Powerful short film storytelling at Gesa Powerhouse

WALLA WALLA - Storyteller Warren Etheredge is hosting two short film events that will put Walla Walla's Gesa Power House Theatre at the center of storytelling through short film this July.

On Thursday, July 10, the theatre will present "Veterans Tell Their Stories: Red Badge Project" with stories from Walla Walla and Washington wounded warrior veterans.

The evening will include an hour of short films and live presentations from veterans who have crafted their stories through the Red Badge Project classes held in Walla Walla. Many attendees will be some of the few people to hear these stories outside of the project's classrooms.

The Red Badge Project was founded in 2012 by actor Tom Skerritt and Capt. Evan Bailey. The project collaborates with veteran centers to provide a supportive venue for combat veterans to work through post-traumatic stress by giving voice to their unique stories. Warren Etheredge, a founding faculty member of the Red Badge Project, will host the two-hour event.

Tickets are free for Thursday's "Veterans Tell Their Stories: Red Badge Project" event. To RSVP, reserve seats at phtww.org/show/red-badge-project.

Beginning Friday, July 11, Etheredge will be back at the theatre to host the 9th Annual Walla Walla Movie Crush, the short film festival he founded with his partner, Nancy Dragun. Etheredge watches over 2,000 shorts annually, and as the festival's artistic director, he curated the 77 films for this year's Crush.

Etheredge organizes the festival's shorts into thematic, one-hour blocks, featuring narratives, documentaries, animation, music, and experimental films.

This year's themes include "Monologuing," "Phone Sects," "Art Saves," and "Pet(A)Peeves."

Filmmakers, producers, and distributors served as jurors, bringing industry perspective to the awards. There are also awards for the curator and audience favorites.

In an interview with Gesa from 2020, Etheredge answered a question about his criteria on selecting movies for the Crush, he said, "First and foremost, I look for quality, but I am also looking for something that makes it special: a conversation with a filmmaker or actor, a work-in-progress, a premiere screening, or something not readily available for the public to stream at home."

"I look for movies that will entertain, but also provoke us to think and feel. You may hear me say, 'I don't care what you think, just that you do think,'" he continued. "Film has the power to engage us in a way that books, lectures, and symposiums aren't able to do. Films give us the ability to experience life in a non-judgmental way."

Walla Walla Crush information and tickets are available at phtww.org. The line-up is available at themoviecrush.com and Gesa's website.