Emma Higgins’ thriller Sweetness (pictured) will make its world premiere at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival next month.

The film, written and directed by Higgins, is produced by Taj Critchlow for his Toronto and L.A.-based prodco Fela and Daniel Quinn for his Ontario prodco When We Were Kids Entertainment. It follows a teenage girl whose plan to help her favourite artist after discovering he is a drug addict soon turns dark.

Filmed in North Bay, Ont. from April 15 to May 8, 2024, Sweetness stars Kate Hallett (Women Talking), Herman Tømmeraas (Ragnarok), Aya Furukawa (The Midnight Club), Justin Chatwin (Shameless), Amanda Brugel (The Handmaid’s Tale), Steven Ogg (Dark Match) and Julius Cho (Children Ruin Everything).

Toronto-based Elevation Pictures is handling Canadian distribution while U.K.-based Altitude Films is the international sales agent.

Sweetness was supported by Telefilm Canada, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and Ontario Creates. Higgins has previously directed music videos such as Jessie Reyez’ “No One’s in the Room” and commercials for companies such as McCain, Best Buy and Cheetos.

Elsewhere, R.T. Thorne’s 40 Acres will make its U.S. premiere at SXSW. The post-apocalyptic thriller, produced by Jennifer Holness for Hungry Eyes Media and written by Thorne and Glenn Taylor, is executive produced by Critchlow, Thorne, Danielle Deadwyler, Sudz Sutherland, John Lang, Mark Gingras and Andrew Frank. Mongrel Media is the film’s Canadian distributor.

Writer-director Alexander Farah’s short film One Day This Kid (Wallop Film, Boldly), produced by Joaquin Cardoner, will make its Texas premiere at the festival as well. Along with 40 Acres, it had its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Both were selections for TIFF’s annual Canada’s Top Ten.

SXSW runs from March 7 to 15.

Image courtesy of SXSW and Sweetness