SXSW Film Reviews

Prizewhores

Documentary Special Screenings

You can't get something for nothing -- or can you? George and Chris Donehue, Randy Spiros, and Steve Bezdek, four quirky but likeable folks, defy that adage by constantly trolling Austin radio stations' remote broadcasts for promotional giveaways. They've won everything from free movie tickets and albums to vacations to Cancun. For this, they've earned the nickname "prizewhores." How do they do it? Deliberately. Why do they do it? The answer to that is a little more complicated, according to this bright documentary by KGSR radio DJ and film director Jenn Garrison. Though ad sales reps find the foursome perplexing, it turns out they know more about popular culture and music than assumed. With good humor and a begrudging sense of wonder, PrizeWhores explores the thin line between an avocation and obsession, and how the middle-aged and elderly are regarded by a youth-centered culture.