SXSW adds Conference Keynote with 'Gaycation's' Ellen Page, and Ian Daniel

Co-creators of new documentary series will discuss 'cultural attitudes towards LGBTQ people' and more

Ellen Page and Ian Daniel, co-creators of the documentary series "Gaycation." Photo courtesy Viceland

The SXSW Film Conference announced it has added a fourth and final keynote to its lineup, featuring Ellen Page and Ian Daniel.

The pair -- Page describes Daniel as her best friend -- are co-creators of the new documentary series Gaycation, which will be airing on the [also brand new] Viceland cable channel [a partnership of Vice and A+E Network]. Viceland launches on cable systems today, replacing A+E's H2 channel.

"Page and Daniel will discuss their careers, the equality movement and cultural attitudes towards LGBTQ people," SXSW said in a press release. Their keynote will take place Saturday, March 12 at 11am, the second day of the film, interactive and music festival in Austin, Texas.

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Gaycation finds the best friends traveling the world to explore gay culture in diverse locations, including Japan. Viceland has released the first episode of the series on YouTube.

The Page-Daniel event joins three other keynotes previously announced by SXSW. Those feature George Nelson, director of the documentary A Ballerina's Tale; producer Gale Anne  Hurd, best known for the Terminator series, and actor/director Joe Swanberg [Drinking Buddies, Caitlin Plays Herself].

SXSW introduced keynote sessions as part of the Film Conference two years ago, "so attendees could hit the ground running, inspired by diverse visionaries from the ever-evolving world of film," according to the festival.

Director Nelson George. Photo by Malika Weeden/courtesy SXSW

Producer Gale Anne Hurd. Photo courtesy Ms. Hurd/SXSW

Actor/director Joe Swanberg. Photo courtesy Mr. Swanberg/SXSW

Previous keynote speakers include Ava DuVernay, Mark Duplass, RZA, Christine Vachon, Jason Blum, Lena Dunham, Casey Neistat, and Marc Webb.

"The SXSW Film Conference is a crash course for working filmmakers, industry pros and film fans," festival organizers said in a press release. "Covering a breadth of topics, from content creation to new distribution models to what’s next in the film industry, attendees acquire first-hand knowledge from experts and entertaining speakers at the nexus of creative industries, innovation and business." For the schedule visit http://schedule.sxsw.com. For information on attending SXSW, click here.

Previous SXSW Film Conference keynote speakers (left to right) Mark Duplass, Ava DuVernay, Christine Vachon and RZA. Photos by Heather Kennedy/Getty Images. Courtesy SXSW

The festival provided additional detail on the SXSW Film Conference, noting it "features 200 informative and entertaining sessions, including Keynotes, Conversations, Panels, Workshops, Round Tables and Mentor Sessions, plus an additional 450+ Convergence sessions.

​"Previously announced Featured Conversations include: Jake Gyllenhaal, Sarah Green, Don Cheadle, Joel Edgerton, Gaby Hoffmann, Joe Berlinger and Barbara Kopple, Andrew Bujalski and David Lowery, Ken Burns and Henry Louis Gates, Louis Black and Leonard Maltin, J.J. Abrams and Andrew Jarecki, Geena Davis, Sam Esmail, Rami Malek, Christian Slater, and Kerry Washington."
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