Get ready to see the horror genre through a terrifying new lens—literally. Australian director Richard E. Williams is bringing his visceral POV nightmare, Dead Eyes, to Austin for its world premiere at SXSW 2026.
If you’re at the fest, clear your schedule for Thursday, March 12, at 3:00 PM at Alamo Lamar 6. This isn’t just another found-footage flick. It’s a high-tech, first-person plunge into a world where grief takes a very physical, very hungry form.
The Nightmare: Clones, Cannibals, and Custom Cameras
The story follows Sean and his fiancée, Grace, as they trek into the forest to find Sean’s missing father, Paul. Paul disappeared after the tragic death of his youngest daughter, Lilly—but he didn’t go into the woods to mourn. He went there to experiment.
What they find is a forest crawling with cannibalistic mutants. Every one of them is a clone of Lilly, and they are all locked in a violent, grotesque battle to prove which one is the “real” daughter.
Why It’s Unique
To make the horror feel inescapable, Williams used a custom head-mounted Sony VENICE Rialto system. This means the audience sees exactly what the protagonist sees with cinematic clarity, putting you right in the middle of a relentless descent into body horror and psychological trauma.
The Team
The film is directed by Richard E. Williams, an Aussie filmmaker known for White Blood and a Slamdance screenwriting finalist.
It features an ensemble cast featuring Mischa Heywood (Bring Her Back), Ana Thu Nguyen (keep an eye out for her in the upcoming Mortal Kombat II), Charles Cottier, and Alea O’Shea.
World Premiere Details
The Dead Eyes makes its world debut at SXSW (Visions Section) on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 3:00 PM at the Alamo Lamar 6, Austin, TX.
With worldwide sales being handled by AMP, expect to hear a lot more about this film as it makes its way out of the Texas woods and into the global spotlight. In the meantime, watch the teaser trailer below. It will give you a glimpse of the horrors that await you.
