If you've had trouble getting into screenings during the South by Southwest Film Festival, which began Friday and runs through Saturday, there's a good reason: More people than ever are queuing up to see the nearly 200 movies showing at the 12th annual bash.

Registrations for the film festival and conference are up 30 percent from last year's 3,667 — making the number of registrations this year the greatest in the event's history, say SXSW organizers.

SXSW also sells passes for films only (not the conference). Sales of those passes are up by about 100 from last year's roughly 1,000, despite a price hike from $50 to $58. On Saturday the festival stopped selling film passes because of so many turnaways at the six venues showing films.

"That has never happened in the history of South by Southwest," said Matt Dentler, SXSW film programmer.

Passes may go back on sale this week, Dentler said.

Single admission sales by local festivalgoers are also up. (The festival doesn't release exact figures until the festival closes.)

Lines at venues are long and snaking. Even press and special guests have been blocked from sold-out shows. The Alamo Downtown, a festival venue that seats 213 people, has been sending away throngs. The 1,200-seat Paramount Theatre has neared capacity for several screenings.

Part of the surge is due to "the momentum of the event," said SXSW director Louis Black. SXSW's reputation for quality movies has grown annually. In his book "The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide," Chris Gore names SXSW as second only to Sundance as the best independent film festival in the United States.

"This year marks the highest-quality world premieres we've ever had," Dentler said, citing the movies "Hooligans" and "The Wendell Baker Story." More actors and directors, he said, were eager to attend the festival, increasing their films' drawing power. Owen and Luke Wilson, Elijah Wood and Todd Solondz were just a few celebrities who appeared during the weekend.

But films without famous names are also a steady, strong draw, Black said. In past years people would buy film passes to ensure entry to big-name movies, Black said. "Now they're using them to see 10 movies."

"It's more across the board. You have all kinds of films for all kinds of people. Whatever your interest, there's fascinating stuff."