EPISODIC: What is the SXSW premiere and eligibility for episodics?

These are the Episodic eligibility requirements for SXSW:

Eligible: To be eligible for SXSW 2023, your project must have been completed in 2021, 2022, or be on track for completion in early 2023.

These are the SXSW Episodic Premiere Status Definitions:

World Premiere: Your project has:

  1. not screened theatrically in any country prior to SXSW, whether at a film festival or other ticketed public theatrical exhibition
  2. not been broadcast or streamed on television in any country prior to SXSW 
  3. not been available for any period of time prior to SXSW on the Internet
  4. not been released via any home video or other public distribution platform (Blu-ray, DVD, streaming, VOD, etc.) in any country prior to SXSW.

International Premiere: Your project has:

  1. not screened theatrically outside of its country or countries of origin prior to SXSW, whether at a film festival or other ticketed public theatrical exhibition
  2. not been broadcast or streamed on television in any country prior to SXSW 
  3. not been available via the Internet for any period of time prior to SXSW 
  4. not been released via any home video or other public distribution platform (Blu-ray, DVD, streaming, VOD, etc.) in any country prior to SXSW

North American Premiere: Your project has: 

  1. not screened theatrically in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico prior to SXSW, whether at a film festival or other ticketed public theatrical exhibition
  2. not been broadcast or streamed on television in any country prior to SXSW 
  3. not been available via the Internet for any period of time prior to SXSW 
  4. not been released via any home video or other public distribution platform (Blu-ray, DVD, streaming, VOD, etc.) in any country prior to SXSW

U.S. Premiere: Your project has:

  1. not screened theatrically in the U.S. prior to SXSW, whether at a film festival or other ticketed public theatrical exhibition
  2. not been broadcast or streamed on television in any country prior to SXSW 
  3. not been available via the Internet for any period of time prior to SXSW 
  4. not been released via any home video or other public distribution platform (Blu-ray, DVD, streaming, VOD, etc.) in any country prior to SXSW

Texas Premiere: Your project has:

  1. not screened theatrically in Texas prior to SXSW, whether at a film festival or other ticketed public theatrical exhibition
  2. not been broadcast or streamed on television in any country prior to SXSW 
  3. not been available via the Internet for any period of time prior to SXSW 
  4. not been released via any home video or other public distribution platform (Blu-ray, DVD, streaming, VOD, etc.) in any country prior to SXSW

Austin Premiere: Your project has:

  1. not screened theatrically in Austin prior to SXSW, whether at a film festival or other ticketed public theatrical exhibition
  2. not been broadcast or streamed on television in any country prior to SXSW 
  3. not been available via the Internet for any period of time prior to SXSW 
  4. not been released via any home video or other public distribution platform (Blu-ray, DVD, streaming, VOD, etc.) in any country prior to SXSW

Not a Premiere: Your project has either: 

  1. screened theatrically in Austin at a film festival prior to SXSW
  2. been released in a country other than the U.S. via television broadcast or theatrical screening before SXSW
  3. been broadcast or streamed on television
  4. been made available publicly via the Internet.

 If you have any questions and/or can't figure out where your project might fit, please email us at filmfest@sxsw.com.

If you'd like to submit your Episodic work to SXSW, click here.

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