New Documentary Celebrates Women Who Revolutionized Horror Cinema

This documentary doesn’t just talk horror history it reclaims it. 🔥🎥

This is a deep, fearless dive into how women pioneers have been shaping, bending, and straight-up redefining horror cinema since 1895. Long before the genre had rules, these creators were breaking them leaving fingerprints all over horror as directors, actors, writers, and visionaries whose influence still echoes today. This isn’t a footnote in film history it’s the foundation.

The film features powerhouse voices from across the genre, including Roxanne Benjamin, Akela Cooper, Mary Harron, Cerise Howard, Kier-La Janisse, Nikyatu Jusu, Roseanne Liang, Annalise Lockhart, Toby Poser, Sara Risher, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Kate Siegel, Jenn Wexler, and many more each bringing insight, truth, and lived experience to the conversation. This is horror told by the people who helped build it.

Behind the camera is Donna Davies, a documentary filmmaker based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and one of the strongest voices working in genre storytelling today. Her work has aired across North America and Europe, and she’s known for crafting films that dig deep, ask hard questions, and refuse to look away. Donna’s love for storytelling runs deep and it shows in every frame.

Horror fans will recognize her from acclaimed documentaries like Pretty Bloody, Zombiemania, Nightmare Factory, and Fanarchy projects that didn’t just screen at festivals, they cleaned up, earning dozens of awards around the globe. Beyond the accolades, Donna is also a passionate champion for independent filmmaking, dedicating years to mentoring emerging creators from diverse and underrepresented communities.

This documentary is celebration, correction, and call-to-action all in one.
The women who changed horror are finally front and center where they’ve always belonged. WEPA. 🩸✨

Available on Shudder March 20th

Director: Donna Davies

Screenwriter: Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

Cast: Roxanne Benjamin, Akela Cooper, Mattie Do, Brea Grant, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Mary Harron, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Cerise Howard, Kier-La Janisse, Natasha Kermani, Roseanne Liang, Annalise Lockhart, Toby Poser, Sara Risher, Lin Shaye, Kate Siegel, Chelsea Stardust, and April Wolfe

Producers: Donna Davies, Nicola Goelzhaeuser, and Giles Edwards

Genre: Documentary

Language: English