South by Southwest was one of the first big events to cancel because of COVID-19, but there is some good news. Organizers are bringing the festival to your house. We need to get better home security systems. Here’s a look in this week’s Showtime!
Character in “Motherland: Fort Salem”: “Do you have any idea what’s on the line here?”
Get this: Witches in an alternate America using their powers to fight terrorists.
Wild, isn’t it? The show is called “Motherland: Fort Salem.”
Amalia Holm (as Scylla): “You have no idea how powerful you are.”
It’s one of your viewing options for the virtual version of South by Southwest!
Prime Video presents the South by Southwest 2020 Film Festival Collection is free through May 6, even if you don’t have an Amazon Prime account!
The festival’s director of film says the decision to pivot online happened quickly.
Janet Pierson, SXSW Director of Film: “The whole community had reached out in terms of, ‘How could we be helpful? What could we do together?’ And Amazon called, and we thought, ‘Well, Prime Video is a very substantial platform that exists that people know about,’ and we thought, ‘Well, what a great opportunity for the films that wanted to opt in to get to a large audience.'”
They’re offering up seven feature films, including documentaries like “My Darling Vivian.” It’s about Johnny Cash’s first wife and mother of his four daughters.
Another documentary, called “i’m gonna make you love me,” explores gender identity.
Narrator in “i’m gonna make you love me”: “During the ’70s, it was all about macho man and being masculine, and I wasn’t any of those.”
There’s also 29 short films, and the premiere episodes of three very different series, like “Tales from the Loop,” a mind-bending drama starring Jonathan Pryce and Rebecca Hall.
Rebecca Hall (as Loretta): “Not everything in life makes sense.”
Janet Pierson: “It’s a collection that gives you a real taste of the kind of diversity and range of films that we show. It’s an experiment, too. We kind of can’t wait to see who tunes in, who watches, who’s affected by films.”
It’s an experiment and potential model for other festivals going forward.
Happy streaming, everyone.
The festival is online now through Wednesday.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.