Mark Duplass defends Kane Parsons, director of Backrooms

Filmmaker Mark Duplass has recently defended 20-year-old director Kane Parsons, who is behind the upcoming sci-fi horror film Backrooms. The defense came after social media speculation that Parsons was not actually in charge of directing the project.

The film and production company

Backrooms is being produced by A24, the independent studio known for its bold choices and unusual projects. The film’s budget is estimated at around $10 million, a significant investment for a movie led by such a young, inexperienced director. The cast also includes well-known actors such as Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve.

Mark Duplass’s response

Mark Duplass, who also appears in Backrooms, responded to claims questioning Parsons’s directing role. In a social media post, he pushed back at a critic’s insinuations, saying: "Hmmm, with all due respect, I don’t remember seeing you on set. During my time there, Kane was 100 percent in control. More than a lot of directors who are three times his age."

Duplass stressed that Parsons was not only a young director, but also well prepared and did not need help from him or other Backrooms producers.

Kane Parsons’s background

Kane Parsons, who is leading the film at age 20, previously made short films that he uploaded to his YouTube channel. Those films helped him build a sizable following. In an interview with Letterboxd, he said Valve’s games, especially the Portal series, had a strong influence on his projects, including Backrooms.

Backrooms currently holds a respectable 79 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is promising for the film and could point to a potentially successful release.