While the multitudes in the tens of thousands flock to Austin every March, and the event is a big hit amongst the digerati, social networkers and musicians and fans – this gathering is known more for its focus on interactive technology and music and less for its film festival. Even though in 2009, the Academy Award winning film, "The Hurt Locker" premiered at SXSW.
Part of SXSW’s appeal is due to this film festival showcasing the kind of respectable Indie fare you might find at Sundance
or the Toronto Fillm Festival. Out of a total of 120 features playing at
this year’s festival, half of them are making their world premieres.
So
in this series, we will focus on one film in each post that we think
might be one of the break-out hits to go mainstream in 2011.
In Part II, Jason Ritter and Jake Sandvig star in a "Bag of Hammers" as a couple of grifter-slackers who are known to ‘ding dong ditch’ Mercedes and other luxury-mobiles from relatives of ‘dead people.’ Sandvig co-wrote the film with its director, UCLA grad Brian Crano. This is an off-beat comedy that pairs two misfits and an abandoned child to invent the family they never had.
For other posts relating to the 2011 SXSW Film Festival, please see Part I and Part III for "Charlie Casanova" and "Detention."
