Etheria Film Festival

Overview

Etheria Film Festival is the world's longest-running competition showcase of new short genre films directed by women. Founded in 2014 by Heidi Honeycutt and Stacy Pippi Hammon, the festival screens horror, science fiction, fantasy, action, thriller, and related genre shorts from women directors. The 2026 edition will screen on Shudder in October, with live theatrical screenings in August and September 2026.

The festival programs 6-12 short films annually plus one invite-only feature. Etheria has partnered with Shudder, the largest horror streaming service in the world, which means selected films reach a substantial audience beyond traditional festival circuits. The 2025 lineup streamed on Shudder from October 15 through November 15, with theatrical screenings at the Armour Theater, the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles, the Row House in Lawrenceville (Pittsburgh), and Nitehawk Cinema.

The festival's audience includes producers, managers, showrunners, distributors, and genre fans. For women directors working in genre filmmaking - a community doubly underrepresented in a film industry that already undervalues both women directors and genre work outside the studio mainstream - Etheria functions as the primary exhibition and talent discovery platform in the United States.

What It Offers

Selected Etheria films receive:

• Theatrical screening at the annual Etheria Film Festival, with 2025 screenings at venues in Kansas City, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and New York
• Streaming distribution on Shudder, reaching the largest dedicated horror streaming audience worldwide (the 2025 lineup streamed October 15 through November 15)
• Cash prizes for winning films across competition categories, with amounts varying by cycle and category
• Industry visibility among genre producers, distributors, and executives who attend and follow the festival as a talent pipeline
• Coverage in genre media, which has a dedicated and engaged readership significantly larger than mainstream independent film press
• A professional credential that carries specific weight within the horror and genre filmmaking community

The festival also connects filmmakers with genre-focused industry relationships: producers, distributors, and executives actively looking for new directing voices in horror, science fiction, and fantasy.

Submission Process

Submissions for Etheria 2026 opened January 1, 2026 and close July 1, 2026. The early bird deadline ends February 1, 2026. Submissions are accepted exclusively through FilmFreeway.

Submission Fees (based on 2024 cycle, expected to remain similar):

• Early (opening through October 31): $15 USD
• Middle (November 1 through December 15): $20 USD
• Getting Late (December 19 through January 31): $25 USD
• Late (January 31 through close): $30 USD

Technical Delivery Requirements (if accepted):

• QuickTime file (MP4 or MOV), 23.976 fps, H.264 codec, 40 Mbps bitrate
• 1920 x 1080p resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio (letterbox/pillarbox if necessary)
• AAC audio at 16-bit or 24-bit, minimum 48kHz
• Physical copy on a drive (DVDs not accepted)
• Three high-resolution director photos (300 DPI, 800+ pixels)
• Five high-resolution images from the film (stills, screenshots, posters)

Filmmakers are notified of acceptance status approximately April 15. Accepted materials are due immediately upon notification, with a tight delivery deadline.

Eligibility

Gender: The director must identify as a woman. If there is a co-director, they must also be a woman. Films with male co-directors are not accepted. The festival embraces the queer and LGBT communities.

Genre: Etheria screens science fiction, horror, action, thriller, fantasy, speculative fiction, adventure, dark drama, grindhouse, crime, western, satire, dystopian, apocalyptic, mystery, noir, dark comedy, heist, disaster films, and any combination thereof.

Length: Short films must be between 1 and 20 minutes. Feature films are invite-only and are no longer accepted through submissions. If you have a feature for consideration, contact the director of programming, Heidi Honeycutt, directly at heidi@etheriafilmnight.com.

Premiere Status: Previous screenings at other festivals do not disqualify a film. Etheria operates as a "best of" short film event and does not require a world premiere. This is a significant advantage for filmmakers whose shorts have already played at other festivals.

Genre as a Filmmaker's Tool

For women directors, genre filmmaking offers specific strategic advantages. Genre films with strong execution can attract audiences and distribution at budgets that would not sustain an art house drama or documentary. Horror in particular is a format where a limited budget, a specific concept, and strong direction can produce a film that travels globally across streaming platforms, international sales, and festival circuits.

The Shudder partnership amplifies this advantage. A short film that might have played a single festival weekend and disappeared now streams for a month on the largest dedicated horror platform, where it can be discovered by genre producers, managers, and distributors who actively use the platform as a talent scouting tool. Etheria alumni have gone on to direct features, episodic television, and streaming originals.

Who Should Apply

Women directors who have completed short films (1-20 minutes) in horror, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, action, or related genre categories and who are seeking exhibition, streaming distribution, and industry connections within the genre filmmaking community. The festival is particularly valuable for directors whose shorts have already played at other festivals, since Etheria does not require a premiere.

See Also

For short film distribution and festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy: Getting Your Film Seen. For modeling revenue potential for short and feature genre films, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For calculating the return on festival submission fees across multiple festivals, use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator.