SXSW: Judd Apatow Returns With ‘The King of Staten Island’; Apple TV+ Debuts ‘Central Park’

From Judd Apatow’s latest tale to a new animated Apple TV+ series, comedic fare will once again take the spotlight this year at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, a fertile launch pad for some recent popular comedies. 

More than 100 feature films and episodic shows will be showcased during the nine-day event, set to run March 13-22, the fest unveiled Wednesday. 

Among the high-profile feature debuts is Apatow’s The King of Staten Island, which stars Pete Davidson in his first lead role alongside Marisa Tomei and Steve Buscemi. Then there’s Bad Trip from director Kitao Sakuri and starring Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery and Tiffany Haddish, and The Lovebirds from helmer Michael Showalter and starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae. 

“Every year we pore through thousands of submissions searching for the best films to present to the SXSW audience. We are astounded by the talent at every level, from the emerging micro-budget artist to those at the peak of their careers, and can’t wait to share their risk-taking, passion and achievements in March,” Janet Pierson, director of film for the festival, said in a statement.

In recent years, SXSW has debuted comedies such as Knocked Up, Bridesmaids, Trainwreck and last year’s hit, Booksmart. 

Other headlining films include Spike Jonze’s Beastie Boys Story, acquired by Apple TV+, and Estevan Oriol’s LA Originals, which explores Chicano culture, landmarks and street art. 

On the episodic side, highlights include the premieres of Apple’s Central Park, an animated comedy from Bob’s Burgers creator Loren Bouchard about a family of caretakers living in Central Park; the TBS comedy Chad, which stars Nasim Pedrad as a 14-year-old boy; TNT’s Snowpiercer adaptation from Graeme Manson; and Greg Daniels’ sci-fi comedy Upload for Amazon.

Also premiering at the fest are the Shudder docuseries Cursed Films; Starz’s Cape Cod drama Hightown; Apple TV+’s architecture docuseries Home; Freeform’s alternate-history drama Motherland: Fort Salem; the Hulu animated series Solar Opposites from the creators of Rick & Morty; and the Amazon sci-fi drama Tales from the Loop.

The festival will also feature 10 films in its narrative feature competition, which include Kelly Oxford’s Pink Skies Ahead and Justine Bateman’s Violet. Among the 10 movies competing in the documentary feature competition are Alice Gu’s The Donut King, about a Cambodian refugee’s thriving empire of donut stores in America, and Todd Chandler’s Bulletproof, which looks at safety in schools in an age of gun violence. 

In the 24 Beats Per Second slate, spotlighting music documentaries, highlights include Zappa, on the life of Frank Zappa; The Nowhere Inn, about musician St. Vincent’s attempt to make a documentary about her music; and A&E’s Biography: The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne.

The announced list of films and TV shows set to screen at SXSW follows.
 

HEADLINERS

Bad Trip – Director: Kitao Sakurai, Screenwriters: Eric André, Dan Curry, Kitao Sakurai

From a producer of Jackass and Bad Grandpa, this hidden-camera comedy follows two best friends as they go on a cross-country road trip full of hilarious, inventive pranks, pulling its real-life audience into the mayhem. Cast: Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish, Michaela Conlin (World Premiere)

Beastie Boys Story – Director: Spike Jonze
Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz tell you an intimate, personal story of their band and 40 years of friendship in this live documentary experience directed by their longtime friend and collaborator, and their former grandfather, filmmaker Spike Jonze. (World Premiere)

The King of Staten Island – Director: Judd Apatow, Screenwriters: Judd Apatow, Pete Davidson, Dave Sirus
Filmmaker Judd Apatow directs Saturday Night Live breakout Pete Davidson in a bracing comedy about a burnout stuck living with his mom (Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei) on Staten Island. Cast: Pete Davidson, Marisa Tomei, Bill Burr, Bel Powley, Maude Apatow, Ricky Velez and Steve Buscemi (World Premiere)

LA Originals (Argentina) – Director: Estevan Oriol, Screenwriters: Brian Maya, Omar Quiroga
An exploration of the culture and landmarks of the Chicano and street art movement that cemented Mister Cartoon and Estevan Oriol’s status as behind-the-scenes hip-hop legends. (World Premiere)

