Proud parents keep it all in the family at SXSW

[Family, from E1]

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"THEIR TOWN" was written by Mark Duplass, directed by Katie Aselton, right, and starred their daughter Ora Aselton, Duplass says the experience was moving.

(ROBBY KLEIN Getty Images for IMDb)

Nairy, has a small role as well.) The story is about a family that makes low-budget horror movies together, touching on the growing tensions their lack of success creates among them and the lengths they will go to for their latest project.

“Their Town,” about two high school students connecting after they are thrown together for a school play, is directed by Katie Aselton, written by her husband Mark Duplass and stars their 18-year-old daughter Ora Duplass in her first feature.

There are several other films at SXSW with family ties: Jonás Cuarón’s literary adaptation “Campeón Gabacho” is produced by his father, Alfonso Cuarón, and features music by his cousin Mateo Cuarón. Dempsey Bryk directs his brother Billy Bryk in the comedy “Crash Land.” And Maude Apatow directs her mother Leslie Mann in the dramedy “Poetic License.”

On a video call from a Santa Monica post-production facility where they were finishing their movie shortly before the festival, both Bacon and Sedgwick acknowledge that they co-directed “Family Movie” but because of DGA rules, only one of them could be credited. They decided on Bacon.

“It was actually a really good one for us to direct together because we're both acting in it,” says Bacon. “So if we had a scene where Kyra was in hair and makeup and wardrobe, I could be by the monitor. And my technique for directing her is usually just staying out of her way and making sure that the camera’s in the right spot. If we were both in the scene, it would become a little bit more of a collaboration.”