Boots Riley's 'I Love Boosters' opens SXSW with radical silliness

The politically conscious yet surreal and funny film starring Keke Palmer, Demi Moore, and others kicks off the festival.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 9:03pm

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Filmmaker Boots Riley's new movie 'I Love Boosters' opened the SXSW Film & TV Festival, featuring a cast including Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, and Demi Moore. The film is rooted in a pro-labor, anti-corporate worldview but is also surreal, absurd, and crowd-pleasingly funny, avoiding any dry lectures or didactic messaging.

Why it matters

Riley's unapologetically outspoken and politically radical filmmaking style challenges the traditional role of politics at film festivals, offering a unique blend of social commentary and entertainment that resonates with audiences looking for more than just escapism.

The details

In the film, Keke Palmer stars as Corvette, who runs a shoplifting ring with her friends Sade (Naomi Ackie) and Mariah (Taylour Paige), reselling their stolen merchandise. They then team up with a Chinese factory worker (Poppy Liu) to take down an imperious fashion mogul (Demi Moore). The movie features surreal elements like a car chase depicted with miniatures and stop-motion animation.

  • The film will be released by Neon on May 22, 2026.
  • The SXSW Film & TV Festival opening night screening took place on Thursday, March 13, 2026.

The players

Boots Riley

The director of 'I Love Boosters' who is known for his unapologetically political and radical filmmaking style.

Keke Palmer

The lead actress in 'I Love Boosters' who plays the character of Corvette, the leader of a shoplifting ring.

Demi Moore

An actress in 'I Love Boosters' who plays the role of an imperious fashion mogul.

Claudette Godfrey

The head of the SXSW Film & TV Festival, which hosted the opening night screening of 'I Love Boosters'.

LaKeith Stanfield

An actor in 'I Love Boosters' who previously worked with director Boots Riley on his debut feature 'Sorry to Bother You'.

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What they’re saying

“This is a Boots Riley movie, you know what I mean? And so I love to watch it. The reward is I keep seeing all the different layers of things that he put in there.”

— Keke Palmer, Actress

“The first time when we watched it, I cried at the end when they were showing the global workers unionizing and uprising and stuff. And what a moment right now to be seeing that on screen.”

— Poppy Liu, Actress

“At first I was saying, 'Wow, I didn't know that I would be thought of as cool enough to be part of a Boots Riley [project].' And it was so out of the box and we had an amazing meeting and it was just a character that I wouldn't have thought of myself for. And it gave me this incredible place to play and take a risk and do something different. I don't think I've ever had a chance to do something like this.”

— Demi Moore, Actress

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Boots Riley's 'I Love Boosters' challenges the traditional role of politics in film festivals, offering a unique blend of social commentary and entertainment that resonates with audiences looking for more than just escapism. The film's surreal, absurd, and crowd-pleasing style proves that politically conscious storytelling can be engaging and accessible.