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Internet hoax and nonexistent movie From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zepotha is a nonexistent movie created as part of a hoax by TikTok user Emily Jeffri in August 2023. A similar meme, Goncharov, had emerged on Tumblr nine months earlier, prompting comparisons between the two.[1][2][3]
Zepotha as a concept was created on August 12, 2023, by Emily Jeffri when she posted a TikTok urging users to perpetuate a false 1980s horror movie as a "bit".[4][5]
new bit idea: what if we created a fake 80s horror movie called 'Zepotha'...we can convince thousands of people that this weirdly titled 80s horror film actually exists
— Emily Jeffri, TikTok
The video reached over 5.1 million views,[6] and the Zepotha hashtag reached over 84.1 million views on TikTok.[2] Misinformation quickly spread throughout TikTok and other social media platforms, which led many users to believe that Zepotha was real or a Mandela effect.[7] Users created a "Which Zepotha character are you?" filter[8][9] which includes characters like Alaine, Cole, Danny, Maxine, Rita, and Vincent, who are commonly referenced when speaking about the movie.[9][10] Actress Maria Canals-Barrera also posted about the movie claiming she had seen it.[8][6]
Jeffri created Zepotha to market her album,[11][1] Soundtrack for an 80s Horror Movie, which came out on August 25, 2023.[12][2] Jeffri's music is used in the background of her viral video and many other videos discussing Zepotha.[8][6][2] However, Jeffri's attempts to further capitalise on the meme's virality caused backlash.[13]
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