SXSW 2010 Film Festival

Take the plunge. The 2010 edition of the South by Southwest Film Festival begins today (Friday, March 20) and will continue to flood local screens through Saturday, March 20. The Screens features in this week's Chronicle offer some close-up looks at several of the films in this year's Fest. However, keep in mind, the stories represent but a fraction of the Festival goings-on. Look for more coverage and reviews in the next two issues of the Chronicle, as well as online and in the print dailies, which come out during the companion Music Festival. Inevitably, there will still be much left unsaid and unseen – the Festival is just that extensive. Use the Chronicle pieces, SXSW's advertising insert in this issue, and www.sxsw.com/film as entry points for exploration. Ultimately, you need to don your explorer's cap and go forth armed with information, instinct, and gut feelings. Austin Fest-goers who are not Conference badge-holders can sometimes feel overwhelmed by information overload and the general street commotion. In general, the biggest venues are the Paramount Theatre and the Austin Convention Center theatre (now called the G-Tech theatre), and these are often your best bets for admission, although Wednesday through Saturday some of the Film crowd thins out as the Music Festival begins. Single-admission tickets cost $10 and go on sale 15 minutes before showtime if seats are available; a Festival pass is $70. The pass-holders line is granted entry to the theatres before the single-admission line, and the Film pass is a bargain if you plan to see seven or more films. Still, lining up is a necessary part of the system. Be sure to queue up at least an hour in advance if you’re trying to purchase a single-admission ticket to a hot movie, and also see "SXSW for Civilians," March 8, Picture in Picture blog, for some new info about advance-sale single tickets. Remember, several of these are already scheduled for release in upcoming weeks and months. Better yet, take a chance on some of the more unknown titles whose descriptions capture your fancy or simply work into your time schedule. From the movies I’ve seen so far, you won’t regret trusting to luck. One thing to keep in mind however is that daylight saving time kicks in again on Sunday. So remember to turn your clocks ahead on Saturday night or face the consequences on Sunday.