Fantastic Fungi – Louie Schwartzberg’s new documentary gets a UK release date

The new documentary Fantastic Fungi directed by award-winning filmmaker and pioneer of time-lapse photography, Louie Schwartzberg (Moving Art, Wings of Life, Mysteries of the Unseen Worlds 3D Imax) will be released in UK cinemas from 6th November and On Demand from 9th November. Hot on the heels of its highly successful US release with a 100% fresh runaway hit on Rotten Tomatoes, Fantastic Fungi is an immersive experience that will inspire a shift in consciousness and a renewed love of nature.

Narrated by Academy Award-Winner Brie Larson, Fantastic Fungi takes us on an immersive journey into the magical earth beneath our feet: an underground network with the potential to heal and save our planet. Through the eyes of renowned scientists and mycologists like Paul Stamets, best-selling authors Michael Pollan, Eugenia Bone, Andrew Weil and others, we become aware of the beauty, intelligence and solutions the fungi kingdom offers us in response to some of our most pressing medical, therapeutic, and environmental challenges.

​Fantastic Fungi introduces the mainstream audience to the incredible world of mushrooms that exists just below the surface. This hopeful film highlights the otherworldly healing properties, intelligence and sophisticated communication network of the fungi kingdom, and features commentary from leading experts and scholars. The film was released on Apple TV in August and quickly captivated audiences and became the #1 most downloaded documentary in the U.S. and Canada.

When so many are struggling for connection, inspiration and hope, Fantastic Fungi brings us together as interconnected creators of our world.

“I am thrilled to release Fantastic Fungi in the UK, a land full of fertile soil and passionate gardeners. Hopefully, my film will inspire the audience to learn about Fungi and the magic that lies beneath their feet. I love to make films that celebrate Life and take audiences on journeys through time and scale, making the invisible visible, showing how life is interconnected by the largest organism on the planet, that can heal us, feed us and shift our consciousness,” stated Schwartzberg, adding: “Beauty is nature’s tool for survival, because we protect what we love.”

Louie Schwartzberg’s theatrical releases include the 3D IMAX film Mysteries of the Unseen World with National Geographic, narrated by Forest Whitaker; the documentary Wings of Life for Disneynature, narrated by Meryl Streep, and America’s Heart and Soul for Walt Disney Studios. He also directed Soarin’ Around the World; an IMAX ride film, now showing at Disney Theme Parks worldwide.

Fantastic Fungi is being released on the heels of the third season release of Louie Schwartzberg’s Netflix series Moving Art.

Schwartzberg is an award-winning cinematographer, director and producer who has spent his illustrious career providing breathtaking imagery using his time-lapse, high-speed, and macro cinematography techniques over four decades. He is a visual artist breaking barriers, connecting with audiences, and telling stories that celebrate life and his works reveal the mysteries and wisdom of nature, people and places.

Louie’s TED talks have gone viral with over 54 million combined views. His Gratitude Revealed series of shorts were launched on Oprah.com.

His work has been featured in iconic films from American Beauty to The Bourne Ultimatum and Koyaanisqatsi, and his projects have been shown to audiences at the Vatican, Guggenheim, and in Times Square, as well as a visual healing modality in healthcare and hospitality.

The film is released in tandem with a book published by Earth Aware Editions: FANTASTIC FUNGI: How Mushrooms Can Heal, Shift Consciousness, and Save the Planet. Edited by Paul Stamets, and containing an afterword by Louie Schwartzberg, the book contains written contributions from many of the luminaries from in the film.

Moving Art Presents Fantastic Fungi in Association with Artemis Rising Foundation and Diamond Docs and Reconsider. Directed by Louie Schwartzberg. Written by Mark Monroe. Narrated by Brie Larson. Produced by Lyn Davis Lear, Louie Schwartzberg, Elease Lui Stemp. Distributor: Area 23a.

Fantastic Fungi is in UK Cinemas from 6th November and available on Apple TV and Amazon from 9th November.