Proud parents and kids rising to the occasion: Keeping it all in the family at South by Southwest

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It’s a common saying in filmmaking that cast and crew become like a family. This year’s SXSW festival features several movies where that’s literally true – many of the people involved are actually related.

“Family Movie” stars real-life couple Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, along with their children, Sosie and Travis Bacon. The film follows this family as they create low-budget horror movies, exploring the strain their lack of success puts on their relationships and how far they’ll go to finish their newest film. Actor Scoot McNairy, who is dating Sosie Bacon, also makes a brief appearance.

Katie Aselton directs “Their Town,” a film about a connection between two high school students brought together by a school play. The script is by her husband, Mark Duplass, and their daughter, Ora Duplass, makes her feature film debut as one of the stars.

Movies

This year’s SXSW Film & TV Festival will feature new movies and shows with Keke Palmer, Elle Fanning, Nick Offerman, Hannah Einbinder, Lola Tung, and other talented actors.

Several films at SXSW showcase family connections. Jonás Cuarón’s “Campeón Gabacho” was produced by his father, Alfonso Cuarón, with music from cousin Mateo Cuarón. In the comedy “Crash Land,” Dempsey Bryk directs his brother Billy. And Maude Apatow directed her mother, Leslie Mann, in the dramedy “Poetic License.”

Speaking from a Santa Monica editing studio while putting the finishing touches on their film before the festival, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick explained that they both directed “Family Movie,” but due to Directors Guild of America regulations, only one person could receive official directing credit. They chose to credit Bacon.

Working with my husband, Kevin Bacon, on this project was great because we both had roles as actors! It meant that when one of us was getting ready – like Kyra with hair and makeup – the other could focus on the directing side of things. My approach to directing Kyra is usually pretty hands-off; I just make sure the camera is set up and then let her do her thing. When we were both in a scene together, it naturally became more of a team effort.

The project started with a short film they created together on their Connecticut farm during the pandemic. As Sedgwick jokingly said, they’re dedicated workers hoping this publicity leads to more opportunities. They then began developing an idea for a full-length movie about a family involved in filmmaking. When screenwriter Dan Beers joined the team, he interviewed Sedgwick, Bacon, and their children, and the script evolved into a comedy.

Sedgwick explains the movie has layers of meaning, but ultimately, it was a project created for their family to enjoy as a shared experience.

“And honestly, we didn’t know that the kids were going to say yes,” notes Bacon.

Sedgwick recalls being hopeful that her children would be interested in the idea, but she initially doubted they would agree. To her surprise and delight, they were enthusiastic and eager to participate, which made her incredibly happy.

The Bacon-Sedgwick family filmed scenes on a ranch near Round Top, Texas. Kevin Bacon had initially visited the location while attending SXSW last year for his series, “The Bondsman.” While Sosie Bacon is a seasoned actress known for roles in films like “Smile” and the show “Scarpetta,” her brother Travis, a musician, was new to acting. He also composed the music for the film “Family Movie.”

Before the project began, there was some worry that the family‘s real-life relationships would either create genuine chemistry on screen, or simply lead to awkward, tense interactions that would be noticeable to viewers.

But that didn’t prove to be an issue. Much.

Bacon observed that the family’s relationships were clear on set. However, he was deeply impressed by his children, praising their dedication, professionalism, and kindness. While he admitted they weren’t entirely surprised by this, seeing it firsthand was a moving and almost magical experience.

During filming, the four actors lived together on the same property, in separate small houses. This allowed them to spend a lot of extra time together, and they often started their days with coffee as a group.

It’s tough watching your kids grow up and become adults, because you don’t really get to see how they’re handling things day-to-day. Getting to see them as adults, though, and realizing they’re genuinely good people? That was such a relief and a wonderful gift. It easily could have gone the other way, and I’m so grateful it didn’t!

The heartwarming feeling parents get when they see their children grow into themselves also inspired the Aselton-Duplass family’s project, “Their Town.” Mark Duplass wrote it with his daughter, Ora, in mind, noticing that friendships were often just as important to her generation as romantic relationships – something he didn’t see represented in other young adult stories. He soon realized the perfect person to direct it was Ora’s mother, Aselton.

Just before the SXSW festival began, Mark Duplass was at his company’s office in Highland Park, while Katie Aselton joined the call from home in Los Angeles. Their sister, Ora Duplass, was finishing up filming for the new Disney+ series, “Coven Academy,” in Vancouver.

It’s funny, when my partner and I became parents, we had this whole vision of sharing everything we loved with our daughter. We imagined her loving all the same movies and music as us. But it didn’t really work out that way! She doesn’t always share our tastes, and honestly, we don’t always get hers. But it’s led to something really special – we approach things from different perspectives, and it’s actually created a beautiful mix of influences.

He explained that she really came into her own as an individual, fighting hard to establish her identity during her teenage years. He believes this journey made her a better actor, and ultimately improved the movie. The final result is different – and more meaningful – than he originally envisioned.

Director Aselton, known for films like ‘The Freebie’ and ‘Magic Hour’, explains that the film involved complex family relationships. However, she adds that a movie set often feels like a family anyway – a place where everyone relies on each other and shares similar emotional challenges.

Ora Duplass was initially worried about working with her mother, but she quickly realized their close relationship actually helped on set.

She believes they handled keeping their personal and professional roles separate effectively, but also wonders if it was even necessary. In the moment, her mother was simply there to support her – both as a parent and as the director guiding her through the scene – and that connection worked beautifully.

Aselton says it’s a real advantage as a director to understand the emotional range of your main actor. Knowing what an actor is capable of is especially great when you haven’t worked with them long – you don’t always have that insight when you first meet someone.

Like Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, Mark Duplass views his daughter as an independent adult and finds it deeply touching.

I don’t want to sound cliché, but as her dad, I have to say this: Watching Ora grow up during the COVID pandemic was really tough on her generation. We wanted to challenge her with this project, but we didn’t know what to expect. Seeing her work these long, cold nights and really push herself was incredible. It was one of the most amazing moments as a parent – seeing your child discover something they’re passionate about and excel at, and that happened with this film.

Sedgwick and Bacon admit that whether these families reconcile isn’t completely within their control.

Sedgwick chuckles, admitting, “I think they’re probably tired of dealing with us!” She describes her own experience as wonderful from start to finish, though not without its challenges. Ultimately, she says it exceeded all her expectations.

According to Duplass and Aselton, their younger daughter, Molly, isn’t interested in pursuing a career in entertainment. Meanwhile, their other daughter, Ora, appears to be building her own career independently.

I’m 49 and feel like I’m at a point in my career where I’m losing my creative spark,” the Morning Show star joked. “I’d be happy to step back and let someone like Ora take the lead – I’d love to support her success and happily fade into retirement alongside her. That sounds perfect to me.

Asks Aselton, “Can we be nepo-parents?”

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2026-03-18 13:33