Jackie Kong is a director, producer, and screenwriterknown for irreverent comedy and over-the-top horror films. In 1983, she made her feature film debut as director with the low-budget drive-in horror film The Being, which starred Martin Landau and Jose Ferrer. In 1984, she followed up by directing and co-writing the breakout comedy Night Patrol, featuring Linda Blair, about a Los Angeles policeman moonlighting as a stand-up comedian. Kong received a Platinum Video award from the RIAA for Night Patrol, which became a college-party film staple. Night Patrol was a major worldwide theatrical success, setting the stage for Kong to direct the comedic cult horror film Blood Diner, released in 1987.

Kong added her comedic flair to Blood Diner, changing the traditional horror film into a gore fest with outrageous effects and comedy, ultimately pioneering a new subgenre of horror film. It is now one of the most beloved horror films of all time. The fact that Blood Diner was directed by a woman blew audience’ and critics’ minds. She followed that with another comedy, The Underachievers.

Kong’s films are always irreverent, inventive, shocking, and funny. Weirdly, she enjoyed making the horror films much more than the comedies. “Making a monster movie was actually more fun than making a comedy,” she says. “People watched the comedies and because they’re laughing, think it must have been so much fun, when in fact that was harder work than making a monster movie. There’s something about getting everyone in makeup and costumes and creating a hyper reality, that’s so much more fun. Both are tough crowds to surprise.”

“Jackie Kong is a bad-ass,” says Etheria Festival Director “When we talk about inspiration, it’s not just the films, but the attitudes that we look up to.

Kong’s unflinching determination to tell the stories that she wants to tell is so affirming to so many women. Combined with her having directed some of the most iconic genre films of the 1980s, this attitude makes her stand out as someone we would love to honor. She’s punk rock.” Etheria Film Festival is proud to be honoring Jackie Kong with the Etheria Inspiration Award on Saturday, June 11, 2016. The Inspiration Award is presented to people who have inspired women to write and direct genre films & TV. Past recipients include Jane Espenson (“Once Upon a Time”), Lexi Alexander (“Punisher: Warzone”), Jennifer Lynch (“The Walking Dead”), and Mary Lambert (“Pet Sematary”).

ABOUT THE FILM:

Two brothers are entrusted by their uncle to uphold the ritualistic cannibalism of the ancient cult of Sheetar. In order to do so, they have to prepare a feast of sacrifice for the resurrection of their goddess.