Screen NSW @ SXSW Sydney 2025

We’re bringing together some of the most exciting voices in film, TV and digital games for an unmissable program — from screen breakfasts with leading talent to intimate conversations with local creators, thought-provoking panels with industry leaders, and buzzing networking opportunities with speakers, delegates and Screen NSW.

Join us as we celebrate bold stories, fresh perspectives and the future of screen and digital games.

NSW House Events

Expect bold ideas from the sharpest minds and conversations that move culture forward – all designed to spark connection, inspire possibility and spotlight how the NSW Government is supporting creativity and innovation.

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12:00 – 1:00pm14 Oct 2025

In conversation with Claudia Karvan and Kelsey Munro

How do creatives stay relevant in a fast-changing media and tech landscape? And how has storytelling evolved across platforms and generations? Join Bump co-creators Claudia Karvan and Kelsey Munro as they explore these questions — plus reinvention, leadership and authenticity as women in the public eye.

Track: Screen

Location: NSW House, 1 Harbour St, Sydney

Open to the General Public, however SXSW Pass holders will be given priority access.

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3:00 – 4:00pm14 Oct 2025

Behind the screams: How VFX shaped horror’s cult franchises

Join VFX artists and experts, ILM’s Jhon Alvarado (The Babadook, Talk to Me), Stage 23’s Christian Debney (Star Wars: Episode II, The Matrix Reloaded), and Fin Design’s Rick van de Schootbrugge (The Invisible Man, Sweet Tooth) as they reveal how VFX brings horror to life. Hear how digital artistry, CGI and effects heighten suspense, deepen immersion and bring unforgettable stories to life.

Track: Screen

Location: NSW House, 1 Harbour St, Sydney

Open to the General Public, however SXSW Pass holders will be given priority access.

Screen Breakfasts

Start your morning with a light breakfast and the chance to connect with fellow practitioners and industry guests. After networking over coffee, stay for a panel session that dives into key conversations shaping the screen and digital games industry.

8:00 – 10:00am14 Oct 2025

Screen Breakfast: In Conversation with Sophie Hyde

Sophie Hyde is one of Australia’s most distinctive filmmakers, known for her bold storytelling and ability to draw raw, intimate performances from her collaborators. From her award-winning debut 52 Tuesdays to Animals and the acclaimed Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Hyde’s work consistently challenges conventions around identity, sexuality, and the ways we connect with one another.

In this conversation, she reflects on her career to date, her process as a director and producer, and what excites her most about the future of cinema. Audiences will gain insight into the choices that shape her films, the collaborative spirit of her company Closer Productions, and how she approaches telling stories that are both deeply personal and universally resonant.

Track: Screen

Location: UTS Building 1, Great Hall

Open to Platinum and Screen Pass holders only. Capacity is limited. First in, best dressed.

8:00 – 10:00am15 Oct 2025

Screen Breakfast: The Music Never Stops: When Soundtracks Become Stars

A session on the importance of music in screen storytelling. Potential speakers could include music supervisors, Australian musicians with sync credits, and directors who treat music as a key element.

Track: Screen

Location: UTS Building 1, Great Hall

Open to Platinum and Screen Pass holders only. Capacity is limited. First in, best dressed.

8:00 – 10:00am16 Oct 2025

Screen Breakfast: Now you hear us scream: Women in genre cinema

From Final Girls to the Final Cut, women have always been at the heart of genre filmmaking.

This panel brings together the women driving production, distribution, festivals and directing to reveal how they are reshaping the stories that shock, scare, and change us.

They will dig into the challenges they face, the breakthroughs they are creating, and the collaborations that make this genre stronger.

In genre cinema, women don’t just survive - they define it!

Track: Screen

Location: UTS Building 1, Great Hall

Open to Platinum and Screen Pass holders only. Capacity is limited. First in, best dressed.

8:00 – 10:00am17 Oct 2025

Games Breakfast: Story Mode: Storytelling across screens

Fuel up and make connections at the Games Industry Breakfast.

This session will bring together two titans of games media industry, Ed Tran (This Week in Videogames) and Danny O'Dwyer (Noclip) as they discuss the convergence between games, film, tv and the future of games media.

Track: Digital Games

Location: ICC

Open to Platinum and Games Pass holders only. Capacity is limited. First in, best dressed.

13 Oct 2025

SXSW Sydney Conference 2025

To attend all these Screen and Games Breakfasts and more, you'll need a Platinum, Screen and/or Games Pass. Get yours now!

Screen NSW Supported Projects

Screen NSW is excited to support projects that reflect the bold creativity and diverse perspectives emerging from New South Wales, spanning genre-defying feature films, innovative TV series, and groundbreaking digital games.