SXSW Film & TV Festival 2027

About SXSW Film & TV Festival

SXSW Film & TV Festival is the screen programme within SXSW in Austin, Texas, bringing feature films, shorts, television projects, music videos and XR work into one festival structure. The programming route depends on format, but runtime, release history and premiere position can also determine where a project fits.

SXSW Film & TV Festival 2027 Dates and Final Deadline

The 2027 SXSW Film & TV Festival takes place in Austin from 15–21 March 2027. Feature Film, Short Film, TV Project, XR Experience and Music Video submissions all close on 1 October 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

Applicants must provide a working online submission link, and that link needs to remain accessible through March 2027. SXSW asks filmmakers to submit the project in the most complete form available at the time of entry.

SXSW Feature Film Eligibility and Premiere Rules

Projects over 40 minutes are treated as Feature Films. For 2027, the film must have been completed in 2025 or 2026, or be on track for completion in early 2027.

Release history matters particularly for features. A film can become ineligible if, before SXSW, it has been released on a public streaming, VOD or other online distribution platform, broadcast on U.S. television, released on home video, or screened publicly in a U.S. theatre outside a film festival. A prior festival premiere does not automatically make a feature ineligible; sections such as Festival Favorite can include films that premiered elsewhere.

SXSW Short Film Rules and Academy Awards Qualification

Short films must run 40 minutes or less including credits. Narrative, documentary and animated shorts are accepted, with the same 2025–2026 or early-2027 completion window.

Premiere status is an important programming factor, but previous festival exposure does not automatically disqualify a short. SXSW states that the Grand Jury Award winners in its Narrative, Documentary and Animated Short Film categories become eligible for Academy Awards consideration.

TV Project, Music Video and XR Experience Submissions

TV Project submissions can include a pilot or first-season content that includes the pilot, with no runtime limit. Projects that already have distribution may be considered for TV Spotlight, while eligible independent pilots can be considered for the Independent TV Pilot Competition.

Music videos must run under 10 minutes and must be the official artist- or label-approved video for the track. SXSW places no premiere-status restriction on this category.

XR Experience submissions can include VR, AR, MR and other immersive work, with no runtime limit. Applicants need to provide a streamable 360 version or 2D playthrough, and SXSW recommends adding a downloadable build where available.

Work-in-Progress and the First Submitted Cut

SXSW accepts work-in-progress projects that are close to completion. The important limitation is that the festival does not guarantee a second review of updated cuts: the first submitted version is the only cut guaranteed to be screened by the programming team.

A trailer or rough assembly is not a substitute for the project itself. The initial screener therefore needs to represent the film’s structure, rhythm and intended final direction clearly enough for selection review.

If Your Project Is Selected

Selected feature films, shorts, TV projects and music videos are delivered on DCP for festival exhibition. XR projects may also need to provide the final build, supported devices, installation information and a docent for the duration of the exhibition.

SXSW plans to notify all applicants of their project status no later than 9 February 2027.

Before Submitting a Project to SXSW

At SXSW, choosing the correct category is only one part of submission readiness. Feature release history, a short film’s existing festival circulation and the readiness of the first submitted cut can all materially affect the route and eligibility.

AD1 FILM can review the project’s SXSW category, current premiere and release position, and the readiness of the first screener before submission, then prepare the relevant festival materials around that route.