Brothers Mark and Jeremy haven’t spoken since the very event that caused them to become estranged in the first place.

The Do-Deca Pentathlon.

25 events. Two brothers. One champion.

But the 1990 competition, meant to determine which brother was the best, had no clear champion.

Cast of "The Do-Deca Pentathlon" Steve Zissis, Jennifer Lafleur and Mark Kelly answer audience questions after SXSW screening (Katie Lemon/Neon Tommy)

Just when Mark sets out to enjoy a peaceful birthday weekend with his family, professional poker player Jeremy makes an impromptu visit, resurfacing all the confusion and bitterness of the unresolved Do-Deca Pentathlon. Secret ping-pong tournaments and intense, sweaty arm wrestling matches throughout the weekend will determine the winner once and for all. The official Do-Deca Pentathlon begins.

Mark and Jay Duplass, the writer/director brother team, premiered their hilarious “The Do-Deca Pentathlon” to a delighted audience at SXSW 2012. The brothers participated in a phone interview to talk about the film, the actors and their unique directing style.

Unlike films preoccupied with fancy visuals and escapist plots, every Duplass film is character driven. Whether inspired from their own lives or someone they observe at an airport, every story starts with a character.

“We like to address the other side… the other 99 percent of a character that most people don’t address,” said Jay. “We’re attracted to unlikely heroes who think they are right but are usually wrong… somebody who is hopeful despite that everyone who looks at them says ‘you’re hopeless.’ When they find victories, its beautiful. It’s heartwarming to us.”

Though filmed four years ago, “The Do-Deca Pentathlon” made it to the editing room just weeks before the premiere at SXSW film festival. The brothers were interrupted from the project by their first studio feature, “Cyrus,” and were glad to see the long lost film finally hit the big screen.

“We sat together in the middle of the theatre,” said Mark. “And we watched other people watching our movie. It’s like looking at old pictures of yourself – you say ‘I can’t believe how different I was back then’ but then you also realize you haven’t changed at all.”

You may wonder if the Duplass brothers quarrel with each other like the main characters in “The Do-Deca Pentathlon,” but in reality, the brothers get along quite well.

“We’re very similar, so there’s that shared vision,” said Jay. “There’s always that specific sense of humor between siblings brought up in the same household.”

As in all Duplass pictures, the performances in “The Do-Deca Pentathlon” are incredibly effortless and authentic. Typically the brothers keep things fresh by not rehearsing their actors. With such natural performances, the brothers are often asked whether any improvisation is involved.

“All of our movies are improvised in sense,” said Jay. “There is a script and we know where the story is going – the structure is not improvised – but in the moment, there is improvisation in any given scene.”

After making five movies in six years, the Duplass brothers are on a roll. But what’s next for the directing duo?

“We’re just doing a lot of writing,” said Jay. “There’s a moment to rest and be normal, but we probably won’t do that… we’ll just write like crazy. We’re just deluding ourselves into believing we’ll take a breath and live normal lives.”

At the end of the day, Mark and Jay just want to tell good, realistic stories. Though many fear, with their recent films “Cyrus” and “Jeff, Who Lives at Home,” that the brothers will turn to the studios – the known dark side of filmmaking. But not to worry; they will stay true to their vision under any and all circumstances.

“We’re not reinventing cinema. We’re just two brothers trying to make something good.”

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