For the Culturally Curious and Creative: Music and Screen Highlights at SXSW Sydney 2025

SXSW Sydney keeps getting bigger and better. Australia’s iteration of the creative festival from Austin, Texas, combines heavy hitters with breakout stars from music, film, tech and more across 1600 events. Whether you need creative inspiration, want to catch artists in intimate settings or are just looking for fun gigs and parties in Sydney, there’s plenty to choose from on the line-up – it runs from October 13 to 19.

It’s a rare opportunity to see an up-and-coming artist before they blow up, catch your favourites play exclusive shows, and be the first to see new films featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest names.

Want to get stuck into all things music and film? Here are some program highlights you’ll need to see.

Musicians

Get ready to discover a stellar line-up of homegrown talent at the SXSW Sydney Music Festival. Catch sets from boundary-pushing electronic artist Ninajirachi, emerging rapper Jamaica Moana, alt-rock quintet Sleepazoid and the self-proclaimed “most chill band from Arnhem Land” Drifting Clouds. International highlights include Indian singer-songwriter Rashmeet Kaur, hip-dut (a blend of hip-hop and Indonesian folk) trio Tenxi, Jemsii & Naykilla, American indie rockers Whitney and a trio of UK artists working in multiple genres: Freak Slug, Bawo and Jasmine.4.t.

Music events

Outside individual sets, you can catch musicians sharing the stage at a range of exciting festival events. SXSW Sydney’s free program, SXSW Sydney Unlocked, hosts Hoops & Everything – a mini-fest co-curated by Triple J Hottest 100 Winners The Rubens, where you’ll see them perform alongside Whitney, Folk Bitch Trio, Velvet Trip and Mariae Cassandra. Then dust off your boots for Tumbalong Honky Tonk with line-dancing lessons and music from country artists Max Jackson, The Washboard Union, Lewis Love and Big Wheels.

The International Stage showcases the aforementioned Tenxi, Jemsii & Naykilla, as well as Angela Ken, Tia Ray and Psychic Fever. Meanwhile, Blak to the Future celebrates emerging First Nations filmmakers and musicians, so you can catch a movie and a show all in one go.

For those with a Pass or Wristband, there’s a range of fascinating parties, showcases and mixers hosted by Laneway Festival, British Music Embassy, Triple J, Virgin Music, Awesome Black, Impressed Recordings and Jazz Re:freshed.

Screen program headliners

If you’re looking for entertainment beyond music, SXSW Sydney’s Screen Festival is stacked with more than 100 feature films, five world premieres and 39 Australian premieres. Catch The Bear ’s Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. Enjoy something light-hearted with music mockumentary Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, or dark comedies If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Bugonia and Die, My Love. For something darker, you can also watch the Australian premiere of horror film Black Phone 2.

Paul Feig Retrospective

How often do you get to sit down with a famous director and learn how they create movies? Hollywood filmmaker Paul Feig is in town to receive the inaugural SXSW Sydney Screen Pioneer Award. To celebrate, SXSW Sydney is hosting a Paul Feig Retrospective featuring Bridesmaids on the big screen (followed by a Q&A with Paul himself), plus screenings of The Heat and a 14-hour Freaks and Geeks marathon.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with SXSW Sydney. SXSW Sydney takes place from October 13 to 19. Check out more Music Festival and Screen Festival highlights at sxswsydney.com.