The best of SXSW 2024: Here’s everything queer we loved

SXSW gave the gays everything they wanted! 

South by Southwest (SXSW) is a unique festival for many reasons, but primarily because of the way it embraces genre content. Yes, there are some stellar dramas and documentaries on our list of festival faves, but also some comedy, horror, and sci-fi, too. Luckily for us, the genre wasn’t the only way SXSW was serving representation on the silver screen, because all across its cinematic offerings our stories were at the forefront. From the powerfully moving Sing Sing to the hilarious Y2K and the thought-provoking documentary A House is not a Disco, our stories once again proved to be compelling, entertaining, and frankly essential.

With that in mind, here is everything we loved from this year’s SXSW festival, plus when and how you can see it!

I Saw the TV Glow

Jane Schoenbrun once again reminds us that they are one of the most fascinating and bold filmmakers in the business with their third film, I Saw the TV Glow. The nonbinary filmmaker has a unique way of exploring dysphoria through a hypnotic horror lens, both in their previous film We’re All Going to the World’s Fair and even more explicitly in this new one. Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine star as friends who share a passion for a strange and horrifying young adult TV series known as The Pink Opaque, which may be more than meets the eye. The film drips with ʼ00s atmosphere, surreal visuals, and true existential dread. It’s a stunning work. I Saw the TV Glow is set to be released in theaters May 3.

Sing Sing

During the opening night of SXSW, Coleman Domingo took the stage to thunderous applause following Sing Sing’s world premiere, but what made the moment even more powerful was that he didn't do it alone. The Academy Award-nominated actor was surrounded by his castmates, many of whom were playing themselves and who were formerly incarcerated. That’s because the film follows the real-life story of John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield. Wrongly accused of a crime, Whitfield was sent to prison and, during his time behind bars, helped form RTA. This rehabilitation theater program truly changed the lives of those who participated, as evidenced by the men in the room. There was not a single dry eye in the house, but those tears were ones of joy! Sing Sing is set to be released in July.

A House is Not a Disco

Brian J. Smith is likely most recognizable from his role as Will Gorski in the beloved Netflix series Sense8, but this documentary serves not just as his directorial debut but as the first page in a new chapter for the actor. The film focuses on The Pines on Fire Island, both its past as a gay utopia in the ʼ70s to the nightmare it became in the ʼ80s and ʼ90s as our community was ravaged by the AIDS epidemic. Until now, when it is experiencing a resurgence as a new generation of queer folks find refuge on its shores — but also face the inevitable creep of climate change. It’s a story about transition, the ephemeral nature of time, the joys of gay sexuality, and the perseverance of queerness against all odds. There’s no release date set yet.

Y2K

This sci-fi horror comedy was the most fun I’ve had in the theater, well, so far this year! From Saturday Night Live alum Kyle Mooney, Y2K follows two lovable teenage nerds who decide to crash a New Year’s Eve party. It just so happens that the year is 1999 and the world is on the verge of a techno-apocalypse. Genuinely charming and consistently hilarious, Y2K offers a welcome dose of early ʼ00s nostalgia with plenty of pop culture references, needle drops, and casting surprises (we’ll say no more on that subject). It also features one of our fave nonbinary stars, Lachlan Watson, who has a sweet queer moment (that again we won’t spoil). No release date set yet.

I Don’t Understand You

This year’s most tense and yet heartwarming film has to go to I Don’t Understand You, a pitch-black horror comedy featuring Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells as a couple on the verge of adopting their first child. The two set off to Italy to celebrate their babymoon/anniversary, but the language barrier soon leads to a series of very unfortunate events, plunging them into a waking nightmare. Yet it remains deeply charming and hilarious throughout, thanks to the leads' incredible chemistry and comic timing. No release date set yet.

Dead Mail

While queerness is never named overtly in Dead Mail, like The Talented Mr. Ripley, Psycho, and A Nightmare on Elm Street 2, it rushes like a river just below the surface. Set in the ʼ80s and filmed with a retro analog aesthetic, this incredibly offbeat and utterly gripping film follows a story of obsession, lost mail investigation, and the world of synth keyboards. Both strange and strangely poignant, this film was probably the biggest surprise of the fest. No release date set yet.

3 Body Problem

Catching Netflix’s new sci-fi epic on the big screen was an incredible way to take in a project with this kind of global scope. The series, which comes from creators David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo, follows a group of scientists contending with a global threat when the laws of nature suddenly begin to unravel. Mysterious, beautiful, and bold, we saw just enough to be very, very intrigued about where it’s going. 3 Body Problem arrives March 21 on Netflix.

We Can Be Heroes

Opening yourself and sharing your vulnerability is heroic, so on that note alone, the subjects of this sweet and inspiring documentary should feel confident claiming the moniker. The film follows a group of young people, many of whom are dealing with trauma, whether it’s health-related, identity-related, or simply being a kid in the pandemic era who finds an escape from it all while staying at a LARP (live-action role-playing) camp. Some are looking for romance, some are looking for a chance to make new friends, while others just want to experience the freedom of being someone else for a little while. It’s affecting, sweet, and utterly relatable. No release date set yet.

A Nice Indian Boy

There’s just something so cozy about a good old-fashioned love story, and A Nice Indian Boy is just about as sweet and cozy as you can get! The film stars Karan Soni as Naveen, a young gay doctor who is feeling pressure from his family to find a nice Indian boy and get married. Enter Jay (Jonathan Groff), who’s perfect for him in just about every way. The question is, can he open up to the kind of love Jay needs? No release date set yet.

Backspot

All too often, cheerleading is seen as frivolous or silly and not the intensely demanding and impressive sport that it is. Backspot makes it very clear that the latter is the truth. Devery Jacobs stars as a young woman driven to be the best in her sport. She’s pushed toward a psychological precipice when she and her girlfriend (Kudakwashe Rutendo) are accepted onto an elite team. But this is no Black Swan; rather, it’s a complicated but ultimately inspiring tale of perseverance and athleticism. No release date set yet.