UMVA has learned that director Kane Parsons, who first terrified internet users with a nine‑minute YouTube short at age 16, is now steering a full‑length feature starring Oscar‑nominated talent.
The original clip, “The Backrooms,” exploded to 78 million views, spawning a viral myth of endless yellow hallways and a haunting fluorescent hum. Now, the young filmmaker has expanded that nightmare into a sprawling set of over 30,000 square feet, where actors literally lose their way among half‑sunken office furniture, piles of discarded clothing, and uncanny tiny doorways.
Chiwetel Ejiofor leads as Clark, a down‑on‑his‑luck architect turned discount‑furniture manager whose broken marriage drives him to sleep among the aisles. When a mysterious glow beckons him into the basement, he discovers a wall he can step through, opening onto an infinite maze of blindingly lit rooms.
Renate Reinsve portrays Dr. Mary Kline, a therapist who dismisses Clark’s claims as delusion—until he vanishes from her office and she follows him into the labyrinth herself. Their descent becomes a visual metaphor for trapped habits and lingering trauma, a concept that Parsons lets linger without explicit explanation.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the film’s atmosphere leans heavily on unsettling sound design—the relentless buzz of fluorescent lights echoing like a nightmare‑induced heartbeat. The auditory texture feels almost cinematic, recalling the surreal tones of classic auteurs while remaining unmistakably original.
Parsons, mentored by genre veterans, blends jump‑scares reminiscent of his YouTube origins with moments of oppressive silence that force viewers to hold their breath. The result is a horror experience that feels both familiar and startlingly fresh, refusing to rely on conventional scares.
Behind the scenes, the massive set proved a labyrinthine challenge for the cast and crew, with several crew members reportedly wandering the constructed corridors for hours before finding an exit.
Backrooms opens in UK cinemas on May 29, inviting audiences to step inside a world where every hallway could be the last, and where the line between reality and the uncanny blurs into endless yellow light.
