South by Southwest London, which runs from June 1st to June 6th, concludes with “Camp Miasma’s Teenage Sex and Death” ahead of its UK theatrical release on August 21st.
Directed by Jane Schoenbrunn, the film stars Emmy Award winner Hanna Einbinder (The Hux) as a filmmaker remaking the cult slasher film, with Gillian Anderson playing the original’s final girl.
“Jane Schoenbrunn has built one of the most fascinating bodies of work in cinema today,” said Anna Bogutskaya, the festival’s chief of screen programming. “Teen Sex and Death at Camp Miasma builds on every touchpoint of Schoenbrunn’s work and takes it even further, exploring horror, fandom, memory, and identity.”
Five additional world premiere films will be added to the program to participate in the festival, including Bruno Safadi’s “The Playoffs,” produced by Brazil’s Globo and starring and produced by great Brazilian actor Cowan Raymond.
Other world premieres include Thanassis Neofotistus’ visually striking and emotionally moving feature debut, The Boy with Blue Eyes, Sam McConnell’s The Test, a timely and unsettling look at the modern pressures faced by queer bodybuilders, and Chris Atkins’ James – Getting Away With It, the first authorized full-length documentary to span the career of one of Britain’s most treasured bands.
The program will also include a special screening of “The Cure Meets the Man Who Laughs,” in collaboration with Silents Synced. This is a remixed version of the 1928 silent classic with a soundtrack carefully selected from the works of The Cure.
UK premieres include Olivia Wilde’s The Invite, co-starring Seth Rogen, Edward Norton and Penelope Cruz, and Sofia Coppola’s documentary debut Marc by Sofia.
Elsewhere, Tim Travers Hawkins’ American Zoo provides a fascinating and unsettling documentary about power and control, and Amanda Benchley and Jennifer Ash Ruddick’s Pretty/Dirty: The Life and Times of Marilyn Minter is an unfiltered look at one of modern art’s most provocative figures.
International highlights include Mohammed Al Darazi’s Irkala – The Dream of Gilgamesh, an ambitious and visually rich remake of an ancient myth, and Han Chang-rok’s Funky Freaky Freaks, a wild and genre-defying film that heralds a bold new voice in Asian cinema.
European cinema has performed well with Stefan Konandarev’s Made in the EU, a timely and politically charged reflection on identity, and Kasia Adamik’s emotional drama Winter of the Crow, which features an impressive performance from Oscar-nominated actress Lesley Manville.
Rounding out the list, Adrian Chiarella’s Levitics makes a terrifying debut, while Mohamed Sawaf’s Gaza Twins Come Back is a powerful documentary about a family trying to reunite in Gaza. Also featured will be Paul Urquijo Alijo’s “The Night” (Gaua), which draws on haunting folklore, and Vikas Ranjan Mishra’s “Bayaan,” an Indian work that has captivated people and created a social response.
