Newly formed Australian independent production banner Filmbarr is making its formal debut at SXSW 2026 with two films in the festival’s lineup, anchored by the world premiere of psychological thriller “And Her Body Was Never Found,” while simultaneously unveiling a four-title slate that spans elevated horror, true crime and prestige drama.
Founded by Tristan Barr (“Subject,” “Head Count”), longtime collaborator Josh Doke – one of the forces behind breakout indie hit “Skinamarink” – and producing partner Erin Crittenden (“The Grand Tour,” “Seven Snipers”), Filmbarr is positioning itself as a home for formally inventive, filmmaker-driven genre cinema built to travel internationally. The company’s mandate centers on pairing bold directors with recognizable international casts, bridging festival and commercial audiences at disciplined budget levels.
“And Her Body Was Never Found,” which lands in SXSW’s Visions section for risk-taking artists, is perhaps the most literal embodiment of that philosophy. Inspired by the self-contained filmmaking ethos of Robert Rodriguez, Banks and Cohen wrote, directed, and starred in the film – essentially functioning as their own crew – shooting across Washington State’s national parks while hauling their own gear and operating out of a rental van. The script was assembled from real arguments between the couple, reframed as a cinematic metaphor for being trapped in a communicative spiral, as their characters’ attempts to reconnect devolve into murder. The pair generated the film’s entire budget through clinical trial participation and credit cards.
Also premiering at SXSW is “Dead Eyes,” a visceral horror feature from director Richard Williams shot entirely in a specialist-designed first-person POV format. The film stars Mischa Heyward (“Bring Her Back”), Ana Thu Nguyen (“Mortal Kombat”), Stephen Phillips (“Bring Her Back”), Alea O’Shea (“Sissy”) and Charles Cottier (“Demon Disorder”).
Beyond SXSW, Filmbarr has two additional titles in the pipeline. Australian fantasy-horror “Deathkeeper” will world premiere at FrightFest in March. Based on a novel, the elevated genre film follows an angel cursed to age decades each time he saves a life, and features an ensemble cast including Shuang Hu (“Five Blind Dates”), Peter Thurnwald (“XO, Kitty”), Isabella Procida (“Rock Island Mysteries”), Charles Cottier (“Seven Snipers”), George Pullar (“Evil Dead Burn”) and Matt Caffoe (“Dunny Derby”). Collectively the cast commands more than 18 million social media followers, reflecting Filmbarr’s strategy of aligning traditional genre storytelling with strong digital reach.
Rounding out the slate is “Cut Sick,” a psychological crime drama directed by Amanda Kaye exploring the story of one of Australia’s most notorious female murderers. The project previously participated in the Biennale College Cinema at the Venice Film Festival and is moving into production later this year, signaling Filmbarr’s expansion into prestige-leaning true crime with strong international festival potential. Action feature “Seven Snipers,” starring Tim Roth, Radha Mitchell, Ioan Gruffudd and Ryan Kwanten, is also among the company’s upcoming releases.
“The independent market has tightened significantly, particularly around pre-sales,” said Barr. “To compete in a landscape dominated by IP and in-house streamer production, the model must evolve. Audiences will always look for singular authentic voices and distinct cinematic experiences. We’re building Filmbarr around projects that can cut through on originality.”
Crittenden added: “Budgets are contracting, but the tools available to filmmakers have never been more powerful. Technology is enabling ambitious storytelling at a fraction of traditional costs. The opportunity now lies in backing filmmakers with bold perspectives and giving them the creative latitude to deliver something the market hasn’t seen before.”
Banks said of “And Her Body Was Never Found”: “We really put everything we had into this movie, not only our finances, but our experiences, our secrets, our fears. Both of us have dreamed of making movies our entire lives, though, so what could be more worth the risk?”
Cohen added: “We studied the dysfunction in our communication inside and out, and learned to accept and rely on each other in ways we never thought possible.”
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