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SXSW is a festival celebrated for its music, as well as its innovation. Pricy Hollywood movies open alongside indies, and panel discussions from the minds leading the AI revolution play right next to some triumphant trap revival. Yet what can often be overlooked is what a goldmine the festival is for winsome and thought-provoking documentaries. And this year has a rich collection, running the gamut from documentaries that unpack the troubling roots of zombie fiction to inspiring true-life stories about a woman who, despite missing her legs, is able to scale Mount Kilimanjaro.
Below is a round-up of some of the most intriguing and compelling options.
The Ascent
At the age of 21, Mandy Horvath lost both of her legs under mysterious circumstances in an event that led her down a path of mistrust and disillusionment. Ten years later, she’s making a record-breaking attempt to crawl to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro using only her hands. This is the inspiring true story told in The Ascent, directed by Edward Drake, Scott Veltri, and Francis Cronin. The film follows Horvath as she pushes her body to its limits on Africa’s tallest mountain while simultaneously reckoning with what happened to her and what she can do to heal.
Black Zombie
From the pop culture appeal of horror movies to the haunted cane fields of colonial Haiti, Black Zombie unearths the buried origins of the zombie, reclaiming it as a symbol of survival and spiritual resistance. Directed by Maya Annik Bedward, this Documentary Spotlight entry explores the long-term consequences of cultural appropriation by tracing the evolution of the zombie from its origins in Haiti to its dominance in Hollywood, ultimately revealing its little-known connection to slavery and Vodou practices. The film seeks to restore the zombie to its true identity, where it can serve as a cautionary tale and an inspiration for ongoing resistance.
The Last Critic
The Last Critic takes a sharp, affectionate look at Robert Christgau, the man who practically invented modern rock criticism and then spent 60 years shaping how we talk about pop music. Director Matty Wishnow highlights the role Christgau played in canonizing legends like the Ramones and Public Enemy, while simultaneously infuriating icons like Lou Reed and Billy Joel. Also, with a bit of urgency, the doc seems eager to remind that Christgau, now in his 80s, is still writing with his trademark bite and craftsmanship despite facing a landscape where albums are irrelevant, print is dead, and algorithms rule taste-making.
My NDA
Non-disclosure agreements are touted as routine legal safeguards to protect secrets and proprietary ideas. But in the wrong hands, they can become blunt instruments used to intimidate workers and bury misconduct. In My NDA, three people bound by non-disclosure agreements face extreme personal risk to go public with their stories about how simple intellectual property contracts can be weaponized to silence whistleblowers, manipulate employees, and control public perception.
Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real-Life Superhero
In an era where masked men still dominate the multiplex, this doc tells the story of a costumed vigilante in a black-and-gold suit who once fought crime on the streets of Seattle during the 2010s. The tools of choice for Phoenix Jones were pepper spray and a taser, and he was accompanied by a team of costumed crime fighters. Director Bayan Joonam follows the story after Jones’ true identity was exposed, tarnishing the perceived heroic image of Jones and causing his team to abandon him. Also, perhaps tapping into the moment, the doc will telescope forward a decade, when Phoenix reemerges during the Seattle protests to rekindle that superhero spirit despite continuing legal troubles and public skepticism.
Stormbound
Stormbound drops viewers directly into the heart of the world’s most powerful hurricanes with amazing footage of the storms, seen from the inside. Director Miko Lim follows legendary storm chaser Jeff Gammons, who has spent more than 30 years documenting the most dangerous hurricanes in the U.S. The visceral spectacle is balanced with a more intimate look at Gammons’ battle with a near-fatal disease while continuing his important work at a time when larger environmental forces are at play. Gammons reckons with the physical and emotional toll of a life spent chasing nature at its most violent, creating a high-stakes, immersive experience on a global and personal scale.
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