The annual film, interactive, and music festival moves online this March for an abbreviated week of digital programming and online screenings
It was a year ago that, with only one week to go before SXSW 2020 was set to kick off in Austin, event organisers made the difficult to decision to call off the conference in the midst of a brewing global pandemic. SXSW, the interactive, film, and music festival that attracts more than 400,000 attendees every year, moves online for 2021 with an abbreviated, but still very strong lineup. Set to take place from March 16 to 20, the schedule packs in dozens of digital film premieres as well as a long list of must-see featured and keynote speakers.
As part of the SXSW film festival, actor Dante Basco will debut The Fabulous Filipino Brothers, in which he and his family members play starring roles. The film, set between northern California and The Philippines, centers around a "highly controversial Filipino wedding" and features "cockfights, adultery, romance, food, and family."
Other highlights to look out for in the SXSW 2021 line-up include:
- Kai-Fu Lee, the chairman and CEO of Sinovation Ventures and president of Sinovation Ventures Artificial Intelligence Institute: The former president of Google China and the author of the bestselling AI Superpowers, Dr Lee is a former SGI, Microsoft, and Apple executive, the founder of Microsoft Research China, the author of 10 U.S. patents, and a leading venture capitalist focusing on Chinese high-tech companies.
- Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group: The world-renowned business magnate will speak on a featured session against the death penalty.
- Alex Ohanian, founder of Reddit, and YouTuber David Dobrik: A social media panel discussion on building a more authentic online community will feature Dobrik, Ohanian, Vernon Coleman, and Victoire Cogevina.
- The much-anticipated Demi Lovato documentary: Opening the film festival will be Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil, which traces the singer's personal journey both leading up to and after her overdose in 2018.
- Charli XCX's quarantine documentary: Closing the festival will be the quarantine chronicles of singer Charli XCX, following her as she makes an album in 40 days.
SXSW 2021 online will take place between March 16 and 20.