‘Pavements’ and ‘Nightbitch’ to Light up SXSW Sydney Film Selection

SXSW SYDNEY HEADLINERS

Experimental music film “Pavements” and offbeat comedy “Nightbitch” are among five titles designated as ‘headliners’ of the film section on the upcoming SXSW Sydney festival.

“Pavements,” which premiered in Venice, is an experimental hybrid of narrative, scripted, documentary, musical, and metatextual elements from director Alex Ross Perry about the indie rock outfit, Pavement.
“Nightbitch,” which debuted in Toronto, is a darkly comedic fairy tale about a stay-at-home mother, portrayed by Amy Adams, who transforms into a dog.

Others getting the gala treatment include Max & Sam Eggers’ new A24 horror “The Front Room,” starring pop star Brandy as a newly-pregnant woman facing off against her mother-in-law; “Smile 2,” by Parker Finn; and Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night,” based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of “Saturday Night Live.”

“These bold, hilarious, captivating and thrilling films lead a program not just for film fans, but the tech, music, and games audiences that form the rich tapestry of the SXSW Sydney audience,” said Colin Daniels, MD, SXSW Sydney.

The festival, a spin-off from the U.S. South by Southwest festival, and which shares PMC corporate ownership with Variety, is in its second year Down Under. It runs Oct. 14-20. The opening title for the film section will be announced shortly.

UMG x GoGBA

Universal Music is launching a label division in China’s Greater Bay Area, the economically significant region which is the seat of the Cantonese language.

With its population of 86 million, the Greater Bay Area, comprises nine cities in Guangdong province along with the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao. It accounts for more than 11% of China’s GDP and nearly a quarter of China’s music performance revenues.

“The region’s rich cultural fabric, woven from a diverse range of dialects predominantly in Cantonese, has significantly shaped both local and Asian pop culture, fostering a strong connection within the region and across the global Chinese diaspora,” said the company, adding that it will, “assemble a robust local team dedicated to marketing, A&R, and artist management, with the vision to discover and cultivate local talent across the GBA.”

The unit will be based in Shenzhen, China, and headed by Gary Chan, who currently serves as MD of Universal Music Hong Kong and senior VP of Universal Music Greater China. The expansion gives the UMGC group offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Taiwan.

KUROSAWA AWARDS

The Tokyo International Film Festival’s 2024 Kurosawa Akira Award will go to Japanese director Miyake Sho and Taiwanese director Fu Tien-yu. The award honors the renowned auteur’s legacy and ongoing influence. It is presented to filmmakers who have made waves in cinema and are expected to help guide the industry’s future.

Miyake made his film debut with 2012 film “Playback” and has since amassed credits including “ And Your Bird Can Sing,” Berlin 2022 selection “Small, Slow but Steady” and this year’s “All the Long Nights,” which premiered at the Berlin festival’s forum section. The award committee commended him for his “ability to observe people and to expand small worlds [is] exceptional, and his gaze on human beings is reflected in the end of a film and the distance of his camerawork.”

Fu started as a novelist before turning to film and music videos. “Her 2024 film ‘Day Off,’ was produced by Wu Nien-jen, who has written for Hou Hsiao-hsien, and offers a warm perspective on the lives of ordinary people,” the committee said.

The festival said that actor-director Saitoh Takumi, and students Sasaki Wakuto, Nawai Rin and Kawano Hana will constitute the jury for the second edition of its Ethical Film Award.

The festival will run Oct. 28 – Nov. 3. The Kurosawa Akira Award ceremony and the awarding of the Ethical Film Prize will take place afterwards, on Nov. 5.