Filmmakers: The late deadline for South By Southwest is tomorrow, December 2 – but if you can’t make that, there’s one final, last minute deadline next Thursday, December 9 – note that the entry fee makes a significant jump in that week, so if you can submit by tomorrow, you should. Increasingly well-attended by industry, filmmakers, and fans, the 2011 fest will take place March 11-19.
I really enjoy SXSW – for years, I jealously watched friends and colleagues attend while I couldn’t due to programming deadlines for NewFest, but finally was able to start going last year, when I also was honored to serve on the Documentary Jury (we awarded 45365 and THE WAY WE GET BY). This past year, I was thrilled to world premiere THE CANAL STREET MADAM as part of the SXSW Documentary Competition.
So, hey, I’m biased, but SXSW is an amazing festival. Austin is a fun city, the weather is beautiful in March, and the event draws people from all over representing the three parts of the festival – interactive, film, and music. Janet Pierson and her staff on the film side have done a great job carrying on from and expanding the work Matt Dentler did at the festival for years. It’s truly grown into a can’t-miss discovery festival, and is a must to submit to especially if your film has anything to do with music, though the programming is certainly not limited just to that. Even if you don’t have a film in the fest, it’s a great event to attend, with a low-key, casual atmosphere that can often be lacking at other festivals.
what (not) to doc 