He Bled Neon at SXSW
Drew Kirsch’s neon‑noir thriller He Bled Neon premiered at SXSW on March 16 with a cast including Joe Cole, Rita Ora, and Marshawn Lynch — critics flagged its retro neon aesthetic as a standout []. SXSW also pushed genre titles like Chili Finger and Kill Me into the conversation this year, keeping the festival’s edgy side strong [].
The film was produced (schedule.sxsw.com) by XYZ Films, with WME Independent and XYZ listed as the festival sales contacts for potential distribution deals. The score was crafted (variety.com) by electronic artist Zhu alongside composer Joe Trapanese, who described it as a deliberately "dark, propulsive" sonic backbone for the movie. Principal photography wrapped in and around Albuquerque in October 2024 (santafenewmexican.com), with the production using local locations to double for Las Vegas streets and neon-lit interiors. SXSW’s scheduling page lists an additional public screening at Alamo Lamar 5 on March 18, 2026 (schedule.sxsw.com), and festival listings record the film at roughly 85 minutes runtime. (therichmondreviewer.com) Early reviews out of Austin were split: some outlets praised the film’s visuals and 90s-tinged pulse (joshatthemovies.com), while others criticized its screenplay for leaning too heavily on genre tropes. (fandomwire.com) He Bled Neon marks director Drew Kirsch’s jump from music-video and commercial work into features, a transition noted by local press as a major career step. (kxan.com)
