Daisy Ridley in We Bury the Dead.
Western Australian survival thriller, We Bury the Dead has been selected to make its world premiere at the iconic South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas in March 2025.
Starring Daisy Ridley, (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens), Brenton Thwaites (Titans) and Mark Coles Smith (Mystery Road: Origin), We Bury the Dead is a gripping and emotional thriller set after a military experiment decimates the people of Tasmania.
Production took place across Albany and the Great Southern region in Western Australia last year.
Writer and director Zak Hilditch (1922, These Final Hours, Rattlesnake) has delivered a chilling, survival thriller that breathes new life into the apocalyptic zombie genre.
“It’s an absolute honour to have the film selected to SXSW this year. It’s such a cool festival and the perfect place to help launch We Bury the Dead in 2025. I also can’t wait to showcase Albany on the big screen over there in Austin. The town went out of their way to welcome us during the shoot, and this is such an awesome way to pay homage to everyone who helped us along the way.” said Hilditch.
Nicolas Cage in The Surfer.
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 2025, following its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2024.
Cage spent several weeks filming in Yallingup, known for its iconic beaches, in the South West of WA in 2023.
The psychological thriller was made possible thanks to the State Government’s WA Production Attraction Incentive – Australia’s most competitive incentive, which is designed to attract high profile, market driven screen productions to the State.
“We are thrilled to see two Western Australian productions selected for such an iconic international festival. Both films were filmed entirely in WA with a majority WA crew, and We Bury the Dead was also written and directed by a WA writer/director, Zak Hilditch. Congratulations to both teams!” said Rikki Lea Bestall, Screenwest CEO.
We Bury the Dead and The Surfer will screen at SXSW in Austin, Texas during the festival which runs from 7-15 March 2025.
PRESS RELEASE
Cinema Australia 
WE BURY THE DEAD has already had its world premiere, at the Adelaide Film Festival last year.
Hi Travis,
The screening of We Bury the Dead at Adelaide Film Festival was an early look at an incomplete version of the film.
The SXSW screening will be the official world premiere of the complete final cut of the film, and the version of the film that will be released publicly.