The Mushroom

Told in a looping-narrative, a couple topples through a surreal free-fall where foraged mushrooms hold the macabre connection between life and death.

  • Nicholas B Keil
    Director
    AD Department (WestWorld S4, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, The Morning Show S3, Fallout S1)
  • Nicholas B Keil
    Writer
  • Nicholas B Keil
    Producer
  • Sam Cowan
    Producer
  • Gabriel Galvez
    Producer
  • Teresa Mae Lafferty
    Producer
  • Alex Sarigeorgiou
    Key Cast
    "Kai"
  • Miguel Reis
    Key Cast
    "Yvan"
  • Gabriel Torres
    Key Cast
    "Téo"
  • Teresa Mae Lafferty
    Key Cast
    "Cléo"
  • Sam Cowan
    Camera & Lighting Department
  • Sammy Levine
    Camera & Lighting Department
  • Malcolm Tom
    Camera & Lighting Department
  • Jason Chua
    Camera & Lighting Department
  • Dylan Schwartz
    Post Production Sound
  • Brendan Roche
    Post Production Sound
  • Arianna Shining Start
    Colorist
  • Jordan Buttolph
    Production Sound Mixer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Surrealist Dark Comedy
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 6 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 19, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    8,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri Alexa Mini, ProRes 4444, Op
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Nicholas B Keil

Nicholas Keil is a director + producer + visual artist in NYC.

His writing & directing encompasses a deep interest in speculative fiction and emotionally challenging narratives through intimate, character-driven storytelling. His goal is not so much to amount to a specific aesthetic but rather to serve as a reminder of our collective ability to harness story and continue its journey through film, writing, music, and other art-forms.

His producing work is a result of rigorous obsession to fully understand every aspect of production, from working film and television in the assistant director department, to developing proprietary vfx technology, to having a lifelong discipline in photography and visual arts.

His past credits include Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (Paramount), West World Season 4 (HBO), Fallout (Amazon) and many more in the AD & Production departments.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

“The Mushroom” was a really essential experiment in structure and form. How do you create meaning through repetition? How do you take a concept that’s been done countlessly in contemporary cinema — the “Groundhog Day” effect — and reinvent it? Being able to utilize such an ambiguous text allowed for breakthroughs to occur on the day of shooting, which, quite satisfyingly revealed deeper meanings as the film was cut together. The visualization of “The Mushroom” came out as a byproduct of experimentation and enthusiasm.

With its looping narrative structure and macabre themes, "The Mushroom" is a work of art that defies easy explanation. As our protagonists wander through a strange and often frightening world, they encounter foraged mushrooms that offer both sustenance and death. The layers of meaning in this film are intricate and deeply thought-provoking, and with each repetition of the story, the onion is peeled back, revealing more and more of the dizzying complexity beneath.