The Lovebirds – Director: Michael Showalter, Screenwriters: Aaron Abrams, Brendan Gall
A young couple (Issa Rae & Kumail Nanjiani) is pulled into a bizarre (and hilarious) murder mystery. Working to clear their names and solve the crime, the pair need to figure out how they, and their relationship, can survive the night. Cast: Kumail Nanjiani, Issa Rae, Paul Sparks, Anna Camp, Kyle Bornheimer (World Premiere)

NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT

The 24th – Director: Kevin Willmott, Screenwriters: Kevin Willmott, Trai Byers

The 24th is based on the true story of the all-black Twenty-Fourth United States Infantry and the Houston Riot of 1917. The night of violence led to the largest murder trial in American history. Cast: Trai Byers, Aja Naomi King, Bashir Salahuddin, Mo McRae, Tosin Morohunfola, Mykelti Williamson, Thomas Haden Church (World Premiere)

Archive (U.K.) – Director/Screenwriter: Gavin Rothery
The year 2048: George Almore is working on a true human-equivalent AI. His latest prototype is almost ready. But his true goal must be hidden at all costs. Cast: Theo James, Stacy Martin, Rhona Mitra, Peter Ferdinando, Richard Glover, Lia Williams, Toby Jones (World Premiere)

Best Summer Ever – Directors: Michael Parks Randa, Lauren Smitelli, Screenwriters: Michael Parks Randa, Will Halby, Terra Mackintosh, Andrew Pilkington, Lauren Smitelli
A fresh and exhilarating take on the beloved teen musical genre featuring eight original songs and a fully integrated cast and crew of people with and without disabilities. Cast: Shannon DeVido, Rickey Wilson Jr., MuMu, Jacob Waltuck, Emily Kranking, Bradford Hayes, Eileen Grubba, Holly Palmer, Ajani A.J. Murray, Lawrence Carter-Long (World Premiere)

Castle in the Ground (Canada) – Director/Screenwriter: Joey Klein
A grieving teenager befriends the troubled woman across the hall just as the opiate epidemic takes hold of their small town in 2012. Cast: Alex Wolff, Imogen Poots, Neve Campbell, Tom Cullen, Keir Gilchrist, Kiowa Gordon, Star Slade (U.S. Premiere)

Critical Thinking – Director: John Leguizamo, Screenwriter: Dito Montiel
Based on a true story from 1998, five Latin and black teenagers from the toughest underserved ghetto in Miami fight their way into the National Chess Championship under the guidance of their unconventional but inspirational teacher. Cast: John Leguizamo, Michael Kenneth Williams, Rachel Bay Jones, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Angel Bismark Curiel, Will Hochman, Corwin Tuggles, Jeffry Batista, Zora Casebere, Ramses Jimenez (World Premiere)

Cut Throat City – Director: RZA, Screenwriter: Paul Cuschieri
Cut Throat City is a powerful and hard-hitting heist drama by RZA, set in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward following Hurricane Katrina. Cast: Shameik Moore, Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris, Demetrius Shipp Jr., Kat Graham, Rob Morgan, Keean Johnson, Denzel Whitaker, Sam Daly, Isaiah Washington, Wesley Snipes, Terrence Howard, Eiza Gonzalez, Ethan Hawke (World Premiere)

I Used to Go Here – Director/Screenwriter: Kris Rey
Following the launch of her new novel, 35-year-old writer Kate Conklin (Gillian Jacobs) is invited to speak at her alma mater by her mentor and former professor (Jemaine Clement). Cast: Gillian Jacobs, Jemaine Clement, Josh Wiggins, Hannah Marks, Zoe Chao, Jorma Taccone, Forrest Goodluck (World Premiere)

The Outpost – Director: Rod Lurie, Screenwriter: Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson
Based on the Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan, where 54 U.S. soldiers held off 400 Taliban insurgents in the deadliest military outpost in the world. Cast: Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, Orlando Bloom, Jack Kesy, Cory Hardrict, Milo Gibson, Jacob Scipio, Taylor John Smith (World Premiere)

