The Purple Bear

Dir. Jon Portman | 5 min. | 2023

Synopsis

Amid a treacherous ascent where the elements conspire against her, ice climber Molly Kawahata confronts her inner turmoil to forge a new path towards the summit.

Using a harrowing ice climb in Alaska as a metaphor, the film explores her personal journey living with a mental illness, and her work to transform societal narratives by infusing them with hope and empowerment.

This film was created in partnership with See Change Sessions to show how artists can help tell the stories of the amazing work being done by climate leaders like Molly Kawahata.

The Purple Bear - Official Trailer

Director: Jon Portman | San Francisco, CA

Jon Portman is an award-winning creative director and animation filmmaker. His design work has been featured in publications such as USA Today, The Huffington Post, SFGate, and Fast Company. His films have played internationally at Academy Award and BAFTA-qualifying festivals. Currently, Jon serves as the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer at Gentle Beast and produces animated films through his production company Very Big Boy. 

Featuring: Molly Kawahata 

Molly Kawahata is a speaker, strategist, ice climber, and former climate advisor to the Obama White House. Molly’s work centers on how to harness the power of psychology and the human mind to align the climate movement around systemic change. Molly empowers individuals and organizations to not only envision a brighter future but also realize their collective power to create it.

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The Power to Rebuild