While many people are sure to recognize “We Can Be Heroes” as the title of the hit David Bowie song, it is also the name of a poignant and hopeful documentary about Wayfinder, a live-action role-playing (LARP) camp headquartered in Kingston. We Can Be Heroes, released in 2024 and directed by Carina Mia Wong and Alex Simmons, brings the spirit of this camp to life on the big screen. An outdoor screening of this film will be hosted by ArtPort in Kingston this Saturday, June 28.
While hits like “Stranger Things” gave larping its fair share of screen time, this documentary seeks to change the narrative around LARP games—bringing light to the space they can create for young people who have struggled to find their communities elsewhere. Many of the campers featured in the documentary are neurodivergent, and Wayfinder provides them with a place to learn about the real world as much as the fantasy one they create.
With a heavy emphasis on Wayfinder’s motto of “finding the hero inside,” the title of the documentary is more than fitting. Dexter, one of the main protagonists of the film, works on overcoming his shyness to get the number of his crush while also letting his imagination run wild in the game. Abby, a high school senior, works on building human connections after missing almost a whole year of school due to health issues. Cloud, an angry kid who stubbornly wants to shape the game for his gain, manages to work through his need for control and bring perspective to the viewer through a series of reveals. Throughout the film, the viewer can connect with both these kids’ fantastical heroic selves fighting bad guys and their real heroic selves, fighting for connection and stability in a world that does not understand their ticks, trauma, and wild imaginations.
The ArtPort Kingston Summer Film Series itself serves as an accessible place in the Hudson Valley where people can gather together in community and appreciate the art of film. Taking place in the newly relocated ArtPort in Midtown Kingston, Heroes will be shown outdoors with a suggested donation of $10 per person. It is also suggested that participants arrive early so that they may chat and network with community members and enjoy a selection of local food and beverage vendors that will be set up around the area. The showing of the film will be preceded by a showing of Artemis, a short film by Jack Warren, and followed by a Q&A with Wong and Simmons.
From the screen to the screening, this film’s overarching goal is to bring people together in a place of understanding and acceptance—in an ever-changing world, sometimes all that’s needed is a little bit of magic.
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