Etheria Film Festival Reveals 2021 Lineup to Stream Exclusively on Shudder

Written by John Edward Betancourt

At this point, it is definitely safe to say that the horror streaming service, Shudder, has been nothing short of a blessing for horror fans everywhere. Because for years upon years, fans of this genre have been desperate to find a place that not only curates the finest stories the genre has to offer, but actually celebrates the genre and gives a voice to the young and up and coming up filmmakers that will undoubtedly shape the genre in years to come and that is in essence… what Shudder has accomplished through and through.
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Because not only is the network host to some genuine horror classics, but it features fresh work from genre legends such as Joe Bob Briggs and Greg Nicotero and of course, there are plenty of new voices from around the globe whose work finds their way into the weekly Thursday premiere. Truly making this a safe and welcome space for horror fans everywhere and in a few weeks, another incredible celebration of the genre and of future legends will be arriving by way of the Etheria Film Festival. Which showcases short horror, sci-fi, fantasy and action and thrillers films that have been created by women and here are all of the details in regard to this prestigious festival (alongside the lineup and who is being honored this year) per Shudder:

Etheria Film Night (www.etheriafilmnight.com) announced today the 2021 Official Short Films Showcase Lineup, which will stream exclusively on Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streamer for horror, thrillers and the supernatural, beginning Friday, June 25 through July 25. This year’s Festival, the world’s most respected annual showcase of horror, science fiction, fantasy, action and thriller films directed by women, will feature nine short films and honor The Walking Dead Showrunner and Executive Producer Angela Kang with the 2021 Etheria Inspiration Award, given annually to a person in the entertainment industry who has inspired women to pursue careers working in genre film and television. Producer Gale Anne Hurd (Terminator) will present the Award to Kang with the ceremony included as part of the official Etheria 2021 content streaming on Shudder.

 “The 2021 lineup has some of the funniest things we’ve ever programmed alongside some of the darkest and most disturbing things we’ve ever programmed,” says Etheria Director of Programming Heidi Honeycutt. “And we’re so happy to be screening on Shudder for the second year in a row!”
Kang says, “As a life-long fan of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, action, and thrillers, I am truly humbled to be in the company of the incredible women Etheria has honored over the years with their Inspiration Award, not least the incomparable Gale Anne Hurd. I am on a trail she blazed and love that Etheria is showcasing new genre films created by women who want to travel the same exhilarating path.” 
“The Etheria Film Festival is the preeminent forum showcasing the many talented women working in the genre field.  As The Walking Dead’s first female showrunner, Angela Kang has proven herself to be a visionary in the horror/sci-fi medium, and she is also one of the most talented people working in television today,” says Hurd.  “Being a previous recipient of the Inspiration Award myself, I am honored to pass the torch to Angela.”

Kang joined the show’s writing staff in season two as a story editor, quickly rising the ranks to co-executive producer by season five.  Her promotion to showrunner was announced in January 2018, going into season nine of the acclaimed series. Kang is also currently co-creating The Walking Dead Universe’s Untitled Daryl & Carol Spinoff. 

Hurd is one of the industry’s most respected genre film and television producers. Along with The Walking Dead, she is an executive producer on Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond. A The Walking Dead feature film has also been announced and will premiere theatrically via Universal Pictures, with Hurd serving as a producer.

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The 2021 Etheria Film Festival Short Film Lineup includes:
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THE FOURTH WALL
Directed by Kelsey Bollig (11:30 min) (Horror) (Switzerland/France)
Chloé fights for her moment in the spotlight. How far will she go to upstage the annoying actors with whom she is forced to perform Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?

NARROW
Directed by Anna Chazelle (10 min) (Sci-Fi/Horror) (USA)
In a post-apocalyptic world where survival means never stepping off a thin narrow path, a lone woman must evade a creature that stalks her every move.

YOU WILL NEVER BE BACK
Directed by Mónica Mateo (13:30) (Sci-Fi/Horror) (Spain)
After Ana and David say goodbye like any other day, something extraordinary happens that alters reality.

BOOTSTRAPPED
Directed by Katy Erin (7:30 min) (Sci-Fi) (USA)
A physicist travels back in time to try to save her relationship - and in turn, the world.

MISFITS
Directed by Ciani Rey Walker (18 min) (Thriller) (USA)
When they learn their friend has kidnapped a cop on the night of MLK Jr.’s assassination, two sisters and leaders of the Black Panther Party must set aside their differences to navigate one of the most turbulent nights in history.

THE GRAY
Directed by Myra Aquino (9:30 min) (Fantasy) (USA)
A former cop works in purgatory and processes people going to heaven and hell. One day, his 20-year-old son appears.

POLVOTRON 500
Directed by Silvia Conesa (11 min) (Sci-Fi) (Spain)
In the year 2065, a man enters an old holographic sex booth intending to take a nap, but he accidentally activates the sex hologram.

EYE EXAM
Directed by Aislinn Clarke (2:30 min) (Horror) (U.K.)
A woman regrets attending a free eye exam when she begins to suspect that her optometrist has nefarious intentions.

WHO GOES THERE
Directed by Astrid Thorvaldsen (23 min) (Horror/Western) (U.K.)
When a stranger appears on their prairie in 1880 Minnesota, Ingrid invites him in to heal her dying sister, but she doesn't realize that a supernatural force is crossing her threshold.

The 2021 Etheria Jury includes numerous development and acquisitions executives, agents, managers, showrunners, critics, journalists, filmmakers, and distributors.

Past Etheria Film Festival official selections have included films from directors Axelle Carolyn (The Haunting of Bly Manor), Roseanne Liang (Shadow in the Cloud), Natalie Erika James (Relic), Anna Biller (The Love Witch), Prano Bailey-Bond (Censor), Jill Gevargizian (The Stylist), Gigi Saul Guerrero (Into the Dark: Culture Shock) and Bridget Savage Cole (Blow the Man Down).

Detailed information about the festival can be found on the official Etheria website at www.etheriafilmnight.com.

So, as you can see, the Etheria Film Festival has curated some fascinating and incredible shorts to feature this year and it is equally as wonderful that it will be honoring Angela Kang for her work and guidance in providing zombie fans with some incredible storytelling on The Walking Dead, since that series has been slaying it under her watchful eye. And we here at Nerds That Geek, cannot wait to see what these shorts will bring to the table when the 2021 Etheria Film Festival gets underway on June 25th… exclusively on Shudder.

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