Festivals - Gerardmer 2021: Host will be screened in official competition

By Mulder, 20 january 2021

Host is a 2020 British horror film directed by Rob Savage and based on a script he co-wrote with Gemma Hurley and Jed Shepherd. The film stars Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova and Caroline Ward.

The film is based on a short film that Rob Savage directed in early 2020. This short film featured Savage investigating strange sounds in his attic during a group video chat with other people. Initially it was a prank, as the others didn't know that a scary face would appear on camera, and Savage put the video online, where it went viral. Rob Savage found the format easy to watch and chose to apply it to a feature film. He said the success of the short film allowed him to create Host.

The host was filmed while quarantine restrictions were in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rob Savage had to remotely direct the actors as they had to set up their own cameras, lighting and stunts. The actors also took charge of the practical effects and a virtual workshop was organized on how to implement effects such as "moving doors, flying objects on shelves". Rob Savage said the film took twelve weeks to make, from conception to delivery to Shudder.

After making several award-winning feature films, Rob Savage wrote, directed, produced and edited the low-budget feature film Strings at just 17 years of age. With this film he won the Discovery Award at the British Independent Film Awards and became the youngest British director ever to win this award. He shoots Host, his second film, during the first confinement.

Synopsis :
Six friends hire a medium for a seance on Zoom during confinement. Very quickly, the situation degenerates when they realize that they have let an evil spirit into their home. Will they survive the night?

Host
Directed by Rob Savage
Produced by Douglas Cox, Craig Engler, Emily Gotto, Rob Savage, Jed Shepherd, Samuel Zimmerman
Written by Gemma Hurley, Rob Savage, Jed Shepherd
Starring Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova, Caroline Ward, Teddy Linard, Seylan Baxter
Edited by Brenna Rangott
Production company : Shadowhouse Films
Distributed by Shudder
Release date: 30 July 2020
Running time: 56 minutes

(Source: press release)