15 buzzy movies and premieres

At the South by Southwest Conference and Festival this year, survival is a theme and a full-time job. 

Whether it’s brides being hunted by their new in-laws, young women trying to escape cults, or colorful crews lifting luxury goods under the noses of fashion magnates, the festival’s lineup pulses with tension, dark comedy and imagination. 

Related: No SXSW badge? The best free events you can attend

This year’s films explore the thrills and perils of being chased, trapped or otherwise forced to fight for your life — and, occasionally, your style. Here are the films we’re excited to catch at this year’s SXSW Film Festival.

Austin-based filmmakers deliver a chilling psychological portrait: a woman inherits her childhood home for a quiet escape, only to find herself stalked by a neighbor obsessed with her uncanny resemblance to his deceased mother. Addiction, debt and obsession collide in a hometown horror story.

• March 14: Alamo Lamar 4 — 10:30 p.m.
• March 16: Satellite Venue: AFS Cinema — 8:30 p.m.
• March 17: Alamo Lamar 2 — 10 p.m.

From Jonás Cuarón, director of “Gravity,” this drama follows a young Mexican man as he crosses the Rio Grande seeking a better life in New York City’s Latino barrios. Leslie Grace and Rubén Blades anchor the story of resilience and cultural navigation.

• March 17: Zach Theater — 5:15 p.m.
• March 18: State Theatre — 6 p.m.

A comedic horror set around a Mexican quinceañera, this movie explores adolescence and class divides with both levity and bite.

• March 15: Alamo Lamar 4 — 10:15 p.m.
• March 17: Alamo Lamar 1 — 9:15 p.m.
• March 18: Violet Crown 3 — 3:30 p.m.
• March 18: Violet Crown 1 — 3:30 p.m.

A mall-based girl witch cult sets its sights on unsuspecting customers. Lili Reinhart, Victoria Pedretti and Gabrielle Union headline this mixture of teen rebellion and dark ritual.

• March 16: Paramount Theatre — 5:30 p.m. 
• March 17: Alamo Lamar 5 — 10:15 p.m.

NEON brings another horror entry with Adam Scott as a writer who retreats to a haunted inn. Following in the studio’s gory footsteps of “Longlegs” and “Cuckoo,” this film promises suspenseful chills and clever scares.

• March 14: State Theatre — 10 p.m.
• March 15: Alamo Lamar 5 — 5:45 p.m.
• March 17: Alamo Lamar 8 — 6:30 p.m.

Keke Palmer stars in Boots Riley’s colorful heist comedy about a crew of shoplifters taking on a fashion titan played by Demi Moore. The ensemble cast includes LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter, Alexa Demie and Eiza González.

• March 12: Paramount Theatre — 5 p.m.
• March 13: Paramount Theatre — 11 a.m.

A rom-com twist: an aspiring author writes wedding vows for a living, only to find her longtime crush engaged to a client. Chloë Grace Moretz, Anthony Ramos and Manny Jacinto navigate love, ambition and awkward entanglements.

• March 16: Zach Theater — 6:30 p.m.
• March 17: State Theatre — 11:30 a.m.

A violent, R-rated night of chaos for two gangsters and the woman caught between them. Vince Vaughn, James Marsden and Eiza González make this action-comedy pulse with frenetic energy.

• March 14: Paramount Theatre — 9 p.m.
• March 17: Zach Theater — 2 p.m.

Julia Fox stars in this dystopian drama about a world ravaged by water contamination, where personal survival becomes political and emotional stakes collide with environmental disaster.

• March 12: State Theatre — 3:30 p.m.
• March 14: Alamo Lamar 3 — 8:45 p.m.
• March 14: Alamo Lamar 1 — 8:45 p.m.
• March 16: Alamo Lamar 1 — 10 p.m.

Directed by Maude Apatow, this comedy follows a soon-to-be empty nester, played by Leslie Mann, as two inseparable young men compete for her attention, creating both chaos and revelation.

• March 17: Zach Theater — 9 p.m.
• March 18: Zach Theater — 2:45 p.m.

Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas star in this music-driven comedy about a fading wedding singer and a washed-up boy-band star. When a song reignites one career, rivalry and nostalgia collide in the late-night music scene.

• March 14: Paramount Theatre — 2 p.m.
• March 18: Zach Theater — 11:30 a.m.

Uma Thurman runs a roadside inn that becomes a refuge for five ballerinas, including Maddie Ziegler and Lana Condor. Dance, revenge and suspense twirl together in this stylish thriller.

• March 13: Paramount Theatre — 9 p.m.
• March 16: Paramount Theatre — 11 a.m.

Samara Weaving returns as a bride surviving another deadly family hunt, this time alongside her sister, played by Kathryn Newton. Elijah Wood and Shawn Hatosy add sinister flair to the sequel as tradition and terror entwine.

• March 13: Paramount Theatre — 5:30 p.m.
• March 14: Paramount Theatre — 11 a.m.

Zazie Beetz faces a cult’s deadly machinations in this dark comedy. Tom Felton, Patricia Arquette and Myha’La co-star in a story that balances humor, horror and survival.

• March 17: Paramount Theatre — 9:30 p.m.
• March 18: Paramount Theatre — 11 a.m.

A real-life story of cyclist Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson, whose extraordinary drive carried her to competitive brilliance before her life was tragically cut short by murder in Austin. An intimate portrait of talent, family and loss.

• March 12: Rollins Theatre at the Long Center — 6:15 p.m.
• March 13: Satellite Venue: AFS Cinema — 9:15 p.m.
• March 17: Alamo Lamar 6 — 3:15 p.m.

SXSW is open to industry professionals and the public through a badge system. Film & TV, Music and Interactive badges each unlock different slices of the festival, with Platinum badges offering the most comprehensive access. While there are no Film & TV Festival wristbands this year, a limited number of individual tickets to screenings have been released. Some walk-up tickets might be available, especially at satellite screening locations. Badges are currently available through the festival’s official site.