SXSW Sydney has added a selection of speakers and films to its 2024 Screen Festival.
Announced today, the festival has bolstered this year’s program with some acclaimed local and international filmmaking talent.
Warwick Thornton (“Samson and Delilah,” “Sweet Country”), one of Australia’s most celebrated directors, will present a live director’s commentary session, breaking down one of his critically lauded features; composer and musician Jed Kurzel (“Alien: Covenant,” “The Babadook”) will present a live composer’s commentary, detailing his approach to scoring film opening sequences; LuckyChap Entertainment’s Josey McNamara will discuss the company’s recent production slate, including hit films such as “Barbie” and “Saltburn”; and Mark Andrews, director of “Brave” and contributor to other Pixar productions, will share insights into his upcoming work at independent animation studio Floating Rock.
As part of a broader industry program, there will be sessions like “From Animators to Entrepreneurs,” in which two of the co-founders of New Zealand CG company Floating Rock take attendees through their journey forming their independent studio; “Making the Unreal Real: Women in VFX and Animation,” a roundtable discussion presented by Ausfilm on the work of Nerissa Kavanagh (Studio Blackbird), Barbara Stephen (Flying Bark Productions), Alexandra Daunt Watney (MPC Adelaide) and Lara Hopkins (Framestore); the inaugural “90 Minute Film School,” a crash-course in five unique areas of the film industry; and “Beyond Australia: Screening at SXSW,” a roundtable discussion with local filmmakers who’ve taken their projects abroad to SXSW Austin.
The newly announced additions to the 2024 Screen Festival join previously announced speakers like Simon McQuoid (“Mortal Kombat”).
The SXSW Sydney Music Festival has also been taking shape with Ayesha Madon, Nick Ward, BALTHVS, Total Tommy, and HighSchool among the confirmed performers so far.
“After the success of the inaugural SXSW Sydney in 2023,” says SXSW Sydney chair and TEG Group CEO, Geoff Jones, “we are once again inspired by the overwhelming response from the creator communities to participate in the 2024 program.”
According to organisers, 287,014 guests attended the first annual SXSW Sydney, with 97,462 “unique attendees” turning out.
Reporters from The Brag Media were among the 758 media and press, as almost 35,000 tickets (including badges, wristbands and day passes) were distributed.
Visit sxswsydney.com for more.