"The Paper Bear" Set For Theatrical Debut Dec 4-6 At Historic Florida Chautauqua Theatre

The Paper Bear, a feature-length film and conservation initiative by The Paper Bear nonprofit, will officially begin its Florida theatrical run at one of the state’s most beloved cultural institutions: the Florida Chautauqua Theater. Screenings will take place December 4–6, marking the first opportunity for Florida audiences to experience the award-winning conservation film on the big screen.

Housed in the 1921 Murray Theater, the Florida Chautauqua Theater has been a cornerstone of Walton County’s arts community for more than four decades. From its origins as a volunteer-led troupe to its role today as a regional destination for performance, education, and cultural enrichment, the theater embodies the spirit of community storytelling, making it the ideal place to launch The Paper Bear’s statewide debut.

The Paper Bear combines live-action wilderness footage with 2D animation to explore Florida’s ecosystems through the eyes of a father and son on a journey to find the Florida black bear. As they travel, stories shared around the campfire transform into animated sequences that offer a unique perspective on the region’s biodiversity. 

Following its world premiere at the Florida Film Festival 2025 and its recognition as a finalist in the Trailblazer Category at Jackson Wild—widely considered the “Oscars® of environmental filmmaking— The Paper Bear continues to capture the hearts of viewers and critics alike for its original storytelling and its ability to elevate the natural beauty of Florida’s black bears and the wild landscapes they call home.

“The Paper Bear is both a love letter to Florida’s wild heritage and a reminder of the deep connection we all share with nature,” said Arix Zalace, Director of The Paper Bear.

The film features rare, close-up footage of wild Florida black bears in their natural habitat, captured by Zalace, who spent over two and a half years documenting their behavior in the field. Informative and accessible for all ages, The Paper Bear encourages audiences to connect with nature and better understand the importance of conservation.

More theaters across Florida will be added in the coming weeks, with a multi-city run continuing into early 2026 ahead of the film’s future streaming release.

Learn more at www.thepaperbear.org.

___________________________

From The Paper Bear Nonprofit:

The Paper Bear is a nonprofit bringing awareness to the natural beauty and biodiversity of Northwest Florida through a feature film. Audiences will journey beyond the scenic beaches on a coming-of-age adventure and discover natural wonders through the eyes of majestic black bears.

Northwest Florida is a national treasure and is considered one of North America's five richest biodiverse hotspots. There are more than 80 distinct ecosystems in Florida, and at least 57 can be found in the Northwest region alone; one umbrella species can help protect it all—the black bear. An umbrella species is used as a conservation tool to help protect a larger group of species and their shared habitats. Black bears have a vast home range that depends on most of these biodiverse ecosystems, and they play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of these habitats.

Biodiversity plays a crucial role in our battle against climate change and in maintaining various life on Earth. Protecting biodiverse-rich locations will ensure greater food security, medicine production, and other ecosystem services that naturally help regulate our environment.​

Millions of people visit the area yearly for its beautiful beaches, and more are moving to become full-time residents. It is critical that residents and visitors understand the full scope of the natural wonders that make up this biological hotspot and how they can live in better harmony within it.

For years to come, our goal is to create a series of long and short-form content that we will use to educate the community and its stakeholders. We want to enable everyone who shares our passion and spark greater conversation and action across the region.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, The Nature Conservancy, and other conservation groups have highlighted private and public areas crucial to protecting the biodiversity of the Panhandle. Many of these lands are dwindling as countless developers transform them to meet an ever-growing demand for homes, hotels, shopping centers, and other amenities needed to accommodate the rapidly increasing population. 

Action and education are needed to prevent the loss of endangered and threatened species who depend on these lands for survival. We must bring awareness and education to the general public to help accommodate the growing population and spark more environmentally conscious ways to develop the land. 

More than 100 "species of special concern," threatened species, and endangered species are found in Walton and Santa Rose Counties alone. This area gets millions of visitors each year. One of the best ways to help protect these species is to focus on a few known umbrella species. An umbrella species is selected for conservation protection because its protection indirectly affects other species within its ecosystem. The black bear is a migratory animal that depends on numerous critical ecosystems for survival. It is the perfect "umbrella species" to help protect countless others in the Panhandle. 

Suppose more awareness and admiration for the Florida Black Bear is achieved. In that case, it will help conservationists and policymakers move to identify additional reserve locations and "land bridges" needed to connect already existing conservation lands in the Panhandle. The idea of isolated pockets of conservation land is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Scientists have learned that conservation lands need to be connected, allowing biodiversity to move freely between them. The concept of the umbrella species has been successfully utilized before to quickly and inexpensively create wildlife corridors and implement laws and regulations that protect the larger ecosystems the umbrella species depend on to survive.

All Photos Courtesy The Paper Bear.