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Fantastic Fungi (Educational Cut)

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Louie Schwartzberg 2021

Fantastic Fungi celebrates the wisdom and wonder of fungi, revealing their essential role in sustaining life. The film and its educational materials explore how fungi connect our soil, trees, water, air, and even our bodies. Students learn that fungi are not plants or animals, but a vital kingdom that recycles nutrients, supports ecosystems, and holds potential for medicine and climate solutions. By exploring this hidden world, students gain a deeper appreciation of fungi’s impact on life and the planet.
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Running Time:
52 min.
Spoken Languages:
English
Subtitles:
English, Portuguese, Spanish
Directors:
Louie Schwartzberg
Producers:
Louie Schwartzberg, Lyn Lear, Elease Lui Stemp
Cinematographers:
Louie Schwartzberg
Editors:
Annie Wilkes, Kevin Klauber
Production Companies:
Moving Art, Artemis Rising
Activism
Ecology, Environment
Mystery
Nature and Wildlife
Photography
Science

Press

  • The Los Angeles Times
    "Mushrooms are the new superheroes, as Brie Larson dreamily narrates over what is not a new Marvel epic but rather a documentary of epic proportions"
    Robert Abele
  • The Wall Street Journal (WSJ)
    "Gorgeous photography! Time-lapse sequences of mushrooms blossoming forth could pass for studies of exotic flowers growing on another planet."
    Joe Morgenstern
  • The New York Times
    "Louie Schwartzberg' s delightfully kooky documentary, "Fantastic Fungi," offers nothing less than a model for planetary survival"
    Jeannette Catsoulis
  • The Hollywood Reporter
    "The CG is just as polished as the time-lapse. It's spookily beautiful...envisioning what lies
    unseen beneath old-growth forests."
    John DeFore
  • RogerEbert.com
    ★★★⯪ "Schwartzberg's film quickly proves to be one of the year's most mind-blowing, soul-cleansing and
    yes, immensely entertaining triumphs"
    Matt Fagerholm
  • Santa Monica Daily Press
    "He makes mushrooms look totally sexy as they explode into "sporegasms," releasing their reproductive bits into the environment."
    Sarah A. Spitz
  • Forbes
    "A must see for anyone interested in life, death and the pursuit of the planet's well-being."
    David E. Carpenter
  • Eye For Film
    ★★★★☆ "Prepare to be amazed. You'll be awed by Schwartzberg's remarkable time-lapse images. His passion for fungi is infectious"
    Jennie Kermode
  • The Observer
    "fascinating, informative, educational and totally entertaining"
    Rex Reed
  • Hammer to Nail
    "Captain Marvel ain't got nothing on fungi"
    Christopher Reed
  • Cinema Sentries
    "Fantastic Fungi is a film that is rife
    with hope and joy."
    Michael Frank
  • Boulder Weekly
    "Fantastic Fungi makes the case that the answers to disease, anxiety, depression and global warming might be found underfoot. And they're tasty to boot."
    Michael J. Casey
  • Portland Mercury / EverOut
    "...Mind-Blowing Science...
    Erik Henriksen
  • Aspen Times Weekly
    "Awe-Inspiring"
    Katie Shapiro

Festival Participation

  • Maui Film Festival - 2019
    Winner Audience Award
  • American Conservation Film Festival - 2019
    Audience Choice
  • Heartland International Film Festival - 2019
    Official Selection
  • Critics' Choice Documentary Awards - 2020
    Nominee Best Science/Nature Documentary

Additional Materials

Distribution Company

Moving Art
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