The popular country artists will be profiled in two documentaries at the Austin festival.
As we checked out the schedule for the March 12-18 SXSW Film & TV Festival in Austin, two music-centric documentaries featuring recent C&I cover stars immediately caught our eyes: Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool (pictured above), an up-close look at the titular Grammy-winning artist that will have its world premiere March 17 and 18, and A Cowboy in London, a profile of country star Charley Crockett, which will have its Texas premiere on March 18.
According to SXSW, Keepin’ Country Cool follows Wilson “as she redefines the modern country star, proving that staying true to yourself can lead to major success. The film explores her personal journey, struggles, and triumphs as she captivates fans on stages across the country.”
A Cowboy in London “captures country renegade Charley Crockett’s first solo shows in years – three sold-out London nights where nerves, chaos, and triumph collide in an unguarded portrait of a star on the brink of global fame.”
Other SXSW offerings that may be of special interest to C&I readers include:
They Called Us Outlaws — The Cosmic Cowboys, Honky Tonk Heroes and Rise of Redneck Rock
What happened in Austin and in Nashville in the late 60s and early 70s was nothing less than a tectonic shift in country music. From Tennessee to Texas, musicians were breaking rules and flouting tradition in what the industry would come to label - Outlaw Country. Eric Geadelmann’s documentary features over 120 recording artists, songwriters and producers, including the legends that created the sound and the scene, and the current stars and emerging artists that are taking it forward. (March 15)
Cornbread Mafia
The unbelievable true story of the Cornbread Mafia, a group of Kentucky farmers who built the largest domestic marijuana syndicate in U.S. history. Sons of tobacco farmers, moonshiners, and bootleggers, they turned to pot to keep their families fed. What followed was straight out of Kentucky folklore: lion cubs on the farm, backroad police chases, and a code of silence that baffled prosecutors. Part true crime and part cartoon, the film blends community, the War on Drugs, and a whole lot of weed with the humor and heart of the folks who lived it. (March 12, 16, and 18)
Los Lobos Native Sons
Co-directors Doug Blush and Piero F. Giunti present the definitive, authorized chronicle of one of America’s most enduring, genre-defying bands. Tracing Los Lobos’ rise from East L.A. streets to global acclaim, the film offers unprecedented access to their archives and an intimate look at the brotherhood driving their journey. Through electrifying performances and candid interviews – with Linda Ronstadt, Rubén Blades, Tom Waits, Dolores Huerta, Danny Elfman, Jackson Browne, Cheech Marin, Edward James Olmos, Peter Frampton, George Lopez, Bonnie Raitt, and more – the film celebrates their legacy as cultural trailblazers blending rock, roots, and Mexican traditions into a sound uniquely their own. (March 15, 16 and 18)
Tickets for all SXSW Film and TV Festival presentations can be ordered on the SXSW website.
