is the perfect example of the festival’s horror offerings; it was a satirical analysis of Gen Z culture while also maintaining what makes it so memorable: the gore.

In 2023, Talk to Me surprised and unsettled me. I couldn’t wait to take my loved ones to see. It was the kind of horror film that got under my skin and made me think. Additionally, the festival has debuted everything from A Quiet Place to the disturbing Oddity, The Cabin in the Woods to the riveting Late Night with the Devil. A big part of what makes the horror experience so wonderful at SXSW is the audience, which is excited and focused, gasping and otherwise reacting in a way that elevates the viewing experience.

At this year’s festival, SXSW debuted several horror movies that also made an impression, including The Surrender, Ash, Clown in a Cornfield, Hallow Road, among others. Sometimes, choosing to watch a horror film is a gamble. You never know what you’re in for, really, but you’re willing to be surprised nevertheless. Regardless of the film, though, there’s one thing a horror fan such as myself will always be — intrigued. And the SXSW horror slate never fails to be intriguing. It’s a hub for some of the best and most creative horror films that are released. – Mae Abdulbaki

Hallow Road Was My Biggest Horror Surprise

As a first-time SXSW-goer, I had no idea what I was in for. This was only my third time going to a film festival in person and everything about SXSW is BIG, from the films to the crowds to the things to do on every block. I was there for the movies, though, and SXSW delivered some hidden horror gems that I can’t wait to see again.

Hallow Road ended up being my favorite of the fest. It was opening night and I was exhausted, unsure if I would even attend the premiere of Babak Anvari’s new film. When I did, though, I was immediately pulled in, woken up by the adrenaline rush, jolted by the searing sound design, and gripped by the surprisingly emotional story.

Hallow Road ended up being my favorite of the fest... I was immediately pulled in, woken up by the adrenaline rush, jolted by the searing sound design

Hallow Road was just one of many surprises at SXSW. The Surrender, a two-hander about a mother-daughter duo attempting to revive the patriarch of the family through a strange ritual, scared me like no recent film has. Sweetness hit the perfect spot of satire and insanity. Drop had the audience fully engrossed in every twist and turn.

The best part of any film festival is the discoveries. Going into a film completely blind and being blown away by what you see. It’s also really cool to go to the premieres of some of the spring’s most anticipated films. SXSW has both of that in spades and as a first-timer, it was such a rich experience. – Graeme Guttmann