The Quarry – Director: Scott Teems, Screenwriters: Scott Teems, Andrew Brotzman
A mysterious fugitive kills a traveling preacher and assumes his identity, hiding out in a desolate Texas town. The congregation is quickly drawn to the man’s unorthodox sermons, but so is the local police chief, who has his suspicions. Cast: Shea Whigham, Michael Shannon, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Bobby Soto, Bruno Bichir, Alvaro Martinez (World Premiere)

The Racer (Ireland) – Director: Kieron J. Walsh, Screenwriter: Ciaran Cassidy, Kieron J. Walsh
As the 1998 Tour de France kicks off its first three stages in Ireland, one rider faces what could be the last stage of his own career during what became known as the notorious “Tour de Dopage.” Cast: Louis Talpe, Tara Lee, Matteo Simoni, Iain Glen, Karel Roden (World Premiere)

The Show (U.K.) – Director: Mitch Jenkins, Screenwriter: Alan Moore
A new mystery from the extraordinary mind of legendary comic book writer Alan Moore, creator of Watchmen, V for Vendetta and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Cast: Tom Burke, Ellie Bamber, Siobhan Hewlett, Sheila Atim, Alan Moore (World Premiere)

Small Engine Repair – Director/Screenwriter: John Pollono
Blue-collar childhood buddies Frank, Swaino and Packie meet off-hours one night in Frank’s out-of-the-way repair shop for suspicious reasons only he seems to have a handle on. Cast: Jon Bernthal, Shea Whigham, Jordana Spiro, Ciara Bravo, Spencer House, John Pollono (World Premiere)

Uncorked – Director/Screenwriter: Prentice Penny
Elijah (Mamoudou Athie) must find a way to balance his dream of becoming a master sommelier with his father’s expectations for him to carry on the family’s popular Memphis barbeque joint. Cast: Mamoudou Athie, Courtney B. Vance, Niecy Nash, Matt McGorry, Sasha Compere, Gil Ozeri, Kelly Jenrette, Bernard David Jones, Meera Rohit Kumbhani (World Premiere)

DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT

9to5: The Story of a Movement – Directors: Julia Reichert, Steve Bognar
In the 1970s, America’s secretaries took to the streets, fed up with on-the-job abuse. They created a movement called 9to5, which later inspired Jane Fonda to make a movie and Dolly Parton to write a song. This is the untold story of their fight. (World Premiere)

The Alpinist – Directors: Peter Mortimer, Nicholas Rosen
An elusive young climber explores the limits of solo mountaineering. (World Premiere)

And We Go Green – Directors: Fisher Stevens, Malcolm Venville, Screenwriter: Mark Monroe
Professional drivers on the international Formula E circuit race for victory across 10 cities in this white-knuckle documentary from filmmaker Malcolm Venville, Oscar-winning director Fisher Stevens (The Cove), and producer Leonardo DiCaprio. (U.S. Premiere)

Baby God – Director: Hannah Olson
For more than 30 years, Dr. Quincy Fortier covertly used his own sperm to inseminate his fertility patients. Now his secret is out. Baby God follows his children as they seek the truth about his motives and try to make sense of their own identities. (World Premiere)

Clerk (Canada, U.S.) – Director: Malcolm Ingram
A documentary on the career and life of filmmaker and raconteur Kevin Smith. (World Premiere)

Console Wars – Directors: Jonah Tulis, Blake J. Harris
In 1990, Sega assembled a team of misfits to take on the greatest video game company in the world, Nintendo. Console Wars goes behind the scenes to meet the men and women who fought for both sides in this epic battle that defined a generation. (World Premiere)

Crazy, Not Insane – Director: Alex Gibney
Dr. Dorothy Lewis is a psychiatrist who’s spent her career examining violent people. Through the use of chilling, never-before-seen inmate interviews, Crazy, Not Insane looks into the mind of a killer in an attempt to understand why people kill. (U.S. Premiere)

The Dilemma of Desire – Director: Maria Finitzo
The Dilemma of Desire explores the clash between the external power of gender politics and the equally powerful imperative of female sexual desire. How different would the world look if women’s libidos were taken as seriously as men’s? (World Premiere)

Hamtramck, USA – Directors: Razi Jafri, Justin Feltman
Through the exploration of daily life and democracy in America’s first Muslim-majority city, Hamtramck, USA examines the benefits and tensions of multiculturalism. (World Premiere)

