SXSW has made its first major programming move for 2026, handing the opening-night slot to Boots Riley and NEON’s I Love Boosters. The film will world premiere March 12 as the kickoff to the SXSW Film & TV Festival, putting Riley back in Austin where he’s proven to be a favorite among festgoers.

Riley is closely tied to SXSW’s recent history. His debut feature Sorry to Bother You premiered there in 2018 and quickly became one of the festival’s most buzzed about titles that year, followed up with a strong theatrical run and a long tail on the awards-season circuit. He followed that with I’m a Virgo, which bowed at SXSW in 2023, marking yet another outing that had audiences talking long after the ending credits.

I Love Boosters centers on the Velvet Gang, a crew of professional shoplifters who set their sights on a powerful figure in the fashion industry. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the project will most certainly include Riley’s trademark blend of social critique and a left-field approach to the genre, rather than settling for a conventional caper. 

The ensemble cast includes a mix of heavy hitters and up-and-comers: Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, Don Cheadle and Demi Moore. This mix should give the project enough name recognition to operate beyond the standard indie breakout lane. 

SXSW 2026 runs March 12–18 in Austin, with the full Film & TV slate expected in January.