Steven Spielberg Joins SXSW Lineup for Keynote Conversation

Steven Spielberg is heading to Austin, Texas, for this yr’s South by Southwest as a keynote speaker for the pageant’s landmark fortieth anniversary.

At SXSW, the storied filmmaker will talk about his legendary physique of labor — from “Jaws” and “E.T.” to the Indiana Jones and “Jurassic Park” motion pictures to “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan,” plus his upcoming event thriller, “Disclosure Day” — in addition to the future of moviegoing, in a live episode of “The Big Picture” podcast with Sean Fennessey. The dialog can be held on Friday, March 13.

“Childhood dreams do come true!” said Claudette Godfrey, VP movie & TV at SXSW, in an announcement asserting the director’s attendance at the pageant, which runs March 12-18.

“Steven Spielberg is a true pioneer and legend whose seminal work has inspired generations of filmmakers and audiences alike,” Godfrey continued. “He’s given us some of cinema’s most formative, unforgettable, and magical experiences, always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on screen. He embodies the spirit of cinematic innovation and bold storytelling that defines SXSW, and bringing him to Austin for this special keynote is going to be an extraordinary moment for our community. Making dreams come true is exactly why we do what we do. We’ll all be phoning home about this one!”

Indeed, the three-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker and founding father of Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks is hailed as considered one of the most influential artistic forces in cinema historical past. His latest movie, “Disclosure Day,” starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson and Colman Domingo, debuts in theaters on June 12 from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. Spielberg is also among the producers of this yr’s best image nominee, “Hamnet,” by filmmaker Chloé Zhao.

For the first time ever, SXSW will feature all of its programming operating concurrently across innovation, movie & TV and music for seven days, including an additional evening of music. Spielberg joins a powerful lineup of audio system at the movie & TV convention, including Jamie Lee Curtis; Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn on the legacy of “Breaking Bad”; Larry David and Jeff Schaffer on their upcoming HBO historic comedy collection; and the team behind HBO’s “Rooster”: Bill Lawrence, Matt Tarses, Steve Carell and Danielle Deadwyler.