Indie Newsweek - 10th March 2008 - SXSW Roundup

SXSW has rolled around again, bringing the best in alternative film and music to Austin, Texas for one crazy week. IndieNational’s invites were presumably lost in the post, but here is our guide of the big rumblings and stories coming out of the festival.

Let’s kick off with Sundance darling American Teen, which received its regional premiere as part of the official SXSW selection. A documentary feature following the senior high-school year of four teenagers in Indiana. The film was directed by Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes/ The Kid Stays in the Picture) and has been hyped as a modern day Breakfast Club, only, you know, real and that. It’s slated for a late July release in the States from Paramount Vantage; we’ll keep you posted on when it’ll be arriving over here.

The next film to spike our interest was one of the midnight showings, Gregg Bishop’s zombie action-comedy Dance of the Dead. The film follows events at a high school prom following a zombie invasion. Who has to save the day? The geeks of course. Bishop’s directing pedigree (he is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, the school that produced George Lucas and Robert Zemeckis) and desire to get his film made have impressed us here at IndieNational. Shot on HDVideo the film was financed by takings from short Voodoo and his director’s calling card, The Other Side. Taking its cues from Shaun of the Dead and Return of the Living Dead, this one should be great fun when it drops in October.

The final IndieNational pick is another documentary, the intriguing Full Battle Rattle. Tony Gerber & Jesse Moss’ feature focuses on the “virtual Iraq” that has been constructed in the Mojave Desert to train US troops. The film follows a battalion as they struggle to stop the mock town of Medina Wasl from falling into “civil war”, and highlights along the way the curious religious and cultural differences between troops and the indigenous people of Iraq. Praised as funny, moving and surreal the film is sure to provide a new view of a war that has finally begun to be challenged by filmmakers. No set release date yet, but keep an eye out for this one as one of the most unique and challenging festival picks of the year so far.

Huw Baines – Still waiting for the postman.