Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgard film 'The East' to close SXSW

The SXSW Film Festival announced Wednesday that Zal Batmanglij’s (Sound of My Voice) film The East will close the Festival on Saturday, March 16. Batmanglij co-wrote the script with Brit Marling. Starring Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, and Patricia Clarkson, the film follows a private intelligence operative trying to infiltrate a group of anarchists who are planning attacks on major corporations. But the operative’s loyalty to her mission wavers when she falls for the leader of the group.

The festival has also added a number of panels and films, including talks with the directors and casts of Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing and Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers. Check out the complete schedule here, and some of our picks from the new additions after the jump.

NEW PANELS

• Break it Down: Harmony Korine & His Spring Breakers – The director and the cast (not specified who yet…) talk about the experience of making Spring Breakers.

(Monday March 11 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM — Vimeo Theatre, Austin Convention Center)

• Much Ado About Much Ado – A conversation with Joss Whedon, Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion, and Clark Gregg about the film following its US premiere.

(Saturday March 9 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM — Vimeo Theatre, Austin Convention Center)

• A Conversation with Danny Boyle with footage from his upcoming film Trace.

(Saturday March 9 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM — Vimeo Theatre, Austin Convention Center)

• A Conversation with Rob Zombie

(Tuesday March 12 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM — Room 16AB, Austin Convention Center)

ADDITIONAL FILMS

• The Spectacular Now: James Ponsoldt directs Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Kyle Chandler, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Jennifer Jason Leigh in this high school romance tale of between a party boy and a shy girl.

• Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer: A documentary about the young women of Pussy Riot who face seven years in a Russian prison for their satirical performance.

• At Any Price: Dennis Quaid plays Zac Efron’s dad in this story about modern agriculture, farming and race car driving.

• Xmas Without China: Alicia Dwyer’s documentary of a Chinese immigrant trying to get his neighbors in the United States to get through a Christmas season without buying any Chinese products.

Follow @ldbahr

Read More:

Brit Marling: Let the buzz begin

Joss Whedon’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’