Megan Is Missing

Megan Is Missing is a 2011 American found footage psychological horror film written, directed, edited, and co-produced by Michael Goi. The film revolves around the days leading up to the disappearance of Megan Stewart (Rachel Quinn), a popular high school student in North Hollywood who decided to meet up with a boy she was interacting with online, and the subsequent investigation launched by her best friend Amy Herman (Amber Perkins). Goi based the film on a series of real-life cases of child abduction. Marc Klaas, the founder of KlaasKids Foundation, notably endorsed the film. Originally developed as a low-budget independent feature in 2006, the film was shot for $30,000–35,000. It did not find distribution until Anchor Bay Films gave it a limited theatrical release in 2011. The film was very controversial upon its release. Marketed as an educational film, Megan Is Missing was banned in New Zealand and has been heavily criticized by critics for its depiction of sexual violence and brutal imagery. Goi wrote the script in 10 days and shot the film over a week. Because of the graphic content, he requested that the parents of the young cast be on set during filming so that they were fully aware of their involvement in the project. It is one of the first computer screen films. The film experienced renewed popularity in 2020 after clips of the film were shared on TikTok. Goi later issued public warnings to prospective viewers after many users began calling the film "traumatizing." Entertainment Weekly called it "2011's scariest horror film." The film placed sixth in the DEG Watched at Home Top 20 Chart for Week Ending November 21, 2020. Plot Megan Stewart and Amy Herman are 14-year-old best friends who vanished in January 2007. Investigators assembled web-chat videos, home movies, and news reports chronicling their disappearances to bring awareness to the importance of online safety for children. Megan is a high school honors student who is popular amongst her peers. However, as seen in web footage on January 2, she has a dysfunctional relationship with her mother and drug addiction. Amy is reluctant to let go of her childhood (as seen through her adoration of stuffed toys) and has a healthy relationship with her parents. Despite her close friendship with Megan, Amy is a target of bullying. To help her fit in, Megan invites her to a rave party she's attending to celebrate Amy's upcoming birthday.