Host (film)

Host
Release poster
Directed byRob Savage
Written by
  • Jed Shepherd
  • Gemma Hurley
  • Rob Savage
Produced by
  • Douglas Cox
  • Craig Engler
  • Emily Gotto
  • Samuel Zimmerman
Starring
Edited byBrenna Rangott
Production
companies
  • Shadowhouse Films
  • BOO-URNS
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 30 July 2020 (2020-07-30) (Shudder)
  • 4 December 2020 (2020-12-04) (United Kingdom)
Running time
56 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$100,000
Box office$443,807

Host is a 2020 British independent screenlife supernatural horror film directed by Rob Savage, who co-wrote it with Gemma Hurley and Jed Shepherd. A screenlife film that takes place entirely on a Zoom video call, it follows a group of friends who inadvertently summon a demon during an online séance.

After the viral success of a short prank video by Savage featuring a handful of the film's cast, he developed the concept into a feature-length film, which was shot over 12 weeks directly on the Zoom software during the COVID-19 pandemic. The cast members were in charge of their own cameras, sound, makeup, lighting, and stunts, with Savage directing them remotely from his home.

Host debuted on Shudder on 30 July 2020, and was released in cinemas and digital platforms by Vertigo Releasing on 4 December 2020. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised its themes of social anxiety, its use of jump scares, and the cast's chemistry.