Horror at SXSW: Five standout scary movies from the 2024 festival

The film festival portion of South by Southwest is always packed with stars, bringing their would-be blockbusters out to Austin, Texas, for splashy premieres. But it’s also a festival that’s never lost sight of the power of genre. Through its Midnighters section and beyond, the annual movie extravaganza makes quite an effort to deliver the best in sci-fi, fantasy, and, of course, horror to audiences. This year was no different.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see every single horror film rolled out at SXSW this year, because I’m just one guy and it’s a big festival, but I did see quite a few that piqued my interest and even scared me right out of my seat. So, from big names to potential indie hits, here are five horror films from this year’s festival that you’ll want to put on your radar right now.

Azrael

Samara Weaving (The Babysitter, Ready Or Not) leads this high-concept chiller from director E.L. Katz (Cheap Thrills) and writer Simon Barrett (You’re Next), and cements her place in the horror pantheon in ways she never has before. Weaving stars as the title character, a woman who’s taken a vow of silence in the wake of what appears to be the actual Biblical rapture, embarking on a quest for vengeance and survival in a fight against a strange cult. Because of the character’s muteness, the film is almost entirely without dialogue, which makes it both an interesting exercise in storytelling and a true tightrope of tension. If you love Weaving’s work, and you want to watch a horror film that unfolds like no other this year, don’t miss this one.Release Date: TBD