Hood River – Director: Steven Cantor
In a small Oregon community, a high school soccer team struggles to overcome class and racial divide in a quest for team success. They are torn between their individual commitment to the team and the expectations of the town itself. (World Premiere)

Insert Coin – Director: Joshua Tsui
The oral history of a team of geeks and misfits in the back of a Chicago factory creating the biggest video games (Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam and others) of all time. (World Premiere)

M for Magic – Director: Alexis Manya Spraic
M for Magic is the never-told story of the royal family of magic — four generations of the legendary Larsen family — and their tireless endeavor to save the art of magic with a private club for magicians: the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. (World Premiere)

One Man and His Shoes (U.K.) – Director: Yemi Bamiro
One Man and His Shoes tells the story of Air Jordan sneakers, depicting their social, cultural and racial significance, showing how ground-breaking marketing strategies created a multibillion-dollar business. (World Premiere)

A Secret Love – Director: Chris Bolan, Screenwriters: Chris Bolan, Alexa L. Fogel, Brendan Mason
A moving and triumphant love story about two trailblazing women who break barriers and conventional norms, coming out to their conservative families as they face the difficulties of aging. (World Premiere)

We Are as Gods – Directors/Screenwriters: Jason Sussberg, David Alvarado
“We are as gods and might as well get good at it,” Stewart Brand wrote in 1968. The legendary pioneer of LSD, cyberspace, futurism and modern environmentalism now urges people to use our god-like powers to fight extinction by reviving lost species. (World Premiere)

You Cannot Kill David Arquette – Directors: David Darg, Price James
In 2000, actor David Arquette infamously became the world wrestling champion as a promotion for his movie Ready to Rumble. He wasn’t prepared for the backlash. Twenty years later, Arquette seeks redemption by returning to the ring… for real this time. (World Premiere)
 

NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION

Holler – Director/Screenwriter: Nicole Riegel
To pay for her education, and the chance of a better life, a young woman joins a dangerous scrap metal crew. Cast: Jessica Barden, Gus Halper, Austin Amelio, Grace Kaiser, Pamela Adlon, Becky Ann Baker (World Premiere)

I’ll Meet You There (Pakistan, U.S.) – Director/Screenwriter: Iram Parveen Bilal
A Muslim policeman goes undercover at his estranged father’s mosque while his daughter hides her passion for a forbidden dance, uncovering a shocking family secret. Cast: Faran Tahir, Nikita Tewani, Muhammad Qavi Khan, Sheetal Sheth, Shawn Parsons, Andrea Cirie, Nitin Madan, Michael Pemberton (World Premiere)

Lapsis – Director/Screenwriter: Noah Hutton
Delivery man Ray Tincelli is struggling to support himself and his ailing younger brother. He turns to quantum cabling, a strange new corner of the gig economy, and faces a pivotal choice to either help his fellow workers or to get rich and get out. Cast: Dean Imperial, Madeline Wise, Babe Howard, Dora Madison, Ivory Aquino, James McDaniel, Frank Wood, Arliss Howard, Pooya Mohseni, Portia (World Premiere)

Pink Skies Ahead – Director/Screenwriter: Kelly Oxford
Life unravels for a wild young woman after dropping out of college, moving in with her parents and being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Cast: Jessica Barden, Marcia Gay Harden, Michael McKean, Henry Winkler, Rosa Salazar, Odeya Rush, Lewis Pullman, Devon Bostick, Mary J. Blige, Evan Ross (World Premiere)

Really Love – Director: Angel Kristi Williams, Screenwriters: Felicia Pride, Angel Kristi Williams
Set in a gentrifying Washington, D.C., a rising black painter tries to break into a competitive art world while balancing a whirlwind romance he never expected. Cast: Kofi Siriboe, Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing, Uzo Aduba, Mack Wilds, Naturi Naughton, Suzzanne Douglas, Jade Eshete, Blair Underwood, Michael Ealy (World Premiere)

Shithouse – Director/Screenwriter: Cooper Raiff
A homesick college freshman goes to a party at Shithouse and ends up spending the night with his sophomore RA who’s had a shitty day and wants someone to hang out with. Cast: Dylan Gelula, Cooper Raiff, Amy Landecker, Logan Miller (World Premiere)

