SXSW 2015: These six films could grab attention

Here are some of the films likely to get attention at this year’s South by Southwest movie festival:

‘Brand: A Second Coming’

Since his last film, “Arthur,” bombed at the box office and he divorced pop star Katy Perry, Russell Brand has largely been out of the Hollywood spotlight. In this intimate documentary directed by Ondi Timoner, Brand candidly dives into his past struggles — including his bouts with sex and drug addiction — and his recent turn to political activism.

‘Trainwreck’

This is poised to be Amy Schumer’s breakout year. The stand-up comedian is set to host the upcoming MTV Movie Awards, the third season of her television show on Comedy Central is about to premiere and she has her first starring movie role in this Judd Apatow-directed film. The movie, which she also wrote, follows a journalist who is surprised when her one-night stand turns into something more significant.

‘Lost River’

The writing-directing debut for actor Ryan Gosling, this dark fable received a bruising reception when it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival last year. The film’s U.S. premiere at South by Southwest could be a vital step in shifting perceptions toward seeing the film as an ambitious mood piece ahead of its release next month.

‘Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine’

Documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney is in the midst of a breathtaking run of work. This year he has premiered an expose on Scientology, and next month he will also unveil a biographical film on Frank Sinatra. He brings a new portrait of late tech guru Steve Jobs to South by Southwest.

‘A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story’

Once branded “The Ugliest Woman in the World” by a cruel Internet commenter, Lizzie Velasquez has always battled bullies. Born with a rare disease that makes her unable to gain weight, Velasquez recently started fighting back against her tormentors. In this film, we see her prepare for her viral TED talk and travel to Washington, D.C., to speak to lawmakers about her plight.

‘6 Years’

Hannah Fidell’s second feature (following the haunting “A Teacher”) is a bold drama that traces the end of a relationship with standout performances by Taissa Farmiga and Ben Rosenfield that are at once fearsome and tender.

Twitter: @AmyKinLA; @IndieFocus