Steven Spielberg Joins SXSW Lineup for Keynote Conversation
Steven Spielberg is heading to Austin, Texas, for this year’s South by Southwest as a keynote speaker for the festival’s landmark 40th anniversary.
At SXSW, the storied filmmaker will discuss his legendary body of work — from “Jaws” and “E.T.” to the Indiana Jones and “Jurassic Park” movies to “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan,” plus his upcoming event thriller, “Disclosure Day” — as well as the future of moviegoing, in a live episode of “The Big Picture” podcast with Sean Fennessey. The conversation will be held on Friday, March 13.
“Childhood dreams do come true!” said Claudette Godfrey, VP film & TV at SXSW, in a statement announcing the director’s attendance at the festival, which runs March 12-18.
“Steven Spielberg is a true pioneer and legend whose seminal work has inspired generations of filmmakers and audiences alike,” Godfrey continued. “He’s given us some of cinema’s most formative, unforgettable, and magical experiences, always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on screen. He embodies the spirit of cinematic innovation and bold storytelling that defines SXSW, and bringing him to Austin for this special keynote is going to be an extraordinary moment for our community. Making dreams come true is exactly why we do what we do. We’ll all be phoning home about this one!”
Indeed, the three-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker and founder of Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks is hailed as one of the most influential creative forces in cinema history. His latest film, “Disclosure Day,” starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson and Colman Domingo, debuts in theaters on June 12 from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. Spielberg is also among the producers of this year’s best picture nominee, “Hamnet,” by filmmaker Chloé Zhao.
For the first time ever, SXSW will feature all of its programming running simultaneously across innovation, film & TV and music for seven days, including an extra night of music. Spielberg joins an impressive lineup of speakers at the film & TV conference, including Jamie Lee Curtis; Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn on the legacy of “Breaking Bad”; Larry David and Jeff Schaffer on their upcoming HBO historical comedy series; and the team behind HBO’s “Rooster”: Bill Lawrence, Matt Tarses, Steve Carell and Danielle Deadwyler.
At SXSW, the storied filmmaker will discuss his legendary body of work — from “Jaws” and “E.T.” to the Indiana Jones and “Jurassic Park” movies to “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan,” plus his upcoming event thriller, “Disclosure Day” — as well as the future of moviegoing, in a live episode of “The Big Picture” podcast with Sean Fennessey. The conversation will be held on Friday, March 13.
“Childhood dreams do come true!” said Claudette Godfrey, VP film & TV at SXSW, in a statement announcing the director’s attendance at the festival, which runs March 12-18.
“Steven Spielberg is a true pioneer and legend whose seminal work has inspired generations of filmmakers and audiences alike,” Godfrey continued. “He’s given us some of cinema’s most formative, unforgettable, and magical experiences, always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on screen. He embodies the spirit of cinematic innovation and bold storytelling that defines SXSW, and bringing him to Austin for this special keynote is going to be an extraordinary moment for our community. Making dreams come true is exactly why we do what we do. We’ll all be phoning home about this one!”
Indeed, the three-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker and founder of Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks is hailed as one of the most influential creative forces in cinema history. His latest film, “Disclosure Day,” starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson and Colman Domingo, debuts in theaters on June 12 from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. Spielberg is also among the producers of this year’s best picture nominee, “Hamnet,” by filmmaker Chloé Zhao.
For the first time ever, SXSW will feature all of its programming running simultaneously across innovation, film & TV and music for seven days, including an extra night of music. Spielberg joins an impressive lineup of speakers at the film & TV conference, including Jamie Lee Curtis; Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn on the legacy of “Breaking Bad”; Larry David and Jeff Schaffer on their upcoming HBO historical comedy series; and the team behind HBO’s “Rooster”: Bill Lawrence, Matt Tarses, Steve Carell and Danielle Deadwyler.