South by Southwest (SXSW) announced today that NEON’s “I Love Boosters,” the latest film from visionary filmmaker Boots Riley, will make its World Premiere as the Opening Night Film of the 2026 Film & TV Festival, marking SXSW’s 40th year.
A crew of professional shoplifters takes aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. It’s like community service. The film features an all-star ensemble cast, including Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza Gonzalez, LaKeith Stanfield, Don Cheadle, and Demi Moore.
Riley debuted his breakout first feature film, “Sorry to Bother You,” at the festival in 2018 and returned in 2023 with the world premiere of his acclaimed series “I Am A Virgo.” “I Love Boosters” is only his second feature film, yet it further cements his singular voice and builds on a career that spans decades of making music with groups The Coup and the Street Sweeper Social Club with Tom Morello. The festival has long celebrated Riley’s undeniably authentic and culture-shaping works, each brought to life by his extraordinary ensembles and kaleidoscopic visions.
“The Velvet Gang has officially cased Austin and decided Opening Night at SXSW 2026 will be the start of their global takeover! We are beyond thrilled to kick off the festival with the World Premiere of Boots Riley’s ‘I Love Boosters,'” said Claudette Godfrey, VP Film & TV. “Boots has created another wildly original and boundary-pushing vision that’s deliciously unpredictable. We can’t wait for our audience to be sucked into his singular, subversive world where razor-sharp social commentary meets fearless, surreal storytelling and eye-popping imagery—all powered by a ridiculously stacked cast of some of the most talented actors on the planet. ‘I Love Boosters’ is audacious, entertaining, and guaranteed to get our festival off to an unforgettable start. Trust us, you’ll want to be there when The Velvet Gang bursts onto the scene!”
The 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival will announce its programming slate in January.
In addition to Film & TV festival screenings, registrants also have access to Conference Keynotes, Featured Speakers, Mentor Sessions, Networking Meet-Ups, Comedy Festival Showcases, Exhibitions, and Professional Development.
Badge prices will increase on Thursday, December 4th, at 11:59 pm PT. Attendees who register before the deadline can save up to $400 on a Film & TV Badge or up to $600 on a Platinum Badge compared to walk-up rates. For more information on everything SXSW has to offer, please visit sxsw.com.
What do you think of this announcement? Are you excited to see “I Love Boosters?” What were your thoughts on “Sorry to Bother You?” Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our X account.
