The SouthSlam Film Festival takes place each year in Austin, Texas at the same time as the SXSW Film Festival, competing to provide what its supporters consider a truer representation of independent filmmaking.
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History
The festival was founded in 2004 by Kris Cantu and has since become a year-round organization championing emerging filmmaking talent and their new work.
SouthSlam proudly supports self-governance amongst independents, and exists to deliver what filmmakers go to festivals for a chance to show their work and a launching point for their careers. SouthSlam has earned a solid reputation for premiering films by first-time writers and directors working within the creative confines of limited budgets by supporting these artists by giving them a constructive and supportive environment to screen their work to a larger audience and by presenting each submission with a unique award for its own creativity. Past award winners include works by Ryan Wickerham and Alana Cash. This year's Festival event takes place in Austin Texas March 14, 2010
Origins of the Festival
The SouthSlam Film Festival was created as an alternative festival to the SXSW Film Festival. The name was a play on the Slamdance Film Festival which started as an alternative festival to the Sundance Film Festival nine years prior but has grown into a well regarded festival in its own right. SouthSlam is unique in that it accepts a larger percentage of its entries than most festivals as well as music videos