COMMUNITY RISING

May 10

We're incredibly excited to share our feature-length independent documentary, We Are Here, which follows revolutionary puppet theatre troupe, Paperhand Puppet Intervention, in the leadup their 20th season.

This is a film about artists trying to save the world in the face of alarming climate change trends. It's a film about a community that comes together to attempt to move others to action and to support each other with love, empathy, and engagement.

Working on this film was a gift. Donovan Zimmerman and Jan Bulger, the company's co-founders and co-directors, welcomed us into their world and just let us do our thing. For that, we are grateful. We learned so much about showing up, pushing through, fighting for a vision, and rising to the challenge.

So far, the film has screened at film festivals, museums, universities, high schools, and online. We are currently exploring distribution opportunities and will release updates when there are new viewing opportunities.

Here's more about the film:

It's 2019 - a year before the pandemic - and The Paperhand Puppet Intervention is set to begin its 20th season. Follow along as the company embarks on its remarkable creative journey and take a deep dive into the psyches of its founders (Donovan Zimmerman and Jan Burger) and the diverse group of artists who help bring the show to life.

Shot primarily on a single camera and with no budget in Saxapahaw and Chapel Hill, NC, We Are Here is a one-hour documentary that investigates the intention and process of a community whose aim is to move us to action through moving art.

It takes a lot more than cardboard, wood, duct tape, and string to make a great show. In We Are Here, we find out what makes a puppet come to life, and we are challenged to reconsider our own place in the world.