As March rolls around, Austin begins setting up for one of the biggest events of the year. South by Southwest serves as proof of the grounded yet growing art scene here in Austin, but also around the world. Thousands of volunteers, filmmakers, artists, students and spectators arrive to immerse themselves in the incredible work of talented artists of all ages. 

Among them stands a group of people with a stark contrast to the others: their middle and ring fingers held down by their thumb as they proudly exclaim “Hook ‘em!” for pictures. The University of Texas at Austin’s radio-television-film department has deep roots within SXSW from the beginning. Some attendees are festival veterans, some are having their first professional premiere and others are beloved faces of the film industry, but they are all bonded by their connection to UT Austin, and more often than not, the Moody College of Communication. 

When Kayla Abuda Galang first arrived to Moody 15 years ago as a radio-television-film student, and eventually, journalism too, she felt unsure of her career. As one of the many students who came into film school with the vague idea of wanting to be a writer or director, she took as many classes across the spectrum of film production as possible. She submitted her first film, “Joan on the Phone” to SXSW in 2016, which she created in professor PJ Raval’s cinematography class. The film went on to premiere at the festival, and Galang became a regular, with films premiering in 2021 and 2023 and another this year. 

She describes SXSW as a “culture festival” for diverse minds to come together and network, and a “big playground” to explore and learn, much like her alma mater. 

“Another important part of my experience (at UT Austin) was finding collaborators,” she said. “I met my co-editor, Matt Striker, in my thesis class, and we've worked together on nearly everything since. I also met my producing partners, Olympia and Samantha, in film school, as well as my partner, who’s also my go-to composer and audio engineer. It's amazing that over 10 years later, we still work together. It’s a special feeling to still collaborate with these people, and it’s become second nature for us." 

Her experience with bringing Moody College alumni together for her films serves as an example of the incredible work that alumni created together upon graduation. 

Galang’s fellow classmate and cinematographer Ivy Chiu, who worked with her on her 2025 SXSW Texas Shorts selection, “An Ongoing List of Things Found in the Library Book Drop, Usually Being Used as Bookmarks,” shared a similar sentiment about SXSW.

"South by Southwest has grown so much over the years. I’ve been here for 15 years, and every year it just gets crazier and crazier,” Chiu said. “Austin is a city full of energy, especially at a time like this when filmmakers from all over the world are coming together, but it’s not just filmmakers — it's also ideas. There's tech, education and music, and music is one of my favorite parts of the festival because most festivals focus on one element. This city is well-rounded; we think about our lives in a more holistic way, investing in education, technology, filmmaking and the arts. It’s an ecosystem of creativity.” 

Chiu spoke at a panel at SXSW in 2024 about queer innovators, and has premiered numerous films at the festival over the past 15 years. Chiu and Galang graduated together, and finally worked together on “Library Book Drop,” which premiered at the festival March 7. 

Within SXSW, many UT filmmakers have their films screened under the Texas Shorts section, which highlights Texas filmmakers only. 

Chiu, a veteran of this category, said “I particularly love the Texas Short Program at the festival, which highlights local creatives who continue to stay here. For our arts to flourish and for artists to thrive, it’s important for them to be able to live and work in this community.” 

Galang and Chiu’s classmate Miles Foster-Greenwood, an Austin-based sound mixer whose credits include “Boyhood” (2014) and “Hit Man” (2023), also regularly drops by SXSW.

“It's always exciting to see your work showcased in such a great venue,” he said, referencing his work as a dialogue editor on “Tower” (2016), which premiered at the Paramount Theatre at the 2016 festival. 

As a staple of our “weird” city, the festival develops as the times and state of the world evolve, and through the COVID-19 pandemic, political adjustments and leadership changes, SXSW serves as a stable yet ever-growing home for artists globally, and more importantly, Texas-based creatives.

“It’s always different, and that’s what makes it special," Chiu said.