Bay Area film teacher watches 'Backrooms' go from hobby to Hollywood hit

A Bay Area film teacher recounted how “Backrooms” evolved from a student project to a Hollywood hit, following the meteoric rise of Kane Parsons. His former teacher, Philip Chidel, said the original short film was shown in class and quickly went viral on YouTube, reaching more than 10 million views within two weeks. Chidel began receiving inquiries from people about the online phenomenon and soon Parsons was taking calls from Hollywood as industry figures sought to capitalize on the attention. Released May 29, the movie has become A24’s highest-grossing film. At 20, Parsons is described as the indie studio’s youngest director to date. Chidel, who joined Marin School of the Arts at Novato High School eight years ago, recalled that on June 8 Parsons returned for a private screening with more than 400 attendees. The teacher also referenced student reactions and fan turnout for the Los Angeles premiere.