The radical ‘silliness’ of ‘I Love Boosters’ opens South by Southwest

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Recently, there’s been a lot of discussion about how much politics should be included in film festivals. The SXSW Film & TV Festival addressed this question by choosing director Boots Riley’s “I Love Boosters” to open the festival.

Riley isn’t afraid to share his strong opinions on many different subjects, and his movie, “Boosters,” clearly favors workers and is critical of corporations – sometimes leaning towards extreme viewpoints. Despite these strong beliefs, the film is also delightfully strange, comical, and genuinely entertaining. It’s far from preachy or boring – you won’t find any lectures here!

You know, watching the event last night, I was a little surprised. Given everything happening in the world – the situation in the Middle East, or even debates around immigration here at home – I expected maybe a comment or two from Riley, or someone, but those topics just weren’t touched on at all during the presentation at the Paramount. Still, I’m really looking forward to seeing the finished film when Neon releases it on May 22nd.

Movies

I’m really excited for SXSW this year! They’ve got a fantastic lineup of new movies and shows, and I’m especially keen to see what Keke Palmer, Elle Fanning, Nick Offerman, Hannah Einbinder, and Lola Tung are bringing to the festival. It looks like a great year for film and TV!

Keke Palmer plays Corvette in a movie about a group of friends – Sade (Naomi Ackie) and Mariah (Taylour Paige) – who steal items and resell them for cheap. Their lives get even more complicated when they team up with a factory worker (Poppy Liu) to take down a powerful and demanding fashion industry leader (Demi Moore).

Okay, so this movie has this amazing car chase, but it’s done with tiny models and stop-motion – and it’s seriously creepy because the figures chasing look like they’ve peeled off their skin! Honestly, the whole thing is just completely bonkers, super fun, and you never know what’s going to happen next. It’s a total ride!

After introducing the film beforehand, Riley and SXSW festival director Claudette Godfrey welcomed most of the impressive cast onstage: Palmer, Ackie, Paige, Liu, Moore, Eiza González, and LaKeith Stanfield.

When asked about the inspiration for the film, Riley explained that he had often purchased items from scalpers or those reselling goods at inflated prices.

I remember seeing Riley, looking fantastic as always in his big hat and this amazing floral suit, explain that the whole movie really started with him pondering fashion. He said thinking about the fashion world specifically sparked the initial idea and sent him down this creative path.

Riley wondered how something gains its worth and what determines that value. Is it simply the initial concept, or the effort involved in actually creating it? She also pointed out that many people want to participate in art and cultural discussions, but it’s becoming increasingly expensive to do so.

Palmer mentioned she’s seen the movie several times, but something really stood out to her during this latest viewing. She explained, “It’s a Boots Riley film, and I really enjoy watching his work.”

What I really love about revisiting this filmmaker’s work is discovering all the subtle details and hidden meanings he packed into every scene. It makes me think about how, no matter who we are, we’re all facing our own personal battles. If we could just support each other instead of constantly fighting alone, I think we’d all be a lot better off. That’s really what resonates with me about it.

Palmer explained that the important device in the story is called the “situational accelerator.”

Liu recalled being moved to tears the first time they watched the film, particularly during the scenes depicting global workers organizing and rebelling. They added that the timing of seeing those scenes felt especially powerful right now.

Lakeith Stanfield previously worked with Boots Riley on his first film, “Sorry to Bother You.” He shared a surprising detail about a memorable scene: his wife, Kasmere Trice Stanfield, who was present in the audience, actually played his scene partner.

Stanfield expressed his joy at working with Riley again, saying it was wonderful to reconnect. He even told Riley to reach out to him directly for future projects.

“Call me too,” said Paige.

“Me three,” added Palmer.

“You need a Chinese girl in every movie now,” said Liu.

“And a Mexican,” chimed in González.

The event struck a great balance between being sophisticated and fun. There was a memorable moment when Riley noticed Eric Andre, who appears in the film, was in the audience. Andre received applause as he explained that he’d been mistaken for Riley by photographers, which is how he was able to attend the screening. Riley then shared that he sometimes gets free items at liquor stores because people confuse him with Andre.

“To be fair,” said Stanfield to Andre, “I also thought that you were him.”

Andre said with playful offense, responding to the audience’s laughter, “You all see us as the same, don’t you?”

Moore was surprised and thrilled to be cast in Boots Riley’s project, admitting she wouldn’t have initially considered herself a fit. She described the role of the villainous fashion designer as unexpected and exciting, offering a unique opportunity to take risks and explore a different kind of character. She felt it was a chance to do something she hadn’t done before.

The conversation was getting chaotic, with everyone trying to talk at the same time. Paige joked about Riley, saying he reminded her of having sisters—everyone talking over each other and giggling, while he politely tried to get things started.

As the question-and-answer session ended, Riley became more earnest. He explained that while the movie is fun, it also addresses crucial issues. He believes it’s a timely reminder that we all need to find ways to create positive change, combat extremist ideologies, and reshape the world around us.

Look, I’m telling you, everyone needs to know about this film. Seriously, spread the word! It’s easy to assume, because Neon is distributing and they’re fantastic, that it’s a done deal, that it’ll find its audience. But that’s not the case. We really need to get the word out there – it needs all the support it can get.

Even as people started leaving and the theater crew prepared for the next performance, Riley kept talking, calling out the names of his wife, children, and other family members in the audience until he finally left the stage.

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2026-03-14 00:31