SXSW finally returned to vapor after a few years slowed down by cochable. I have attended SXSW since 2012, and it was a year with all the bells that sound. The edition in 2025 of the conference and festivals took place from March 7 to 15.
A special welcome
The first day began with the reception of the president and head of the SXSW programming, Hugh Forrest. In this role, he oversees the content of the conference, as well as the SXSW Music Festival, the SXSW Film Festival, the SXSW Comedy Festival and SXSW Edu.
Forrest first thanked the volunteers, the employees, the community and the participants for their support, their passion and their creativity which maintains the festival in moving and growing.
Forrest also recalled to the crowd of overflow that the long -standing supporter, Mark Cuban, would enter the temple of renown of the SXSW this year, and the participants recommended to check the sessions on the next great thing in Science: Quantum Computing.
The elephant
Forrest called his next subject “the elephant in the room”.
He explained: “For those of you who do not know, after the end of the SXSW 2025, this building disappears. Yes, it’s true. From April, they will unravel this building. »»
The building to which he referred is the Austin Convention Center, the command center and the event center for SXSW. He explained that he would be replaced by a “larger and better” congress center, but that SXSW would be without him for three years or perhaps more.
“It will be a huge challenge for us,” he admitted, “but it also presents enormous opportunities for SXSW to reinvent what we are doing.”
No Adobe Max
I was immediately told what happened Adobe MaxThe Annual Convention for Photoshop users and other Adobe software. For years, Adobe Max had called the house of Los Angeles Convention Center. When a massive renovation of the Congress Center of A started, Max entered “Exile” for two years. He first went to San Diego, then to Las Vegas.
I realized that Globe Trotting would not work for SXSW because of how his identity was closely linked to Austin and the Austin community.
Ideas, please
Forrest also said that move was not an option. “This event has never been a building,” he said, “they were people, ideas, connections and opportunities. So, even if it will be difficult, I am convinced that we can withdraw. We still do a lot of brainstorming. Send me an email if you have any ideas.
Forrest concluded with a passionate request: “Please, please, please contact me with ideas, brainstorms, constructive criticism, less constructive criticism and all kinds of ideas.”
Forrest mentioned that it could be contacted by e-mail or on LinkedIn.
The future
After the surprising elephant of this first day, the thirty-second year of the film and TV Festival has evolved with eighty-six feature films, including several first world, international and North American.
The SXSW next year will take place from March 12 to 18. You can know more about their website or on X,, FacebookOr Liendin.