Friday Night Movie Shines a Spotlight on Independent Film at SXSW

AUSTIN, Texas, March 18, 2024 (Newswire.com) - The Korman siblings' Friday Night Movie podcast celebrated independent film at this year's SXSW, delivering unforgettable insights and laughs with groundbreaking filmmakers, actors, producers, and writers. Among the standout stories was an interview with the team behind WE WERE DANGEROUS, including director Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu, who won the SXSW Special Jury Award for Filmmaking. The film's powerful narrative of rebellion and camaraderie among young women in a New Zealand reformatory captivated audiences and critics alike.

The Friday Night Movie team also hit the theaters, attending the world premieres of Jake Gyllenhaal’s raucous ROAD HOUSE remake, Dev Patel’s action epic and directorial debut MONKEY MAN, Kyle Mooney’s apocalyptic teen comedy Y2K, and Damian Wilson’s joyously terrifying ghost story ODDITY. 

Coverage featured an engaging interview with comedy, music, and acting star Kate Micucci (Garfunkel and Oates) about her darkly funny role in the animated short, THE BLEACHER, and a conversation with rising star, Sonja O’Hara, who is breaking out with DOOMSDAY on Shudder and multiple features in the works.

Interviews with the cast and creative team behind Director Natalie Bailey’s AUDREY captivated listeners with dark humor, complex family dynamics, and unrivaled chemistry. The podcast also explored different compelling takes on relationships with BEN AND SUZANNE, A REUNION IN 4 PARTS star Anastasia Olowin and the cast and creative team from the heartwarming SWITCH UP, including director Tara Pirnia and starring Cristián de la Fuente (DRIVEN, MENORAH IN THE MIDDLE), Julieth Restrepo (GRISELDA), and Shondrella Avery (NAPOLEON DYNAMITE).

Additional highlights from the festival included coverage of:

• CAN, a vulnerable, funny, and touching short by Kailee McGee about her cancer journey
• DICKWEED, a true-crime documentary that feels like a real-life Coen Brothers movie from Jonathan Ignatius Green
• MAKE ME A PIZZA, a bold take on capitalism, erotic storytelling, and... pizza from Talia Shea Levin and Woody Coyote
• MY IDEA, a music video about the surreal life of a motion capture actor from YACHT and Kailee McGee
• SHOTPLAYER, a look into the world of New York’s most legendary pickpocket from renegade filmmaker Sam Shainberg
• And more engaging stories from the world of independent film.

Looking beyond just covering film festivals, the Kormans announced earlier this year that they would be joining the indie movie world with their Jewish summer camp feature, THE FLOATERS, directed by Rachel Israel (KEEP THE CHANGE), and produced alongside Andra Gordon (CASTLE IN THE GROUND). 

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Source: Friday Night Movie Podcast