The Netflix Emerging Filmmaker Initiative (EFI) is an annual program created to cultivate and accelerate the careers of the next wave of marquee filmmakers working in high-demand genres like sci-fi, action, horror and thriller.
Through the initiative, these filmmakers will gain priceless access to the film studio ecosystem early in their careers and receive hands-on experience in development, casting, production, scoring, editing and more. Netflix will also pair each filmmaker with an experienced director mentor. Directors Ron Howard (The Da Vinci Code, Apollo 13) and Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black, The Addams Family) offered invaluable guidance to this year’s filmmakers.
This year, three breakout filmmakers were chosen to direct ambitious genre short films that EFI would develop, fund, produce and distribute: Hebru Brantley’s Erax, Ashley Eakin’s Forgive Us Our Trespasses and Marielle Woods’ Heart Shot are now streaming on Netflix.
Watch the trailer for three short films from Netflix’s Emerging Filmmaker Initiative (EFI) below!
Director: Hebru Brantley | Cast: Genesis White, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Lance Gross, Marcelo Tubert, Russ Walko, Nicolette Santino, Raymond Carr, Grant Baciocco
During a sleepover, Auntie Opal and her niece Nina accidentally release the mythical and dangerous Erax creatures that must be returned to the storybook from which they escaped.
Hebru Brantley is a multi-disciplinary visual artist from the South Side of Chicago whose work explores a contemporary and distinct narrative that challenges the traditional view of the hero or protagonist. Brantley has exhibited around the world and been featured in publications such as the New York Times, Forbes and CNN. Brantley has collaborated with brands such as Nike, Hublot and Adidas, among many others, and collectors of his work include top athletes, celebrities, and filmmakers. Brantley currently resides in Los Angeles where he is expanding into content creation with the adaptation of his flagship character FLYBOY through his media company, Angry Hero. He is also developing several original projects including Hype with Peter Chernin at Netflix, Kankakee with Seth Rogen at Lionsgate and several TV projects set up at HBO and HBO Max.
Director: Marielle Woods | Cast: Elena Heuzé, Nia Sondaya, Bethany Curry, Hilary Ward, Ryan Michael Harrison, Zack Duhame, Khalid Ghajji, Josh Fried, Chad Guerrero, Thekla Hutyrova
High school seniors Nikki and Samantha are in love and planning their future — until Nikki’s violent past comes back to threaten everything she holds dear.
Marielle Woods is an award-winning, queer filmmaker who thrives in the high-stakes world of action storytelling. She loves to push emotional buttons and visual boundaries, telling stories that make audiences think — with a few explosions and car chases along the way. In addition to
the HBOAccess Fellowship, Woods has been recognized as a member of the Universal
Director’s Initiative and the AFI Directing Workshop for Women. She has directed episodes for Seasons 4 and 5 of Netflix’s Cobra Kai from Sony Pictures Television.
Director: Ashley Eakin | Cast: Knox Gibson, Hanneke Talbot, Justin Mader, Nathaniel McParland, Tyler Hutchings, Noah Lamanna, Luke Marty, DL Macdonald, Todd Campbell.
In 1939 Germany, a disabled farm boy is pursued by Nazi soldiers after Hitler enacts Aktion T4; a program to euthanize people with disabilities.
Ashley Eakin is a writer/director with a physical disability. She is currently developing a half-hour TV show with 20th Century for FX, inspired by her AFI Directing Workshop for Women short film Single that won the SXSW Special Jury Recognition award and has played over 40 festivals. In 2021, Eakin directed two episodes of television for Apple and one episode for Disney+. In addition, Eakin and her husband Shawn Lovering are currently co-writing a feature for Wayfarer Studios and will partner on the development of a Netflix thriller.
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