The initial Film and TV lineup for SXSW 2025 is out. Check out the lineup of films in the “Documentary Short Competition” section below. The section features “Authentic storytelling that captivates, surprises, and excites.”

Armed only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
Directors: Brent Renaud, Craig Renaud, Producers: Juan Arredondo, Jon Alpert, Christof Putzel, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Tina Nguyen, Jeff Newton, Mami Kuwano Renaud, Naomi Mizoguchi, Tami Alpert
An intimate film about documentary filmmaker Brent Renaud, the first American journalist killed in Ukraine. Brent captured many wars from the front lines but cared most about the people caught in the middle. He used his camera to fight for peace. (World Premiere)

Camp Widow
Directors/Producers: Laura Green, Anna Moot-Levin
An immersion into a weekend gathering of “widows” (people of all ages, genders, and sexual orientations), this unexpected re-writing of the story of what it is to be a “widow” is by turns devastating and unexpectedly funny. (World Premiere)

Exodus
Director: Nimco Sheikhaden, Producers: Nimco Sheikhaden, Sara Chishti
Exodus is an intimate portrait of two women who face unique challenges following decades of incarceration. The film bears witness to their impassioned attempts to rebuild their lives and ultimately restore their humanity. (World Premiere)

The Goldfish Club
Director/Producer: Max Henderson
A traumatic event at an air display festival in England haunts the minds of the wingwalkers and the airplane pilot involved. (World Premiere)

The Long Valley
Directors/Producers: Robert Machoian, Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
The film is a meditation on the difficulty of accepting reality, while finding room to dream. It documents the people and landscape of the Salinas Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in California. (Texas Premiere)

Looking for a Donkey (Mexico, Venezuela)
Director/Screenwriter: Juan Vicente Manrique, Producers: Juan Vicente Manrique, María Benítez
In a small town in the Venezuelan Andes, two firefighters were taken to prison for recording a video of a donkey. After almost six years, little is known about the donkey’s whereabouts. (U.S. Premiere)

Murewa (United Kingdom)
Director: Ché Scott-Heron Newton, Producer: Matt Houghton
What if you had a second chance at a childhood friendship? (World Premiere)

Shanti Rides Shotgun
Director: Charles Frank, Producers: Daniel Lombroso, Meliz Yilmaz
On Manhattan’s jam-packed streets, NYC’s most iconic driving instructor prepares students for the road ahead. (World Premiere)

Tiger
Director/Screenwriter: Loren Waters, Producers: Dana Tiger, Loren Waters
Tiger highlights an Indigenous award-winning, internationally acclaimed artist and elder, Dana Tiger, her family, and the resurgence of the iconic Tiger t-shirt company. (Texas Premiere)

We Beg To Differ (Ireland, United Kingdom)
Director: Ruairi Bradley, Producers: Thomas Purdy, Ruairi Bradley
In the underground world of diffing, a subculture of car enthusiasts in the North of Ireland finds an outlet for their personal struggles amidst a mental health crisis. (North American Premiere)

Welcome Home Freckles (United Kingdom)
Director/Producer: Huiju Park
After four years apart, a daughter returns home to confront the unresolved family conflicts and deep-rooted domestic violence that plagued her childhood. She discovers the generational cycle of abuse and realizes that only she can break it. (World Premiere)