The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference & Festival is happy to announce its Opening Night Film for the 2007 festival, occurring March 9-17 in Austin, Texas. On March 9, SXSW will host the World Premiere of 'The Lookout', written and directed by Oscar-nominated ('Out Of Sight') screenwriter Scott Frank. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Isla Fisher, Matthew Goode, and Jeff Daniels, the new film is a crime thriller with a twist. Gordon-Levitt stars as a small-town athlete who becomes the unlikely and unpredictable addition to a bank heist after he suffers a haunting physical debilitation. 'The Lookout' will have its World Premiere at the Paramount Theater in downtown Austin on Friday, March 9, 2007. Miramax is scheduled to release the film nationally, on March 23.

“We’ve been big fans of Scott Frank’s screenwriting for years, so it’s a true pleasure to launch his impressive and gripping debut as a director,” says SXSW Film Festival Producer Matt Dentler. “The Lookout is the kind of film that packs a punch and should get audiences excited for the films that will be unveiled at this year’s festival.”

The festival will announce its full selection of feature films on February 6, 2007 and the full selection of short films on February 13, 2007. In the meantime, SXSW is thrilled to share a sample of some selections that will be presented at this year’s film festival. They include:

638 WAYS TO KILL CASTRO
Directed by Dollan Cannell.
This documentary examines the incredible and controversial story of 638 alleged plots to kill Cuban leader Fidel Castro. From CIA agents to Cuban exiles, exploding cigars to femme fatales, the film also provides a startling glimpse into the evolution of Cuban politics. (North American Premiere)


BLACK SHEEP
Written and directed by Jonathan King. Starring: Nathan Meister, Danielle Mason, Tammy Davis.
Peter Jackson’s Weta Workshop injects dazzling effects in this New Zealand black comedy about a herd of mutant sheep on the rampage in a quest for human blood. (US Premiere)


HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS
Directed by Joe Swanberg. Written by Swanberg, Greta Gerwig, and Kent Osborne. Starring: Greta Gerwig, Kent Osborne, Andrew Bujalski, Mark Duplass, Ry Russo-Young, Todd Rohal.
Acclaimed filmmaker Swanberg returns to SXSW with his most accomplished feature yet. A group of Chicago writers are embedded in a tempestuous love triangle when Hannah inadvertently steals the hearts and minds of two close friends. (World Premiere)


THE LAST DAYS OF LEFT EYE
Directed by Lauren Lazin.
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lazin delivers her latest documentary story with the sad tale of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, from platinum-selling pop act TLC. Weaving video-diary footage of Lopes’ last days before dying in an automobile accident, with the story of her personal and professional roller-coaster ride, this new film is both a memorable music doc and a personal account of the fragilities in fame. (North American Premiere)


MANUFACTURING DISSENT
Directed by Debbie Melnyk & Rick Caine.
Featuring: Noam Chomsky, Janeane Garofalo, Ben Hamper, Christopher Hitchens, Harlan Jacobson, Dave Marsh, Albert Maysles, Michael Moore, Errol Morris, Ralph Nader, John Pierson, Roger Smith.
A documentary that seeks to separate fact, fiction and legend tracks Michael Moore on tour during the release of the explosive Fahrenheit 9/11, all the while chronicling the politically supercharged climate in America that has fueled Moore’s transition from mere filmmaker to icon of the political left. (World Premiere)


SUFFERING MAN’S CHARITY
Directed by Alan Cumming. Written by Thomas Gallagher. Starring: Alan Cumming, David Boreanaz, Henry Thomas, Anne Heche.
Alan Cumming’s latest directorial effort features a stellar cast in this darkly funny portrayal of unrequited love and unfulfilled artistic ambition. (World Premiere)


WHAT WOULD JESUS BUY?
Directed by Rob Vanalkemade.
From producer Morgan Spurlock comes this entertaining and enlightening documentary look at the commercialization of the Christmas season. The famous Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping serve as the anchor for a disturbing and humorous portrayal of the way Christmas has evolved over centuries in America. (World Premiere)