Read or alive – 2021

Short – Dark Comedy Thriller

RUNTIME

21.32

Synopsis

Desperate for fame, a struggling millennial writer fakes her own death with the help of her influencer bestie. Their twisted plan goes viral. The line between fame and fraud blurs. She finds herself trapped in a web of lies.

Key Creatives

Screenplay – Kearsten Johansson
Director – Kearsten Johansson & Trent Newton
Executive Producer – Chad Tailor & Kearsten Johansson
Producer – Kearsten Johansson
Cinematographer & Coloring – Artem Mykhailetski
Editor – Trent Newton

Key Cast

Kearsten Johansson
Tyler Tanner
Lindsay Sutherland Boal

Festivals & awards

Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival – Semi-Finalist
Accolade Global Film Competition – Winner Best Female Filmmaker
Oniros Film Awards® – Winner Best Dark Comedy
Oniros Film Awards® – Winner Best Actress
Canada Shorts: Canadian & International Short Film Festival – Finalist
Toronto Independent Film Festival of Cift– Winner Best Actress
Hollywood North Film Awards – Nominee Best Supporting Actor
Indie Film Night – Finalist
Chicago Indie Film Awards – Semi-Finalist
UVT Standalone Film Festival & Awards – Nominee Best LGBTQ+ Film
Montreal Independent Film Festival – Official Selection
Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions Hosted by @LiftOffGlobalNetwork – Official Selection
Film Shortage – Daily Short Picks Official Selection

Press

Winning film festival awards: Kearsten Johansson’s directorial debut impressing judges
Crew Members Only- Portland Film Festival
Daily Pick Exclusive Premiere – Film Shortage