In a few days, the streets of Austin, Texas, will be filled with hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world who have come to take part in the timeless South by Southwest (SXSW). What started out as a small music festival in the late 1980s to showcase local music has now become a gathering dedicated to film, music, and technological innovation. A real boost for the local economy: according to the festival, the overall economic impact of the 2023 edition has exceeded $380 million. For example, it was in Austin that Twitter (now X), launched in 2007, had its first moments of glory. Today, SXSW has carved out its place of choice against more “traditional” trade shows such as the CES of Las Vegas, from which it stands out for its transdisciplinarity (through varied themes, from AI to video games, including brand experience, climate and sustainability, creators economyy, MedTech, etc.) and its sprawling format, extending from the Austin Convention Center to more than a hundred venues (hotels, theaters, music stages, etc.) in the colors of the festival. A look at what you shouldn't miss at the 2025 edition. 

An impressive line-up of films and series 

Always at the forefront of audiovisual trends, "South by" is a true paradise for movie lovers, given its thunderous programming of films and series presented, for the most part, in preview. Independent cinema, documentaries, short films, series, but also extended reality experiences (which covers virtual, augmented and mixed, editor's note), South by Southwest takes the pulse of the audiovisual industry. For the first time since 2022, the Texas festival will not take place at the same time as the Oscars ceremony (scheduled for March 3), allowing many Hollywood stars to stop by Texas. The festivities will begin with the presentation ofAnother Simple Favor, worn by actresses Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick in this sequel to Emily's Shadow (Paul Feig, 2018). Also expected in the Texan capital is Ben Affleck for the sequel to The Accountant (Mr Wolff in VF), which has Nicole Kidman for the thriller The Netherlands or, Paul rudd with Death of a Unicorn, a new UFO from the independent film studio A24. Note that Matthew McConaughey, Texas' darling, will return to the cinema after several years of absence in The Rivals of Amaziah King. To close the festival, the red carpet will be rolled out for Jacob Elordi (Euphoria) and Daisy Edgar-Jones (normal people), who share the bill of Swift Horses.

On the series side, it is the tech giant Apple which will have the luxury of opening the show with The Studio, a burlesque dive into the hellish daily life of a studio executive played by Seth Rogen, co-creator of the series. A first look at the highly anticipated season 2 of The Last Of Us (HBO) will also be unveiled at “South by” with the show’s creators and stars, including Pedro Pascal. And that’s just a taste of the many films and series from around the world that will be presented at South by Southwest. 

The video game industry, a key player in tomorrow's entertainment 

Alongside cinema, music and XR, the video game industry will also be there. A closely watched event will notably be the presentation of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, the sequel to Hideo Kojima's eponymous masterpiece, which revolutionized the world of video games when it was released in 2019. This panel, expected on March 9, will undoubtedly be the highlight of an already rich conference program on the video game industry. In full growth, video games are no longer a niche market but a true entertainment platform that redefines the way we consume content, advertise, convey a message, or perceive reality. This new vintage of "South by" is an opportunity to attend inspiring sessions on the applications of generative AI in video games, the challenges for brands to integrate into this industry to reach the 3 billion players on the planet, the future of entertainment (with the president of Blizzard Entertainment, Johanna Faries, moderated by the host of talk show and comedian Conan O'Brien) or the rise of e-sport. 

Artificial intelligence, already the flagship theme of SXSW 2025? 

Through the prism of the cultural and creative industries, "South by" identifies tech trends. As every year, it is the director of the Future Today Institute, Amy Webb, who will open the festival by unveiling the emerging tech trends that will define future societies. Last year, Amy Webb described the current era as a new “tech supercycle,” centered around three main trends: the connected ecosystem of objects, biotechnology, and… artificial intelligence. There is no doubt that the AI ​​race, which has accelerated further in recent months with the arrival of the Chinese AI DeepSeek on the market, will once again be at the center of debates at this new edition of SXSW. As AI gains momentum on a global scale, questions arise about responsibility – of citizens, companies, institutions – or its impact on society and the environment. Through conferences and workshops, "South by" will explore new technological advances in AI, without forgetting to address the challenges and effects of its large-scale adoption.  

The French Touch delegation will be at SXSW 2025
📅 “La French Touch Rendez-vous”, March 8 in Austin, TX 📍