The Cat Sitter (2025)

In search of quick cash, a young professional takes on a cat-sitting job for quirky ladies in Slabtown. Little does she know, these seemingly innocent feline companions harbor a sinister secret.

Director - Edie Eberhardt

Director - Edie Eberhardt

Director Biography - Edie Eberhardt

My journey begins in Paducah, Kentucky, with a few interesting twists and turns along the way. I've also called Southern California and Symsonia, Kentucky—often referred to as Slabtown—my homes at different points in my life.​

Venturing into Film: While this is my first foray into the world of filmmaking, the desire to be involved in acting has always simmered within me. High Grass Hideout Studios offered me the opportunity to take the plunge and learn the ins and outs of every aspect of making a film. It's been an eye-opening journey, not only in terms of filmmaking's many facets but also in discovering that my patience has its limits!

Educational Background: My academic pursuits led me to a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a focus on painting, a testament to my love for artistic expression.

Day Job: By day, I serve as a Legal Assistant in the Real Estate Department at a local Attorney Firm, bringing order to the complexities of the legal world.

High Grass Hideout Studios: What I find most rewarding about working with High Grass Hideout Studios is the exhilaration of bringing stories to life. At the end of the day, we're taking ideas that have lived solely in our minds and turning them into tangible, visual creations. It's a profound satisfaction to witness something that was once confined to our heads now shared with the world.

Fun Fact: Here's a surprising tidbit about me—I held the prestigious position of first chair flute in my high school band during both my Junior and Senior years. It's a testament to the multifaceted nature of my interests and talents, just like my journey into the world of filmmaking with High Grass Hideout Studios.

Edie Eberhardt, Director Statement

I was a teenager in the ‘80s. That may be all I need to say, but I’ll explain, nonetheless. My mother used to bring me a new rented VHS of a different horror movie every Friday night on her way home from work. I cut my teeth on some of the cheesiest, goretastic, and best acted B horror movies in existence. I also loved a good comedy. When those two collided, I was in heaven.

My vision as a brand-new director is to make a visually compelling movie on a shoestring budget. I want color to be a main actor. I want people to feel how eerie it is to be alone out in the middle of nowhere. I also want people to walk away chuckling and having scenes play over in their minds like a catchy song. Horror is a natural choice for my vision. It’s a comfortable genre and allows for so much creativity, without having such rigid guidelines. I intend on breaking the rules.

The Cat Sitter was born out of a film festival. Cinema Systers Film Festival is the only all lesbian film festival in the USA. It’s also in my hometown. While attending a workshop held by Nicole de Meneses, I was encouraged to make a short film. I felt like I was able to make it happen. Nicole kept in touch and really wanted us to succeed. A year and a half later, here we are.

In this short horror film, we had no budget. We used our phones for filming. We did buy an H4N Audio recorder for better sound quality. We borrowed a drone and learned how to do everything from writing a script to using a clapper board. This film formed friendships and broke others. This film is the beginning.

Thank you for watching.

Please tell us your motivation for making your film:

We wanted to showcase women in all aspects of film; in front of and behind the camera.

What are the themes and central messages you wanted to convey with your submission?:

We love horror movies and wanted to show that no budget/ low budget films made by first time filmmakers with no film education could still be entertaining.

Please list ANY possible CONTENT / TRIGGER Warnings:

Trigger warnings: animal death, violence, mutilation, body parts