SXSW Sydney Screen Festival Paul Feig Retrospective

Overview

When Freaks and Geeks first aired on Australian TV, it was one of those series that you had to actively search the television guide for. If you were devotedly scouring the listings at the time, then you already knew that the Paul Feig (Another Simple Favour)-created show was instantly among the coming-of-age greats, and also destined for a cult following. The past quarter century has proven that true of this glimpse at 80s-era suburban high-school life, but here's something that viewers back in the late-90s and early-00s couldn't have foreseen: a 14-hour marathon featuring all 18 episodes of the series screening at SXSW Sydney in 2025.

Feig is SXSW Sydney's Screen Festival keynote speaker and its first recipient of the new SXSW Sydney Screen Pioneer Award. If that's not enough love for the director, writer, producer and actor, the Harbour City fest is also pairing his visit, chat and accolade with a retrospective of his work. Audiences can see three key titles from across the filmmaker's career, including that all-day stint with Freaks and Geeks.

If you're keen to binge-watch the Jason Segel (Shrinking)-, Linda Cardellini (Nonnas)-, Seth Rogen (The Studio)-, Busy Phillips (Girls5eva)-, John Francis Daley (Game Night)- and Martin Starr (Tulsa King)-starring show on the big screen, that's on the agenda at the Ritz Cinema in Randwick on Saturday, October 18, kicking off at 9.30am.

Or, a few days earlier, you can see the cinematic comedy sensation that is Bridesmaids, complete with Feig in attendance and taking part in a Q&A. If you have any burning questions about the Maya Rudolph (Loot)-, Kristen Wiig (Palm Royale)- and Rose Byrne (Physical)-led flick, Wednesday, October 15 is your chance to ask them. For the film's wedding-themed chaos, you'll also be heading to the Ritz Cinema.

The third part of the retrospective program is a Sunday, October 19 session of The Heat, Feig's odd-couple buddy-cop comedy with Sandra Bullock (The Lost City) and Melissa McCarthy (Only Murders in the Building), also at the same venue.