SXSW Film & TV Festival Welcomes Peter Debruge as New Director

The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film & TV Festival has appointed former Variety chief film critic, Peter Debruge, as its new Director, effective April 6.

Debruge succeeds Claudette Godfrey, who has led the festival for nearly two decades and is stepping down from her position. Godfrey’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping the festival’s direction and impact over the years.

With over 20 years at Variety, Debruge has an extensive background in film criticism. He started as a special editor, eventually becoming the third Chief Film Critic in the publication’s history. In this role, he penned more than 2,000 reviews and reported from major international film festivals for the past decade. His contributions to the film industry were recognized when he was knighted by France in the Order of Arts and Letters.
Returning to his Texas roots, Debruge grew up in Waco and studied film at the University of Texas at Austin. His early career included co-editing the entertainment section of The Daily Texan alongside former SXSW Film head Matt Dentler and contributing to The Austin Chronicle, where he reported on SXSW in the late 1990s. He has also served on juries at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, São Paulo, and Reykjavik, and is a co-founder of the Animation Is Film Festival.
During Godfrey’s tenure, she supported emerging filmmakers such as Janicza Bravo, the Safdie brothers, and the Daniels, whose film Everything Everywhere All at Once premiered at SXSW and later won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

“Claudette has been an integral part of SXSW for many years, and her leadership has helped shape what the Film & TV Festival is today,” said Greg Rosenbaum, SVP of Programming at SXSW. “She has built a program that is both globally relevant and deeply rooted in discovery, and we’re incredibly grateful for her contributions.”
“Peter brings a unique perspective and a deep passion for storytelling that aligns closely with SXSW’s mission,” said Jenny Connelly, Director in Charge at SXSW. “We’re excited for him to build on the strong foundation that Claudette established and lead the festival into its next chapter.”
“There’s a certain poetry to this appointment, which brings me back to the festival that is nearest and dearest to my heart, in the place I spent my formative years,” said Debruge. “I’ve been attending SXSW for nearly three decades during which time, I’ve seen SXSW grow and evolve into a world-class film festival. I’m in awe and admiration of the groundbreaking creative work done by Matt Dentler, Janet Pierson, and Claudette Godfrey, and am honored to be joining the team to carry forward SXSW’s legacy of championing visionary voices. I will be eternally grateful to Variety for 20 incredible years, which taught me so much about the film industry and allowed me to travel the world, from Tokyo to Cannes, discovering all the great filmmakers (and festivals) the world has to offer.”