by Chelsea Alexandra, Staff Writer

With SXSW wrapping up this past Saturday, I found that this year’s festival delivered an impressive lineup of films that captivated audiences from start to finish. From compelling short films to standout Narrative Spotlight features, moviegoers packed theaters searching for the latest and greatest that I hope will get a wide release soon. Amid all the buzz, I want to take a moment to highlight some of the documentaries that stood out in this year’s lineup. These films not only educated audiences on fascinating topics but also resonated on a deeply human level. At their core, they told stories that sparked relatability, inspired hope, and, in some cases, tugged hard at the heartstrings.

Other Side
Directed by Heather Hogan and Carter Oakley

Act 39 is a law that allows physicians to prescribe medication to terminally ill, competent adult patients for self-administration to aid in dying. Currently, ten states permit this medication to be administered, but only a few within that group do not require patients to be residents to qualify. Lynda Bluestein was a 76-year-old woman from Bridgeport, Connecticut, who was diagnosed with terminal ovarian and fallopian tube cancer. Connecticut does not permit medical aid in dying, so Bluestein pursued legal action in Vermont, which led to her becoming the first non-resident granted the right to utilize Vermont's medical aid-in-dying law. Other Side follows Bluestein’s journey to finally be administered the drug and how she chooses to spend the rest of her days.

Death is often an uncomfortable topic, yet when discussed, most people express simple wishes for their final moments. They want to die with dignity, in peace, and surrounded by those they love. That is all Lynda wants as well, she wants the ability to choose how she dies. A central message of this documentary is the right to control our autonomy and make choices about our lives. Lynda spent years of her existence as an activist, and into her dying days. It is an aspiring story of gaining control over one’s final days as much as they humanly can.

Director Heather Hogan is also a death doula, a person who provides emotional, physical, and spiritual support to individuals who are nearing the end of their lives. Hogan’s experience as a death doula is evident in the way the documentary is filmed. There are moments when the camera remains still, allowing whole minutes to pass as we watch Lynda in her wheelchair. Hogan creates space for viewers to witness Lynda's dying process, subtly conveying: that there's nothing to fear here. This is part of being human and death is the most human experience one can have.

Butthole Surfers: The Hole Truth and Nothing Butt
Written and Directed by Tom J. Stern

Wild, unpredictable, and outrageous would not even begin to sum up a band called Butthole Surfers. The Butthole Surfers embodied the raw essence of rock and roll—crammed into a battered camper van in the 1980s. The film opens up with a trigger warning about puppet violence which already begs the question of where this doc would be going and what one may mean by puppet. The band is known for its eclectic and experimental approach to music, blending elements of punk rock, noise rock, psychedelia, and avant-garde. Their sound often includes unconventional song structures, distorted vocals, and a mix of chaotic and trippy soundscapes. Their reckless, free-spirited existence cemented their status as underground legends, inspiring fans like Kurt Cobain. Butthole Surfers: The Hole Truth and Nothing Butt, like most music documentaries, follows the rise of the band with a series of interviews from famous musicians including Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Flea, Foo Fighters’ David Grohl, and even a filmmaker or two such as, Director Richard Linklater.

“This is the most normal I’ve ever been,” says Butthole Surfers guitarist Paul Leary biking through his sunny suburb. Leary narrates a surreal reenactment featuring puppets, depicting him and bandmate Gibby Haynes at Trinity College in San Antonio, bonding over Joy Division and weed. There comes a moment in the documentary when the electric and frantic energy of the first half begins to fade. The contrast between Haynes' and Leary's versions of "domestic life" in the present day injects a sharp dose of comedy.

This doc doesn’t just tell you about the band—it makes you feel what it was like to be a Butthole Surfer. The featured archival footage consumes you, bringing you into what it was like in the Golden Age of the Buthole Surfers. Even when they were at each other’s throats, there was an undeniable love between them, a bond forged through years of touring, excess, and pure creative madness. Beneath the chaos, the drugs, and the absurdity, they were a band rooted in genuine love and acceptance. What truly sets this film apart is its masterful use of animation and puppetry, turning their already surreal history into something even more bizarre and mesmerizing. It’s a refreshing break from the usual music doc.

Spreadsheet Champions
Directed by Kristina Kraskov

As an adult with an office job, I find Microsoft Excel almost impossible to avoid. At times, it has frustrated me to the point of tears; other times, I’ve celebrated small victories, like cracking a simple formula. When talking to some of the folks at SXSW, many mentioned how great this documentary was. As they described it, I couldn’t help but think about one of my favorite docs growing up, Spellbound (2002) which follows a group of students preparing for the Scripps Howard national spelling bee championship. I knew I had to find a way to see Spreadsheet Champions.

I was shocked to learn that the average casual user only taps into about 10%-15% of Excel’s capabilities whereas some use over 60% of the program, making Spreadsheet Champions so fascinating for me to watch. The documentary follows six young Excel prodigies: Mason (15, U.S.), Braydon (16, Australia), Camina (16, Guatemala), De La Paix (19, Cameroon), Nam (22, Vietnam), and Alkmini (20, Greece) – as they prepare to compete in the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship which takes place in Orlando, Florida. While the broader competition also includes Word and PowerPoint challenges, Spreadsheet Champions focuses entirely on Excel, showcasing the skill, strategy, and sheer determination it takes to master the program at the highest level. To qualify for this portion of the competition, they must first win their national championship.

Spreadsheet Champions truly excels (pun intended) in making every competitor someone you can root for, regardless of whether they win, place, or fall short. We follow these six competitors from their home countries as they train for the ultimate showdown in Orlando. But for many, victory isn’t just personal; it carries a deeper significance for their families, communities, and even their nations. For De La Paix and Camina, winning isn’t just about proving their technical skills—it’s about unlocking opportunities. A championship title could mean greater access to education, opening doors that might otherwise remain closed.

Their stories highlight the broader impact of this competition. It’s heartwarming to see how the competitors’ families rally behind them, even if they don’t fully grasp the intricacies of Excel. Their support is unwavering. What makes these young prodigies even more compelling is their humility—they’re remarkably modest about their skills and achievements. There are times throughout the competition where you see the test get the best of them. Sometimes with how great their intelligence is displayed, it is easy to forget that they are still kids who have insecurities. They are trying to balance the hopes of a promising future, the stress and anxiety to be the best with everyday teen growing pains. That humility makes it impossible not to root for them. So when the documentary reached the final competition, there was no choice but to root for everyone.

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