Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky has been selected as a keynote speaker for March’s South by Southwest Conference and Festivals.
Featured speakers added to the programming lineup including musician Keith Urban, Luvvie Ajayi, W. Kamau Bell, investor Steve Ballmer, Yiying Lu and Stefan Blom.
“A provocative and virtuoso filmmaker, we’re thrilled to host Darren Aronofsky as one of SXSW Film’s 2018 Keynotes,” said Janet Pierson, Director of Film. “He’s been an original since his first independent work, and we know it will be a blast for our passionate SXSW audiences to hear his story.”
Aronofsky’s latest film “Mother!” stars Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and Michelle Pfeiffer. The film was not a strong box office performer with $39 million in worldwide grosses since its Sept. 15 debut. His 2010 film “Black Swan” grossed $340 million worldwide. His other films have included “The Wrestler,” “The Fountain,” “Requiem for a Dream,” and “Pi.”
Aronofsky joins previously announced SXSW keynote speakers Ta-Nehisi Coates (Convergence), Barry Jenkins (Film Keynote), Esther Perel (Interactive Keynote), and whurley (Convergence Keynote).
Writer and host of “With Friends Like These” podcast Ana Marie Cox, “This American Life” creator and host Ira Glass, design ethicist Tristan Harris, biophysicist and engineer Hugh Herr, Facebook Vice President of Messaging Products David Marcus, activist Bree Newsome, athlete and model Aimee Mullins, bestselling author Daniel H. Pink, Altimeter Principal Analyst and Futurist Brian Solis, and author Lawrence Wright were also announced Tuesday as featured speakers.