Shiva Baby – Director/Screenwriter: Emma Seligman
A young woman struggles to keep up different versions of herself when she runs into her sugar daddy and her ex-girlfriend at a shiva with her parents. Cast: Rachel Sennott, Polly Draper, Molly Gordon, Danny Deferrari, Dianna Agron, Fred Melamed, Glynis Bell, Sondra James, Jackie Hoffman (World Premiere)

Teenage Badass – Director: Grant McCord, Screenwriters: Matthew D. Dho, Grant McCord
Set in 2006, Teenage Badass follows a band when they score a shot to play on the local news. But as all of their dreams start to become a reality, the band’s egocentric singer-songwriter threatens to make them lose everything. Cast: Mcabe Gregg, Evan Ultra, Madelyn Deutch, Dillon Lane, Elsie Hewitt, Karsen Liotta, Julie Ann Emery, Kevin Corrigan, James Paxton, Jim Adkins (World Premiere)

Topside – Directors/Screenwriters: Celine Held, Logan George
A 5-year-old girl and her mother live in a community inhabiting the tunnels beneath New York City when a sudden police eviction forces them into the world above, throwing their lives into chaos. Cast List: Zhaila Farmer, Celine Held, Jared Abrahamson, Fatlip (World Premiere)

Violet – Director/Screenwriter: Justine Bateman
A film development executive realizes that “guiding voice” inside her head has been lying to her about everything. Cast: Olivia Munn, Luke Bracey, Justin Theroux, Bonnie Bedelia, Zach Gordon, Erica Ash, Rob Benedict, Dennis Boutsikaris, Todd Stashwick, Laura San Giacomo (World Premiere)

Narrative Feature Competition Jury: Rebecca Keegan, senior film editor, The Hollywood Reporter; Rodrigo Perez, editor in chief, The Playlist; Kim Yutani, director of programming, Sundance Film Festival

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION

The Boy Who Sold The World – Director: Adam Barton
At age 15, Ben Pasternak dropped out of high school and moved to New York City. Leaving behind his family in Australia, Ben sacrificed his childhood to pursue his dream of changing the world through innovation — but things didn’t quite go according to plan. (World Premiere)

Bulletproof – Director: Todd Chandler
What does it mean to be safe in school in the United States? Safe from what, and from whom? Bulletproof poses and complicates these questions through a provocative exploration of fear and American violence. (World Premiere)

The Donut King – Director: Alice Gu, Screenwriters: Alice Gu, Carol Martori
The rise, fall and rise again of a Cambodian refugee who escaped genocide and overcame poverty to build a life for himself and hundreds of other immigrant families by baking America’s favorite pastry and building an unlikely empire of donut shops. (World Premiere)

An Elephant in the Room (Denmark) – Director: Katrine Philp
At Good Grief in New Jersey, groups of children meet to understand the passing of a parent or a sibling through play. Death may come suddenly or slowly, violently or peacefully, but it leaves a pain that the child has never felt before. (World Premiere)

Finding Yingying – Director: Jiayan “Jenny” Shi
After a young Chinese student is kidnapped on a university campus, her family travels to the U.S. for the first time, first hoping to unravel the mystery of her disappearance, and then to seek justice, find closure and reclaim their daughter. (World Premiere)

For Madmen Only – Director: Heather Ross, Screenwriters: Heather Ross, Adam Samuel Goldman
Del Close, the hidden architect of modern comedy, sets out to smash open the creative process by writing an autobiographical comic book. (World Premiere)

Kenny Scharf: When Worlds Collide – Directors/Screenwriters: Malia Scharf, Max Basch
Kenny Scharf is surveyed through the eyes of his daughter — revealing a private struggle for identity and acceptance through the ups and downs of a prolific career driven by a passion for making his fantastical inner worlds a very public reality. (World Premiere)

Lights Camera Uganda – Directors: Cathryne Czubek, Hugo Perez
When “Africa’s Tarantino” casts a New York film nerd as his next action hero, it’s the beginning of a friendship that makes their no-budget studio world-famous. But as their success grows, tensions flare and threaten everything they built. (World Premiere)

