SXSW announces feature films for 2012

Something for everyone Updated: Thursday, 09 Feb 2012, 8:52 AM CST Published : Wednesday, 08 Feb 2012, 6:52 PM CST AUSTIN (KXAN) - The South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival on Wednesday announced the feature films set for the 2012 Midnighters section, as well as the complete short films lineup. SXSW is scheduled March 9 through March 17. A key component of the SXSW Film lineup, the long-standing "Midnighters" section has hosted the premieres and fostered the careers of such filmmakers as Joe Cornish, Ti West, and Eli Roth, according to SXSW officials. “Though our regular program already includes a healthy sampling of genre fare, the Midnighters section highlights those that go a bit crazier, gorier, and all-around balls out-ier,” said SXSW senior programmer and operations manager Jarod Neece. “This year's program includes both veteran names with anticipated follow-ups and fresh discoveries with new voices, and charts otherworldly, insane territories that breathe new life into horror conventions.” As many as 135 short films were selected from 3,306 short film submissions, and will screen as part of 12 overall shorts programs. This year SXSW moved up submission deadlines a month earlier than previous years, and still saw a saw an increase of 7 percent in Short film submissions compared to 2011. For more information on Midnighters and the complete SXSW Film Lineup (features and shorts), visit www.sxsw.com/film . The SXSW Film Festival opens on Friday, March 9 with the world premiere of Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard’s The Cabin in the Woods. In addition to nine full days of film screenings, SXSW Film will ultimately feature more than 100 informative and entertaining panels, workshops, mini-meetings and mentor sessions. The final conference lineup and remaining late addition features will be announced Feb. 15. FEATURES MIDNIGHTERS -- Scary, funny, sexy, controversial – provocative after-dark features for night owls and the terminally curious. The Aggression Scale -- Director: Steven C. Miller, screenwriter: Ben Powell. Four hitmen + $500,000 of stolen cash + 1 family = WAR. Cast: Fabianne Therese, Ryan Hartwig, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, Joseph McKelheer, Boyd Kestner, Lisa Rotondi, Ray Wise (World Premiere) Citadel (Ireland, Scotland) -- Director/screenwriter: Ciarán Foy. An agoraphobic father teams up with a renegade priest to save his daughter from the clutches of a gang of twisted feral children.Cast: Anuerin Barnard, James Cosmo, Wumni Mosaku, Jake Wilson, Amy Shiels (World Premiere) Girls Against Boys -- Director/screenwriter: Austin Chick. A psychological thriller about two girls on a killing spree. With edgy and ironic humor and a darkly meditative tone, it is also a coming-of-age story about a girl learning how the world really works.Cast: Danielle Panabaker, Nicole LaLiberte, Liam Aiken, Michael Stahl-David, Andrew Howard (World Premiere) Intruders (Spain, UK) Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Screenwriters: Nicolás Casariego, Jaime Marques. The haunting story of two children living in different countries, each visited nightly by a faceless being who wants to take possession of them.Cast: Clive Owen, Carice Van Houten, Daniel Brühl, Pilar López de Ayala (U.S. Premiere) Iron Sky (Finland, Germany, Australia) -- Director: Timo Vuorensola, Screenwriters: Michael Kalesniko, Timo Vuorensola. In 1945 the Nazis went to the moon; in 2018 they are coming back.Cast: Julia Dietze, Götz Otto, Christopher Kirby, Peta Sergeant, Stephanie Paul, Tilo Prückner, Michael Cullen, Udo Kier (North American Premiere) John Dies At The End -- Director & Screenwriter: Don Coscarelli. On the street it’s called “soy sauce,” a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. Suddenly, a silent otherworldly invasion is underway. Can college dropouts John and Dave save humanity? No, they can’t.Cast: Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Paul Giamatti, Clancy Brown, Glynn Turman Modus Anomali (Indonesia) -- Director/screenwriter: Joko Anwar. A man tries to save his family who go missing during a vacation in the forest.Cast: Rio Dewanto, Hannah Al Rashid, Izziati Amara Isman, Aridh Tritama, Surya Saputra, Marsha Timothy, Sadha Triyudha, Jose Gamo (World Premiere) [REC] ³ GENESIS (Spain) -- Director: Paco Plaza; screenwriters: Luiso Berdejo, Paco Plaza. Koldo and Clara’s wedding is horrifically interrupted when some of the guests start showing signs of a strange illness. Before they know what’s happening, the bride and groom find themselves in the middle of a hellish ordeal, as an uncontrollable torrent of violence is unleashed on the wedding.Cast: Leticia Dolera, Diego Martin (World Premiere) Super Secret Screening. Be the first to see this feature film coming to theaters near you. The Tall Man -- Director/Screenwriter: Pascal Laugier. When her child goes missing, a mother looks to unravel the legend of the Tall Man, an entity who allegedly abducts children.Cast: Jessica Biel, Jodelle Ferland, Stephen McHattie, William B.Davis (World Premiere) V/H/S -- Directors: Ti West, Adam Wingard, Joe Swanberg, David Bruckner,