Fantastic Fungi: An Interview with Louie Schwartzberg

Episode 152:  Famed cinematographer Louie Schwartzberg talks about his new film Fantastic Fungi that highlights the fascinating and often hidden world of the fungi beneath our feet.

Renowned for his time lapse work with flowers, Louie has now turned his lens toward the fungal kingdom with astonishing and beautiful results. In this episode, we do a deep dive into Fungi and the many solutions that they offer us at this critical time, including:

  • Carbon sequestration: Fungi are a climate change solution.
  • Mycoremediation: Fungi are the grand decomposers of nature and can be used to clean up environmental toxins, including oil spills.
  • Health: Medicinal mushrooms support our health and boost our immunity.
  • Water filtration: Fungi can clean contaminated water.
  • Therapy: Psilocybin mushrooms are being used therapeutically and mindfully to for consciousness raising.
  • Example of Sharing Economy: Fungi are a model and metaphor of a successful sharing economy, based on cooperation, that allows ecosystems to flourish.

Louie also talks about what he’s learned from his forty years of filming flowers, how pollination is the love story that feeds the earth, and why it’s time to change our narrative about nature-  from survival and competition to partnership, cooperation, and interconnectedness.

Louie Schwartzberg is a voice for nature, plants, animals, and now fungi. An award winning cinematographer, director, and producer, Louie is the only filmmaker to be inducted into the American Association for the Advancement of Science. A visual artist who tells stories that celebrate life and reveal the mysteries and wisdom of nature, Louie Schwartzberg is a true environmental advocate.

Learn about Louie’s new film Fantastic Fungi at FantasticFungi.com and look for a showing near you here.

Visit Louie’s website at MovingArt.com.

2 Comments on “Fantastic Fungi: An Interview with Louie Schwartzberg”

  1. I listened to this twice, shared it with friends, and quoted it in my sermon that I’m writing for this Sunday. I’ve included a link to your website with the interview on the print version of my sermon, which I’ll post on the church website. Thank you for your wonderful interview, and for helping this refreshing world view of connection be heard. You were able to draw out in conversation Louie’s very perceptive insights on the power of love as the source and structure of all reality. Thank you.

    • Andrew, Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate you listening to my podcast. I’m thrilled that you are sharing it and hope that your community enjoyed it, too. All the best, Jill PS Louie is amazing!!

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