Variety:
Austin prides itself in being a little bit “out there” — a personality reflected in the Texas capital’s annual South by Southwest film fest. Maintaining that vibe was top priority for SXSW’s new film fest producer, Janet Pierson, who took over when fest head Matt Dentler ankled after 2008’s event. During his tenure, Dentler cultivated a scrappy, DIY brand of rising filmmakers including Joe Swanberg (“Hannah Takes the Stairs”), Barry Jenkins (“Medicine for Melancholy”), Seattle’s Lynn Shelton (“Humpday”) and brothers Jay and Mark Duplass (“The Puffy Chair”). Pierson also stuck to SXSW’s brand of indies, slotting the preem of fest regular Swanberg’s “Alexander the Last”; Andrew Bujalski’s latest, “Beeswax”; and Craig Johnson’s Seattle-filmed comedy “True Adolescents,” starring Mark Duplass and Melissa Leo.