TV: What is the SXSW premiere and eligibility for TV projects?

These are the TV eligibility requirements for SXSW:

Eligible — To be eligible for SXSW 2026, your project must have been completed in 2024, 2025, or be on track for completion in early 2026. Your project's scheduled release date must fall after and definitively outside of the SXSW Film & TV Festival dates (Ex. March 12-18, 2026).

These are the SXSW TV 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 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

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, Mexico or any other North American territory 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 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 TV project to SXSW, click here.