[TV Review] Etheria: The Series (2021)

Etheria Film Festival: The Series has assembled nine of the most promising filmmakers (who happen to be ladies) for a collection of dark, hilarious, and twisted stories, some of which truly capture an exhilarating aesthetic for the new age of short form horror.

Sponsored by Shudder, Troma Entertainment, and Klio Studio, this summer festival features stories of grief and terror, the dangers of fame-lust, time crimes, afterlife antics, and so much more.

What follows are spoiler-free micro-reviews of all nine films in the series, as each one has its own unique voice that absolutely deserves to be heard. Be sure to check out these films as well as the talented writers and directors responsible for them! 

The Fourth Wall

A picture-perfect portrayal of competitive envy and performative immolation, Kelsey Bollig’s The Fourth Wall tells the story of Chloé, an ambitious actress willing to do anything for her moment in the spotlight. Utilizing both French and English language, Bollig explores the cannibalistic nature of society’s obsession with youth while managing to capture my own personal feeling about many movies these days, with an ancillary audience member at one point whispering, “I can’t tell if this is genius or absolute shit.” One thing I know, The Fourth Wall might not be genius, but it is a beautifully shot and wholly effective horror.

Narrow

It isn’t easy telling a good sci-fi story in ten minutes, but Anna Chazelle was more than willing to try (and succeed). Narrow takes place in an ethereal post-apocalyptic desert space and follows Sloane, a woman who travels through the wasteland along a narrow path of purple petals. With every step a perilous balance between life and an unseen danger, Narrow is steeped in dread and Chazelle shines as Sloane, a woman clearly grappling with both grief and guilt on her lonely journey.

You Will Never Be Back

After Ana says goodbye to her love, she has difficulty leaving the labyrinthian confines of her apartment building. While not an entirely groundbreaking concept, Mönica Mateo’s You Will Never Be Back features a fantastic performance from lead Ximena Vera. The special effects are impressive on the limited budget and it’s always a good time for a little bit of mind fuckery. 

Bootstrapped

Made for under $100 and shot on mobile phones, Katy Erin’s Bootstrapped is a relatable rom-com with end-of-world stakes. This is a peppy and sweet film that shows just how disastrous a break-up can be.

Misfits

Misfits takes place on the night of MLK Jr.’s assassination after a violent protest ends in tragedy. Ciani Rey Walker masterfully tells a story filled with powder keg levels of tension as two sisters are forced to make a difficult decision in the basement of their Black Panther Party house after a friend kidnaps a police officer. The story tackles nauseating racism, the battle between right and wrong, and the fact that there are times when morality looks different than we might think. 

The Gray

Anyone who has ever pondered their mortality – and who of us hasn’t – will have questioned just what it might take to eek their way into the elusive nirvana afterlife. Myra Aquino’s The Gray is a unique take on the mythology of purgatory, as we meet a man who works a DMV-esque eternal job processing the newly dead on their way to heaven or hell. On the day his son appears for processing, he is forced to examine his own stickler ways and discovers how much he’s willing to sacrifice for love. The Gray is a sweet, funny story tinged with sadness and, in a culture which refuses to address the inevitability of death in any healthy way, will encourage the viewer to take a deep breath and perhaps accept that everything really will be okay. 

Polvotron 500

Also known as Shagomatic 500, this dystopian short is a meditation on loneliness and our complicated relationship with technology. Silvia Conesa directs with a nuance that propels the story beyond what could be a stereotypical portrayal of one man’s pursuit of sexual gratification, instead focusing on developing two compelling characters whose interactions with each other feel sincere and real. The Polvotron 500, a holographic booth, materializes an AI whose desires go beyond client satisfaction, and the story has beautifully built layers that offer a great deal of heart in such a small amount of time.

Eye Exam

The shortest of the bunch, Eye Exam from director Aislinn Clarke is a fun little romp into the office of an optometrist with nefarious intentions. The less we say about this one the better, but trust that its two and a half minutes you won’t regret.  

Who Goes There

Possibly the most impressive film of the collection, Who Goes There, the graduation film from Norwegian director Astrid Thorvaldsen, is old west isolation horror at its finest. Set on the prairies of Minnesota in 1880, Ingrid, a woman charged with taking care of her two sisters, invites a stranger claiming to be a doctor into her home in the hopes of healing her dying sister. She quickly realizes she may have invited more than just a man as supernatural events begin to occur. Who Goes There is chilling from the start, with the gorgeous setting contributing to the sense of unease that permeates through the small cabin in the middle of nowhere. Thorvaldsen is now developing the short into a feature and I, for one, will be first in line to see the finished product.

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