Red Heaven – Directors: Lauren DeFilippo, Katherine Gorringe
Six people live for a year on “Mars” in a NASA experiment studying what happens to humans when they are isolated from Earth. (World Premiere)

We Don’t Deserve Dogs – Director: Matthew Salleh
A contemplative odyssey across our planet, looking at the simple and extraordinary ways that dogs influence our daily lives. People need dogs, and perhaps they need us, but what do humans do to deserve the unconditional love they provide? (World Premiere)

Documentary Feature Competition Jury: Bilge Ebiri, editor and film critic, Vulture; Naomi Fry, pop culture staff writer, The New Yorker; Dino Ramos, associate editor and reporter, Deadline
 

EPISODIC PREMIERES

Central Park (Apple TV+) – Showrunner: Loren Bouchard
Central Park tells the story of how a family of caretakers, who live and work in Central Park, end up saving the park, and basically the world. Cast: Josh Gad, Leslie Odom, Jr., Titus Burgess, Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci, Daveed Diggs, Kathryn Hahn (World Premiere)

Chad (TBS) – Showrunner: Nasim Pedrad
A pubescent Persian boy navigates high school. His friendships and sanity are pushed to the limits as he uses every tactic at his disposal to befriend the cool kids while enduring his mother’s dating life and reconciling with his cultural identity. Cast: Nasim Pedrad, Jake Ryan, Ella Mika, Saba Homayoon, Paul Chahidi, Alexa Loo (World Premiere)

Cursed Films (Shudder) – Showrunner: Jay Cheel
Cursed Films is a five-part documentary series which explores the myths and legends behind some of Hollywood’s notoriously cursed horror film productions. (World Premiere)

Hightown (Starz) – Showrunner/Screenwriter: Rebecca Cutter
Set in the world of beautiful but bleak Cape Cod, Hightown follows one woman’s journey to sobriety, overshadowed by an unfolding murder investigation. Cast: Monica Raymund, James Badge Dale, Riley Voelkel, Shane Harper, Amaury Nolasco, Atkins Estimond, Dohn Norwood (World Premiere)

Home (Apple TV+) – Showrunners: Joe Poulin, Matt Weaver, Bruce Gersh, Ian Orefice, Doug Pray, Collin Orcutt, Matt Tyrnauer
Home is a nine-part series that explores extraordinary interpretations of domestic architecture and the concept of “home.” The first season features homes in six different countries and was filmed in eight countries and 16 cities around the world. (World Premiere)

Motherland: Fort Salem (Freeform) – Showrunner/Screenwriter: Eliot Laurence 
The series is set in an alternate, present-day America where witches ended their persecution just over 300 years ago by cutting a deal with the burgeoning government to fight for and protect their country. Cast: Ashley Nicole Williams, Taylor Hickson, Jessica Sutton, Amalia Holm, Demetria McKinney (World Premiere)

Outcry – Showrunner: Pat Kondelis
In a small Texan town in 2014, star football player, Greg Kelley, was convicted of a child sexual assault case. In an outpouring of support, his community bands together to prove his innocence and rectify a crime that ruined lives. (World Premiere)

Snowpiercer (TNT) – Showrunner/Screenwriter: Graeme Manson
Set after the world has become a frozen wasteland, TNT’s Snowpiercer centers on the remnants of humanity who inhabit a perpetually moving train that circles the globe, dealing with class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival. Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, Alison Wright, Mickey Sumner, Susan Park, Iddo Goldberg, Katie McGuinness, Lena Hall, Annalise Basso, Sam Otto, Roberto Urbina, Sheila Vand and Jaylin Fletcher. (World Premiere)

Solar Opposites (Hulu) – Showrunners/Screenwriters: Justin Roiland, Mike McMahan
Co-created by Justin Roiland (Rick & Morty) and Mike McMahan (ex-writer’s assistant on Rick & Morty), Solar Opposites centers around a family of aliens from another world who must take refuge in middle America. They disagree on whether Earth is awful or awesome. Cast: Thomas Middleditch, Sean Giambrone, Justin Roiland, Mary Mack (World Premiere)

Tales From the Loop (Amazon) – Showrunner/Screenwriter: Nathaniel Halpern
From executive producer Matt Reeves and based on the acclaimed art of Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, Tales from the Loop explores the town and people who live above “The Loop” a machine built to unlock and explore the mysteries of the universe.

