Kickstarter Films Premiering at SXSW 2025
From Kickstarter to SXSW: Two Indie Films Take Center Stage
The journey all starts the same—with a campaign page—but the possibilities after that are endless, from TV series to cult classics to awards and film festival debuts.
This year, we’re thrilled to announce that two Kickstarter-funded films have secured spots in the SXSW 2025 lineup.
So let’s roll out the red carpet for our homegrown talents: Tom J. Stern’s "The Butthole Surfers Movie" and Winnie Cheung’s "Last Call – an erotic creature thriller." These projects prove that cinematic magic happens when bold ideas find the right supporters.
So, grab your popcorn (or your laptop if you’re still in the fundraising stage) and dive into the wild world of indie filmmaking!
The Butthole Surfers Movie: A Punk Rock Documentary
Director and producer Tom Stern has been documenting the Butthole Surfers since 1986, when he first filmed them at CBGB’s as an NYU film student. Over the years, he has collaborated with the band on multiple projects, including Entering Texas, Freaked, and Paul Leary’s music video Do You Like to Eat a Cow.
For those of you who might have missed the memo (or weren't born when flannels were considered high fashion), the Butthole Surfers are legends of the underground music scene. These guys exploded onto the stage in the 1980s like a glitter bomb in a mosh pit, leaving audiences both amazed and slightly confused – in the best way possible.
With an initial goal of $50,000, Stern and producer Durban far exceeded expectations, raising $129,565 on Kickstarter. Their mission? Creative freedom. They wanted to tell the band's story their way—without industry compromises.
Last Call: When Erotica Meets Creature Feature
Switching gears but keeping the momentum, let’s talk about Winnie Cheung’s "Last Call – an erotic creature thriller."
Cheung, known for her Sundance-selected short Albatross Soup, is making her feature debut with Last Call. And no, this isn’t your typical love story.
What's Last Call All About?
Picture this: a woman in an all-female motorcycle gang, dealing with repressed sexual trauma that manifests as a slimy swamp monster. Yeah, you read that right. It's part "Sons of Anarchy," part "The Shape of Water," and entirely original.
Cheung describes it as a "psycho-erotic thriller," which sounds like the kind of genre mash-up that would make even the most seasoned film festival programmer do a double-take. But that's exactly what we love about indie film – it goes where mainstream cinema fears to tread.
Kickstarter at SXSW: Presenting Sponsor of the Narrative Feature Competition
Kickstarter is proud to be the Presenting Sponsor of the Narrative Feature Competition Section at this year’s SXSW. As a platform that champions independent creators, we’re excited to support this premier competition that showcases some of the most compelling storytelling in independent film.
Throughout the SXSW TV and Film track, films entered into the Narrative Feature Competition will be screened, culminating in a final award presented at the TV and Film Awards. This sponsorship underscores our ongoing commitment to supporting groundbreaking filmmakers and helping bold, original stories reach the audiences they deserve.
The Butthole Surfers Movie: A Punk Rock Documentary
Director and producer Tom Stern has been documenting the Butthole Surfers since 1986, when he first filmed them at CBGB’s as an NYU film student. Over the years, he has collaborated with the band on multiple projects, including Entering Texas, Freaked, and Paul Leary’s music video Do You Like to Eat a Cow.
For those unfamiliar, the Butthole Surfers burst onto the underground music scene in the 1980s, blending punk rock with surreal performance art. Their concerts were legendary, leaving audiences both mesme
Indie Films on Kickstarter
Now, let's take a moment to appreciate the real MVP here: you, the backers. Without the support from film enthusiasts, punk rock fans, and lovers of the weird and wonderful, these projects might never have made it off the ground.
And the best part? When you back a Kickstarter film, you're not just pre-ordering a movie ticket. You're becoming part of the journey. You're the first audience, the first supporters, the ones who can say "I helped make that happen" when the credits roll at SXSW.
As we celebrate the success of "The Butthole Surfers Movie" and "Last Call," we can't help but get excited about the future of indie film. What other wild, wonderful, and weird projects are out there, just waiting for their chance to shine?
