Strained, pained pun aside, it is with great disappointment that we alert you to the breaking news that the great Saul Bellow will not be attending South by Southwest 05 after all, despite rampant reports to the contrary. So, no Chicago-style blowout show with Mavis Staples, Buried at Sea, and Pelican at Auditorium Shores. And I shouldn’t even mention that it was to be emceed by Barack Obama, because he’s not coming, either. So, who is coming? Here are some highlights, but keep in mind that they constitute only a tiny fraction of the attending folks and films, and that they’re subject to change. Some of this you might know already, and some you might not. For updates and more information (including that of the registration stripe), see www.sxsw.com and consult each and every subsequent edition of The Austin Chronicle (including the dailies!) through the month of March.
Interactive: March 11-15
Keynote Speaker: Malcolm Gladwell (thin-slice how excited this information makes you)
Keynote Interview: Wonkette Ana Marie Cox
Keynote Discussion: WorldChanging Editor Alex Steffen and Bruce Sterling
Other assorted important visitors to consider: Amalia Anderson, Carrie Bickner, Jed Miller, Craig Newmark, Neeru Paharia, Daniel H. Pink, Rebecca Smith Hurd, and Jeffrey Zeldman
Film: March 11-19
The Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards will honor Lauren Bacall (the Frontier Award for Written on the Wind), Robert Rodriguez, Marcia Gay Harden (inducted by Ellen Burstyn), Dennis Quaid, Irma P. Hall (inducted by the Coen brothers), and more on opening night at Austin Studios, but meanwhile, here’s a quick, early sampling of TBA screenings (stay tuned for attending cast and crew):
DROP DEAD SEXY
D: Michael Philip; with Jason Lee, Crispin Glover, Melissa Keller, Pruitt Taylor Vince
OCCUPATION: DREAMLAND
D: Garrett Scott & Ian Olds
PALINDROMES
D: Todd Solondz (attending); with Ellen Barkin, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and more
REEKER
D: David Payne
SARAH SILVERMAN: JESUS IS MAGIC
D: Liam Lynch
THE WENDELL BAKER STORY
D: Luke and Andrew Wilson; with Owen Wilson, Eddie Griffin, and someone really funny and famous whom we can’t announce quite yet.
This article appears in January 28 • 2005.