SXSW offered a swirl of festival frenzy this past weekend, and entrepeneur Phoebe Gates dove right in for her first time on the ground. From dodging thunderstorms in New York to making her way through the streets of Austin, she spent her 36 hours in Texas with the co-founder of her new commerce-tech platform Phia, Sophia Kianni, and the co-producers of her film series, “Everbody’s Fight”—including model and patron Karlie Kloss.
There was a premiere to celebrate, a panel to command, and a few fleeting moments to take it all in. For CULTURED, Gates captured what makes SXSW tick year after year.
“First time at SXSW. Couldn’t have been prouder to speak on the main stage with Sophia Kianni.”
“This was day one in Austin. It was a crazy moment, since I had landed only two hours prior due to terrible weather in New York. That caused a half-day delay, and the entire work schedule had to shift. One of the main reasons I traveled to SXSW this year was to support the screening of Freedom at Stake, the final short film in a series called ‘Everybody’s Fight,’ which I co-produced with Karlie Kloss and our incredible partners at Culture House.
This was part of the Texas Short Program, a set of films inspired by, or connected to Texas. Freedom at Stake shines a light on the resistance to the escalating assault on abortion care and access across Texas, and the sweeping national consequences that could follow. What you don’t see is the chaos in front of me—filmmakers, photographers, friends, and family all supporting others who were in the short film competition. I’ve never been on a step and repeat for a project like this, and it felt truly surreal.”
“En route to the venue, I was honestly just taking a moment of peace. Travel was hectic; we had one timed-out crew and thunderstorms in New York that delayed us by 12 hours. Then, we landed and had to get straight to the screening. I always prep before going into anything. I reset by taking a few breaths and focusing only on the ‘now,’ and immediate goals.”
“There is a lot of walking—it’s the fastest way in and out of any venue. We were at the Rollins Theatre for the screening, which is near downtown Austin. The weather was beautiful. It felt like a crisp fall day in New York, and was a welcome change of pace.”
“This was also a huge reunion with the Culture House team, whom we worked closely with for months and months. The last time we were together was fall 2024 when the first films in the ‘Everybody’s Fight’ series premiered. Karlie here is giving a hug to Rae—a beautiful human, and Founder of Culture House. She also directed Freedom at Stake.”
“Nicole in the blue dress is a co-founder and executive producer. We’re on the carpet with Carri Twigg, who is also co-founder and head of development at Culture House. This team is incredible, and everyone turned up with so much energy and joy to see this final piece come to fruition.”
“We hosted a really small and easy dinner afterwards with Airbnb and our friends at Culture House. It was a chance to connect and share in conversation around the topic of the film. We were able to kick back and think about what’s ahead. The film comes out in September ahead of the midterm elections.
With this series, we wanted to support films that would paint a true picture of the state of reproductive health and rights today in the U.S. Storytelling can close the distance between a political headline and a real human life, and for me that’s a huge focus in this space. I’ve seen firsthand how these restrictive abortion laws affect individuals and families. This fight is about so much more than politics; it’s about people’s lives. I hope audiences come away with a sense of everyone being in this together.”
“When I pack, I choose outfits so I don’t have to think when I’m getting ready, because I’m usually multi-tasking. We aren’t really ever away from Phia in New York, so this is an exception. Being able to be on calls with the team there is crucial. I can’t be worrying about what I am wearing before I walk onto a massive stage! This is a little Reformation number I found using Phia, of course. A slip dress was my go-to for the evening.”
“Our panel was 45 minutes long, including audience Q&A. At first, I had no idea what I would talk about for that long. I texted Sophia, ‘What are we yapping about for 45 minutes?’ But Joanne completely nailed it. She asked the best questions because she has been deep in marketing and branding for years, working with some of the most innovative people.
These types of moments are opportunities to slow down, really think out loud about what we’re doing, and connect with community. SXSW is fantastic at bringing people together who really want to explore, learn, and build. The Q&As are my favorite aspect of any panel. It really allows for time to connect with potential users and new hires. If we’re helpful in inspiring anyone else to build something they care about, that’s a huge upside.”
“The thing about SXSW is this yellow backdrop is everywhere. You can’t say they don’t know how to brand at this festival!
This is me, along with Sophia, and our advisor—the incredible Joanne Bradford, founder of JBrad Advisors—who moderated our panel on Friday. This was the day after the film screening. We are backstage in total calm and solitude, but quietly panicking. The room held almost 1,500 people, and we had no idea what we were about to walk out to!”
More of our favorite stories from CULTURED
Our Critic’s Favorite Show This Month Is Hidden in a Subway Station
James Cahill Saw the Best and Worst of the Art World. His Latest Novel Exposes It All.
If We’re in the Golden Age of Documentaries, Why Are All These Documentarians So Worried?
Sign up for our newsletter here to get these stories direct to your inbox.
in your life?