SXSW Film Weekly Roundup [SXSW]

Fantastic Fest is all up in yer SXSW, doin' yer karaoke. That's right, the mayhem-and-booze fueled Fantastic Fest Karaoke Party is dropping its special kind of body slam on South By this year. People, we have been to this party at FFest the last two years and we have experienced the carnage and the ecstasy, only this time it will be brought Karaoke Apocalypse style. This is open to the public, with priority going to FFest09 badge holders and of course SXSW badge holders, but our advice is to attempt entry even if you don't have a lanyard. Big fun.

Speaking of Fantastic Fest, they have released the schedule for SXSW Presents Fantastic Fest at Midnight. Six films. Six different countries. A whole lotta crazy. We are excited to see The Horseman, an Australian revenge romp (even if it looks a little torture-porny), and Ong Bak 2 (Muay Thai a** kicking!)

Two time Academy Award winning director Barbara Kopple will present a rare screening of her Woodstock documentary My Generation in conjunction with the SXSW Music Panel, Woodstock: Untold Stories. This is Koppel's first appearance at SXSW and she will be participating in a Q&A session.

B-Side creator, indie film distribution wizard and Austin local Chris Hyams was interviewed by the Austin Chronicle. Hyams will participate in the panel Self Distribution Not All by Yourself and will surely bring an interesting perspective to the table, especially after his experience with making CRAWFORD the first major online premiere of a festival film on Hulu.com.