Upload (Amazon) – Showrunner: Greg Daniels
Upload is a 10-episode, half-hour sci-fi comedy from Emmy-winning writer Greg Daniels and starring Robbie Amell and Andy Allo. It takes place in the future, where people who are near death can be “uploaded” into a virtual afterlife of their choice. Cast: Robbie Amell, Andy Allo, Allegra Edwards, Zainab Johnson, Kevin Bigley (World Premiere)

24 BEATS PER SECOND

American Rap Star – Director: Justin Staple
American Rapstar chronicles the rise of a subculture of young rappers who utilized the SoundCloud streaming platform to disrupt the traditional norms of the music industry with their distinct self expression and rebellious approach. (World Premiere)

Biography: The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne – Director: R. Greg Johnston
A&E’s Biography: The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne celebrates the life of rock icon and “Godfather of heavy metal” Ozzy Osbourne and features interviews with Sharon Osbourne, Rick Rubin, Ice-T, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Jonathan Davis and Post Malone. (World Premiere)

Le Choc du Futur (France) – Director: Marc Collin
In the Paris of 1978, old formulas do not charm listeners anymore and new music must arise. In a male-dominated industry, Ana uses her electronic gadgets to create a new sound that will mark the decades to come: the music of the future. Cast: Alma Jodorowsky, Philippe Rebbot, Laurent Papot, Elli Medeiros, Clara Luciani, Teddy Melis, Corine (North American Premiere)

Lydia Lunch – The War Is Never Over – Director: Beth B
Lydia Lunch – The War Is Never Over by Beth B is the first career-spanning documentary retrospective of Lydia Lunch’s confrontational, acerbic and always electric music and art.

The Mojo Manifesto: The Life and Times of Mojo Nixon – Director: Matt Eskey
On a bicycle trip across the country, a young Neill Kirby McMillan Jr. experiences The Mojo Revelation. After teaming up with the enigmatic Skid Roper, he unexpectedly finds mainstream success but makes a decision that could jeopardize his career. (World Premiere)

My Darling Vivian – Director: Matt Riddlehoover
Director Matt Riddlehoover traces the dizzying journey of Vivian Liberto, Johnny Cash’s first wife and the mother of his four daughters. Featuring unseen footage and photographs, the film was produced by Dustin Tittle, Liberto and Cash’s grandson. (World Premiere)

The Nowhere Inn – Director: Bill Benz, Screenwriters: Carrie Brownstein, Annie Clark
St. Vincent sets out to make a documentary about her music, but when she hires a close friend to direct, notions of reality, identity and authenticity grow increasingly distorted and bizarre. Cast: Annie Clark, Carrie Brownstein 

Rockfield: The Studio on the Farm (U.K.) – Director: Hannah Berryman
The unlikely tale of two Welsh brothers who turned their dairy farm into one of the most successful recording studios of all time. This is a story of rock and roll dreams intertwined with a family business’ fight for survival. (World Premiere)

Tomboy – Director: Lindsay Lindenbaum
Tomboy shines a light on four women drummers in a field that was once the exclusive domain of men. The narratives of these trailblazing musicians interweave, launching a dialogue on gender and artistry, which extends far beyond the musical sphere. (World Premiere)

We Are The Thousand (Canada, Italy) – Director/Screenwriter: Anita Rivaroli
A fan of rock music, Fabio wants to convince Foo Fighters to perform in his little village in Italy. To do that, he gathered 1,000 musicians to play their song together… and created a huge community who became the biggest rock band on Earth. (World Premiere)

Without Getting Killed or Caught – Directors: Tamara Saviano, Paul Whitfield, Screenwriters: Tamara Saviano, Bart Knaggs
Guy Clark, the dean of Texas songwriters, struggles to write poetic songs while balancing a complicated marriage with his wife Susanna, and a deep friendship with legendary songwriter Townes Van Zandt, on whom Susanna forges a passionate dependence. (World Premiere)

Zappa – Director: Alex Winter
The first all-access documentary on the life and times of Frank Zappa. (World Premiere)