SXSW 2022 Report 1: SISSY & DEADSTREAM

I kicked off this year’s SXSW with some bangers. Without realizing it I managed to choose two horror films that work an ample amount of comedy successfully in, and both have main characters that are social media influencers. Surprising in this day and age? Not really, when you consider this modern profession, but the timing is curious. Also, both films were written and directed by a male/female duo with one of them starring in the film. Gosh, I love random coincidences. Don’t you?

Unfortunately, for my first SXSW my boots were not on the ground, but nevertheless, due to virtual possibilities, I am able to cover a festival I have always dreamed of attending. Do I miss the red carpets and the ambiance of experiencing things in a theater? Absolutely. But, if these two films are any indication of the quality of programming, I’m over the moon that I will get an invaluable opportunity to appreciate the beautiful delight of film.

Let’s dive into the bloody, deep end, shall we?

Sissy (Hannah Barlow, Kane Senes)

I went into this film having only read the basic tagline, without diving in deeper, and I am thankful I did. In a lot of ways the film starts you off sympathetic to our lead, an influencer who promotes peace and tranquility, self-worth, and love. Cecilia (Aisha Dee) seems like her life is going well; she’s got a huge fan base and she’s promoting positivity. When she accidentally runs into an old friend, a childhood bestie who lost touch, Emma (also played by writer/director Hannah Barlow), lots of memories and feelings come tumbling back.

It turns out Emma is getting married and invites her to karaoke where the two reconnect over a familiar song and nostalgia. When she asks Cecilia to come to her hen weekend with the rest of the bridesmaids, she reluctantly agrees, only to soon find out that her childhood bully, Alex (Emily De Margheriti), is also attending. From there, well, things become a bloody mess.

Sissy manages to shake the audience’s awareness up successfully, where you aren’t sure entirely who you are rooting for as more things happen and secrets are unveiled. When they were young, Alex came in between the two friends, (something many of us has probably experienced) bullying and calling her “Sissy.” What we don’t uncover until a bit further into the film are the events that followed.

Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes co-wrote and directed the feature, with a satire-filled script that toes a perfectly edged line of humor and horror. There are some pretty gnarly violent scenes, confirming that this is quite literally, a nightmare of a weekend.

All of the leads are terrific, but Aisha Dee really stands out. Her emotions play like a symphony, at times loud and brash, and others subdued and transcendent. At times, I got Ingrid Goes West vibes, but that is just barely scratching the surface. The film mostly is contained to this one setting – and the subsequent woods etc. – and it makes the evolution of horror that much creepier. It doesn’t dispel with the humor though, making many moments both edgy, gory, and meanwhile, hilarious.

One of my only real complaints about the film was the score. It seemed a bit too insistent and became overbearing at times, occasionally even making it harder to hear some of the dialogue.

In some ways, some of the kills feel like a fantasy, where someone is unsure of what’s happened and the actual consequences attached. Once things go… there, they move briskly, and there’s barely a breather between each bath of blood.

Overall, Sissy was a revenge tale that was an unexpected thrill. It causes a variety of emotions ranging from sympathy, to apathy, to disgust before also making you laugh. It’s equal parts sneer as much as it is a smirk. I found Sissy to be the perfect opening to my SXSW experience, and I’m elated it’s already found a home with Shudder.

I hope this writing/directing duo continues to take the horror world by storm. I’ll be watching, with bated breath.

Deadstream (Vanessa Winter, Joseph Winter)

Deadstream follows Shawn Ruddy (Joseph Winter) a disgraced, recently nearly “canceled” social influencer and live streamer. His show concentrates on him doing things he fears on camera, generally to his detriment. When he makes some mistakes, his sponsors get skittish, he loses some followers and hopes to redeem himself. How does he do that? He decides to spend a night in a haunted house, live streaming, with cameras everywhere. Of course, what ensues, is not what he planned.

Shawn’s commentary as he peruses the home and tells the wild tales of its spirits is incredibly amusing. The dialogue is full of sharp, quick wit, utilizing pop culture references, and situational reactions. As he moves about the house, allowing us to digest the souls that reside here, Shawn is also conversing with his live-streamers, creating something inventive in the found footage genre.

The movie almost entirely is filmed within this house, and the production design is amazing. You can chuckle at a one-liner, and next be disgusted by something in a room, on the wall, or some other detail that makes this house seem ultimately horrific. Vanessa Winter and Joseph Winter direct this intimate entry into a night of hell. But hey, it’s for the fans.

As the night goes on, he consistently becomes more terrified, and the spirits become angrier. There are some terrific special effects, and with the consistent back and forth between his community of fans (which bring some hilarious additional commentary and speaks to the way our current climate is obsessed with social media), the film only grows stronger. If you’re someone who has trouble with shaky-cam (which I can be) this may be a bit much, but overall it’s quite tolerable in that sense. As our guide, Joseph Winter is the perfect template for a man out of his depths, comical but naive. Despite the laughter, there are some grueling and disturbing sequences and it makes Deadstream one of the best of its kind that I have seen in a long time. Think The Blair Witch Project if the group was making constant quips, and had the Internet as their guide.

I was pleasantly surprised by how hard Deadsteam hit. It was a blast, filled with a delightful blend of hilarity and horror and effects that felt real. It’s a must see for horror lovers! PSA: maybe don’t stay in a haunted house and if you do, bring duct tape. It’s super versatile.

Both films premiered at SXSW 2022.

More SXSW coverage to come!