SXSW Film tickets - Will I get in at the door if i don't get the pass?

I live in Austin and want to see some movies and shorts reels during SXSW. I also have an out of town guest coming for 2 days. I realize we won't be able to get into the most popular movies, but what can we expect if we don't get passes and try to buy at the door? What kind of movies will we be more be able to get into? And how much waiting around at venues would this involve?

Are there single-admission tickets to the Festival screenings?

Yes. These will go on sale about 15 minutes prior to screening time if there is still seating available. The single admission ticket price is $10 for all screenings.


What should I do to ensure that I get a seat at a Festival screening?

Badge-holders should arrive at least 30 minutes early. All empty theater seats will then be filled by pass-holders, and then later single-admission ticket holders, at this time. If you have a pass or a badge, and you want to ensure you get a seat, we strongly urge you to arrive at screening venues at least 45 minutes before screening time. If you need to purchase a single-admission ticket, we recommend you arrive an hour or more before screening time, especially at smaller venues like the Alamo or Dobie.

No, you won't get in the door. Unfortunately, you can no longer buy day passes or individual tickets for specific shows; you have to purchase a badge.

Go to sxsw.com to register - the platinum badge ($1,050) gets you in to all of events, and the film badge ($400) covers all of the film venues.

It is really sad how much it has gone up - they market it to out-of-state/out-of-country tourists. When I first moved to Austin, you could pay $5 to get into any venue/event (without a badge or separate lines).