Etheria Film Night celebrates 10 year anniversary at Screenland Armour

An evening of high quality female filmmaking across the genre spectrum. // Photo by Caroline Rose Newman

On July 1st, 2023, Screenland Armour hosted horror royalty for the second time this year, cementing its status as Kansas City’s premier cinema venue. Screenland Armour is the in-person home of Etheria Film Night, a festival showcasing horror, science fiction, and fantasy short films directed by women.

Before having the chance to enjoy over half a dozen short films from around the globe, attendees were treated to a meet and greet with Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy the Mail Girl, hosts of The Last Drive-in on Shudder, as they presented genre actress, director, and advocate Brinke Stevens with the festival’s annual Inspiration Award. 

In addition to the films, red carpet experience, and post-screening panel with selected directors, festivalgoers also participated in a raffle benefiting Etheria’s newly-launched 50/50 Travel Scholarship. The scholarship fund hopes to provide fifty awards (to the tune of $1000 each) to cover travel expenses for female filmmakers who have their work accepted at genre festivals.

If you missed out on this spectacular evening, good news:

The festival lineup is currently streaming on Shudder, and you can even help decide which one wins the festival’s coveted Audience Award by voting here through July 31st.

Darcy, an intrepid reporter, and Joe Bob Briggs. // Photo by Caroline Rose Newman

Selected films included:

No Overnight Parking (dir. Meg Swertlow): A woman fleeing from her abusive husband is locked in a parking garage with a masked killer. No Overnight parking makes excellent use of its small cast and feels perfectly paced.

Autopilot (dir. Jennifer Zhang): A lone pilot on a homebound space vessel finds herself trapped in a waking nightmare when her holographic “virtual companion” begins to defy his programming. The set design and dialogue made Autopilot a tremendous, immersive watch.

The Erl King (dir. Genevieve Kertesz): Leora runs away from her strict, religious village into the loving arms of an ancient woodland god called the Erl King, but Leora realizes that he’s had sinister plans for her all along. The Erl King is a standout thanks to fascinating, detailed costume and makeup design.

Incomplete (dir. Zoey Martinson): Evan is on house arrest in a haunted house. Or so he thinks? Unexpectedly humorous, this concept would make for a great feature.

Go To Bed, Raymond (dir. Nikki Taylor-Roberts): You should listen when your kid tells you someone is in their room. Unsettling throughout, Go to Bed, Raymond builds to a quietly horrifying climax.

The entire festival lineup is now streaming on Shudder.