Livescreamers is a 2023 American screenlife horror film written and directed by Michelle Iannantuono. It stars Michael Smallwood, Christopher Trindade, Maddox-Julien Slide, Ryan LaPlante, Evan Michael Pearce, and Neoma Sanchez.[1] The film was released in the United States and United Kingdom on video on demand, and worldwide on Blu-ray, on September 27, 2024.[2]
| Livescreamers | |
|---|---|
 Release Poster | |
| Directed by | Michelle Iannantuono |
| Written by | Michelle Iannantuono |
| Produced by | Michelle Iannantuono |
| Starring | Michael Smallwood Christopher Trindade Ryan LaPlante Maddox-Julien Slide Evan Michael Pearce Neoma Sanchez |
| Edited by | Michelle Iannantuono |
| Music by | Landon Knoblock Austin Bytts Sophia Stone |
Production company | Octopunk Media |
| Distributed by | Octopunk Media |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Premise
editThe film follows a popular group of video game content creators who face the ultimate lesson in teamwork when a haunted multiplayer game begins killing them one by one.
Cast
edit- Michael Smallwood as Nemo
- Christopher Trindade as Jon
- Maddox-Julien Slide as Dice
- Evan Michael Pearce as Davey
- Ryan LaPlante as Mitch
- Neoma Sanchez as Lucy
- Sarah Callahan Black as Gwen
- Coby Oram as Taylor (credited as Coby C. Oram)
- Anna Lin as Zelda
- Kristopher Bosch as The Voice of The House
- Paul Warren as Tour Guide
- Marissa Clay as Bomb Instructor
- Tim Troemner as Game Show Host
- Charlie Kaufman as Jeremy
Production
editIannantuono was inspired by her own years as a public figure on the internet, saying "It was a reflection of my life after years of becoming a creator myself, having my own audience and experiencing invasive dynamics, as well as navigating the waters of asking for money in an ethical way."[3]
Release
editLivescreamers had its world premiere at GenreBlast Film Festival in September 2023, where it won the Audience Award, Best Screenplay in a Feature and Best Ensemble .[4] [5]
It also was the recipient of the George A. Romero Fellowship at Salem Horror Film Festival. [6]
It is set to be released on VOD and Blu-ray by Octopunk Media on September 27, 2024.[2]
Reception
editThe film received generally positive reviews and currently sits at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes with 11 reviews.[7] Mary Beth McAndrews of Dread Central described the film as "video game horror filmmaking at its finest and most innovative,"[1] while Matt Donato of Bloody Disgusting said, "Iannantuono's voice as a filmmaker is transfixingly confident."[8]
Paul Lê wrote a critical review, saying, "A lot goes on in Livescreamers. Too much, in fact. Iannantuono crams a great deal into a relatively small space, and little of that is given the reverence and attention it deserves. As for performances, those are mixed all across the board."[9]
References
edit- ^ a b Mary Beth McAndrews (5 April 2024). "'Livescreamers' Unnamed Footage Festival 2024 Review: Screen Life Horror Done Right". Dread Central. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Octopunk Media - YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
- ^ Cooper, L.Andrew. "Interview with Filmmaker Michelle Iannantuono: Livescream and Livescreamers (2024)". L. Andrew Cooper's Horrific Scribblings. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ Mack, Andrew (4 August 2023). "GenreBlast 2023: Virginia's Independent Genre Festival Announces Lineup". Screen Anarchy. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Genreblast Film Festival Facebook Page". Facebook. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ^ DiVincenzo, Alex (26 April 2024). "Salem Horror Fest 2024 Kicks Off With Scream Queen Linnea Quigley and 'The People's Joker' [Event Report]". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Livescreamers". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 2024-09-28. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ^ Matt Donato (2 April 2024). "'Livescreamers' Review – Virtual Haunted House Movie Tackles the Perils of Online Content Creation". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ Paul Lê (25 April 2024). "'Livescreamers' review – Heavy-handedness impedes entertainment". Tales From The Paulside. Retrieved 16 September 2024.