Margot Robbie is serving up her Papa Salt gin brand at SXSW Sydney.
Partnering with the conference juggernaut, Papa Salt will take over Tumbalong Park on Saturday, October 19th, for a film screening and two live music sets.
The takeover will feature the Australian premiere screening of the surf documentary “The Endless Summer” in celebration of its 60th anniversary.
The screening will begin at 5:30 PM on the Main Stage, offering attendees a chance to watch the iconic record-breaking film which captured the imagination of surf enthusiasts for decades.
Directed by the late Bruce Brown, the film follows surfers Robert August and Mike Hynson as they travel the world in search of the perfect wave. Known for its groundbreaking portrayal of the surfing lifestyle —and its theatre run in New York City where it sold out for 48 straight weeks — the film remains a significant piece of sporting cinema history.
Following the screening, Papa Salt will host an afterparty featuring live performances from two acts from the SXSW Sydney Music Festival lineup: Colombian psychedelic funk band BALTHVS and Australian electronic artist Touch Sensitive.
The event will mark the debut of Papa Salt’s new product, the Papa Salt Paloma, a premixed gin cocktail. This launch is part of the brand’s strategy to expand its product offerings and engage with its target audience in unique settings.
Papa Roach first launched in Australia; it’s distilled in Byron Bay and is currently available through a partnership with the Endeavour Group (BWS, Dan Murphy’s) and recently launched in the U.K.
At an intimate tasting and Q&A session in London, Robbie was joined alongside fellow founders, husband Tom Ackerley and friends Charlie Maas, Regan Riskas and Josey McNamara, where they discussed the brand’s inception story.
“We made this product because we love gin. There’s no big company behind us, we self-funded the whole thing,” chief executive Charlie Maas said at the event. “And one of the reasons we took six years to get a product out is that this is truly a labour of love.
“Everyone knows London’s got incredible restaurants and bars,” said Robbie. “And I don’t think people really know that about Australia as much. I think people still think of Australia and think of Foster’s, which, by the way, you can’t find in Australia. We have so much more to offer – the food and beverage scene in Australia is actually incredible. It’s so underappreciated outside of Australia.”
The Papa Salt Sydney event is part of SXSW Sydney’s week of free programming at Tumbalong Park. Over seven days and nights, over 100,000 people are expected to visit the precinct to enjoy 60+ hours of free entertainment.
Variety AU/NZ can confirm Margot Robbie will not be attendance.