Discover the Northwest Florida you thought you knew, through a whole new lens. The Paper Bear is a beautifully crafted, family-friendly feature film blending live action with classic, hand-drawn frame-by-frame animation. Steeped in folklore, the film reveals the hidden wilderness, history, and wildlife of Florida’s beloved Emerald Coast.
Set in the forests just beyond the beaches many Tennessee families return to year after year, the story follows a father and son as they venture deeper into the woods to document a wild Florida black bear. Along the way they uncover forgotten histories, but isolation brings an unsettling truth. As the boy moves deeper into the wild and closer to the mystery of the paper bears, he realizes they are not alone. What begins as an exploration of place slowly becomes a journey of memory, responsibility, and family legacy, where not everything is as it seems.
Visually stunning and emotionally grounded, The Paper Bear weaves together adventure, comedy, suspense, heritage, and conservation; transforming how audiences see this familiar destination. Perfect for families, storytellers, outdoor lovers, and anyone connected to the Gulf Coast, this is a side of Northwest Florida most visitors never get to see and rarely expect.