In Searching

Searching is a 2018 American screenlife mystery thriller film directed by Aneesh Chaganty in his feature debut, written by Chaganty and Sev Ohanian and produced by Timur Bekmambetov. Set almost entirely on computer screens and smartphones, the film follows a father (John Cho) trying to find his missing 16-year-old daughter (Michelle La) with the help of a police detective (Debra Messing). This was the first mainstream Hollywood thriller headlined by an Asian-American actor. A co-production between the United States and Russia, the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2018. It was released in a limited release on August 24, 2018, before opening wide on August 31, 2018 by Sony Pictures Releasing. The film was a financial and critical success, grossing over $75 million worldwide against a $880,000 budget. At the Independent Spirit Awards, Cho was nominated for Best Male Lead. The film's success launched a titular film series including a standalone installment titled Run, and a follow-up titled Missing.