South by Southwest London, which runs June 1-6, will close with “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” ahead of its U.K. theatrical release on Aug. 21.
Jane Schoenbrun’s film stars Emmy Award-winner Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”) as a filmmaker set to remake a cult slasher film with the film’s original final girl, played by Gillian Anderson.
Anna Bogutskaya, the festival’s screen programming chief, commented: “Jane Schoenbrun has been building one of the most fascinating bodies of work in cinema today. ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’ builds on every touchpoint of Schoenbrun’s work, exploring horror, fandom, memory and identity, and pushes it further.”
Five world premieres have been added to the program, including Bruno Safadi’s “The Playoffs,” produced by Brazil’s Globo and starring and created by major Brazilian actor Cauã Reymond, who will attend the festival.
Other world premieres include Thanasis Neofotistos’ “The Boy With Light-Blue Eyes,” a visually arresting and emotionally charged feature debut, Sam McConnell’s “Test,” a timely and unnerving look at modern-day pressures faced by a queer bodybuilder, and Chris Atkins’ “James – Getting Away With It,” the first ever authorized career spanning feature-length documentary of one of Britain’s most treasured bands.
Also added to the program is a Special Screening in collaboration with Silents Synced of “The Cure Meets the Man Who Laughs,” a remixed edition of the 1928 silent classic with curated soundtrack drawn from the work of The Cure.
Among the U.K. premieres are “The Invite,” directed by Olivia Wilde, who also stars alongside Seth Rogen, Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz, and “Marc by Sofia,” Sofia Coppola’s documentary debut.
Elsewhere, Tim Travers Hawkins’ “American Zoo” delivers a gripping and unsettling documentary portrait of power and control, while “Pretty/Dirty: The Life and Times of Marilyn Minter,” from Amanda Benchley and Jennifer Ash Rudick, offers an unfiltered look at one of contemporary art’s most provocative figures.
International highlights include Mohamed Al Daradji’s “Irkalla – Gilgamesh’s Dream,” an ambitious and visually rich reworking of ancient myth, and Han Chang-lok’s “Funky Freaky Freaks,” a wild, genre-defying ride that signals a bold new voice in Asian cinema.
European cinema makes a strong showing with Stephan Komandarev’s “Made in EU,” a timely and politically charged reflection on identity, alongside Kasia Adamik’s “Winter of the Crow,” a striking and emotionally driven drama starring Oscar-nominated actress Lesley Manville in a striking performance.
Rounding out the slate, Adrian Chiarella’s “Leviticus” marks a terrifying debut, while Mohammed Sawwaf’s “Gaza’s Twins, Come Back to Me” is a powerful documentary about a family trying to reunite in Gaza. Also featured is Paul Urkijo Alijo’s “The Night” (Gaua), a haunting, folklore-infused work, and Bikas Ranjan Mishra’s “Bayaan,” a gripping and socially resonant Indian procedural.
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