Filmmakers Hannah Shealy and Celine Sutter discuss their SXSW pilot Birth Is for Pussies, a comedy inspired by real-life doula experiences and the unpredictable world of childbirth.

Deepa Mann-Kler discusses her SXSW XR experience The Baby Factory Is Closed, an immersive virtual reality project exploring menopause, embodiment, and women’s power through innovative storytelling.

At SXSW 2026, Australian writer and director Renee Marie Petropolis joins actor Emily Grant to discuss Souvenir, a nostalgic yet unsettling short set during the summer of 2008. Shot at a resort frozen in time, the film explores queer identity, blurred consent, and the power dynamics behind image control in the early days of digital cameras and social media. Together, they unpack how teenage memory, vulnerability, and control collide in a story about recognizing and reclaiming

At SXSW 2026, Dutch documentary filmmaker Kiriko Mechanicus premieres How to Catch a Butterfly, a deeply personal exploration of yellow fever, racialized desire, and the performance of identity. Sparked by the Atlanta spa shooting, the film moves beyond headlines to examine how fetishization operates as a mirror, inviting audiences to reflect on their own roles within systems of attraction, shame, and power.

At SXSW 2026, writer and director Kit Steinkellner premieres Are We Still Married?, a sharp genre bending independent pilot that uses a vampire premise to explore trust, reinvention, and the emotional negotiations of marriage. Inspired by a real life bat bite and years spent in development, Steinkellner steps behind the camera to create a contained, cinematic story about what happens when love reaches an impasse.