Screenwest is excited to announce that We Bury the Dead, a gripping survival thriller shot in the heart of Western Australia’s Great Southern region, has been selected for its world premiere at the renowned South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival in Austin, Texas, in March 2025.

Directed by Zak Hilditch (1922, These Final Hours, Rattlesnake), the film stars Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens), Brenton Thwaites (Titans), and Mark Coles Smith (Mystery Road: Origin). Set in a post-apocalyptic world following a catastrophic military experiment that decimates Tasmania’s population, We Bury the Dead is a chilling and emotional exploration of survival in a decimated world.

Filmed in the picturesque locations of Albany and surrounding areas in Western Australia’s Great Southern region, the film brings a fresh twist to the apocalyptic zombie genre.

“It’s an absolute honour to have the film selected for SXSW this year. It’s such a fantastic festival and the perfect platform to launch We Bury the Dead in 2025,” said Hilditch. “I’m particularly excited to showcase Albany on the big screen in Austin. The town welcomed us with open arms during filming, and it’s a wonderful way to pay tribute to everyone who supported us throughout the process.”

In addition to We Bury the Dead, another Western Australian film, The Surfer, starring Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage (Dream Scenario, Leaving Las Vegas), will also make its North American premiere at SXSW. Following its world premiere at Cannes in May 2024, the psychological thriller was filmed in the stunning coastal town of Yallingup in WA’s South West.

Both films were supported by the State Government’s WA Production Attraction Incentive, a highly competitive scheme designed to attract major international productions to Western Australia.

“We are thrilled to see two exceptional Western Australian productions selected for such a prestigious festival,” said Rikki Lea Bestall, CEO of Screenwest. “Both films were shot entirely in WA, with We Bury the Dead also written and directed by a WA filmmaker. Congratulations to both teams!”

We Bury the Dead and The Surfer will screen during SXSW, which runs from 7–15 March 2025.

To find out more about filming and post in Western Australia, contact Screenwest Head of Production Chris Veerhuis at [email protected] or +61 8 6169 2118.