An online platform will allow you to watch nearly all of SXSW’s short film programme for free.
The cancellation of South by Southwest this month due to Covid-19 impacted on thousands of musicians and filmmakers who were set to showcase their creativity at the gargantuan festival in Austin, Texas. In a case of somewhat strange bedfellows, indie film distributor Oscilloscope—founded by late Beastie Boys member (and filmmaker) Adam Yauch—has teamed up with Mailchimp (the company powering many emails landing in your inbox, including ours—you can sign up below!) to make the lion’s share of these short films available to stream online for free.
As they put it on their website:
“SXSW has long been a champion of independent filmmakers, and premiering a short film at the festival is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for creators to share their vision with the world. When the City of Austin had to cancel this year’s festival, hundreds of filmmakers lost the opportunity for their work to be seen. Together, Mailchimp and Oscilloscope Laboratories have created a digital home for this incredible slate of short films, so you can watch them from wherever you are. While we can’t replace the camaraderie of the SXSW festival, watching these films is a way to support the artists you love and connect to the world around you, during a time when we could all use a little more connection.”
About half of the approximately 75 films are online now, with more to be added shortly, and will be live for a minimum of 30 days. They include:
Regret (Midnight Shorts winner)
“Following the death of his father, a man must survive the manifestations of his inner demons over the course of a dreary night.”
Chicken of the Dead
“Bernard Lepique is the CEO of “Quasi,” a company specializing in the production of half-bio, half-antibiotics chickens. When Bernard launches a new kind of chicken, everything does not go as planned.”
Hand in Hand
“Two politicians shake hands. The situation escalates.”
