The Circuit

Helmers Richard Linklater and Todd Haynes will join the 2009 South by Southwest confab.  Haynes and Linklater will discuss indie filmmaking together via their recent work, "I'm Not There" and "Me and Orson Welles," respectively.  It marks the first time Haynes has traveled to the Austin event.

"I couldn't be more pleased with this first round of speaker announcements, "said Janet Pierson, Producer of SXSW Film Conference and Festival. "These are vital innovators, and true ambassadors for the spirit of SXSW.  In these turbulent times we feel this is more important than ever as we head further and faster into unknown territory"

Other speakers include IMDb.com founder Col Needham who will outline how his simple spreadsheet became the industry go-to destination for film info, which was acquired by Amazon in 1998. German producer Jan Harlan will discuss working with his brother-in-law, Stanley Kubrick, on such films as "Barry Lyndon," "The Shining," and "Eyes Wide Shut." 

The 16th SXSW Film Conference and Festival will run in March 13-21, 2009 in Austin, TX.