Director: Alex Simmons, Carina Mia Wong
Stars: Abby, Cloud, Dexter
Synopsis: A group of teens find belonging at a LARP camp, building a fantasy world facing climate disaster. Through roleplaying heroes facing apocalypse, they find strength to heal past trauma and emerge empowered in life.
Fantasy worlds have been a means for people of all ages to escape. Either from their grueling jobs or tedious schoolwork, these alternate worlds allow us to be who we are without judgment. Live-action roleplaying, better known as LARPING, takes the player to worlds only limited by their own minds. Bridging reality with fantasy is We Can Be Heroes, a documentary by directors Carina Mia Wong and Alex Simmons that will heal your inner child. It’s a window into the world of children of varying ages, genders, and walks of life, allowing us to take a peep into their extraordinary minds, helping them heal the ailments their minds are struggling with among their peers while also getting battle-ready.
As a child, I was always envious of those kids who got to pack up for a week or so in the summer and head off to summer camp. Always eager to hear their stories to live vicariously through them. Now, as an adult, I’m reminded of that jealous feeling with We Can Be Heroes. Seeing a group of children fully supported by those around them is about as magical as the world created in this film. Their camp is a one-week-long LARP session where children must work together to create a campaign they all can agree on. Their creativity is on full display, with some kids showing up to camp with already made foam armor and their backstories already written. Wong and Simmons make us all feel like kids again by highlighting a few kids who all have their own reasons for joining camp.
Through group work sharing what are some tough life challenges, the campers open up to one another, giving affirmations to make sure that each child knows they are loved and supported. Who stood out the most to me was the master swordsman Cloud. At just the age of 11, Cloud spends his time working on his fight choreography with his lightsabers. He has such a distinct matter-of-fact personality, and while LARPING, he likes to work in the shadows, planning and scheming in the background. Under his surface is a child who is having a difficult time coming to terms with his grandmother’s passing away. He displays a unique sense of maturity while talking about his mind’s roadblocks, which makes his twitch to his LARP character even more enthralling.
Cloud isn’t the only unique voice among the group; there’s also Dexter, a young man from a homeschooled background who hopes that his crush will be there so he can finally secure her phone number. While working on his newest installment of his graphic novel, he is leaving his comfort zone to be with other kids who are similar to him. We Can Be Heroes also shows how inclusive Wayfinder is; those who run the camp do everything in their power to make sure 17-year-old Abby can join in on the fun. Diagnosed with medical issues that cause her to live with a feeding tube, she faces life’s obstacles head-on. She’s one of the most captivating kids to see in the field of their fantasy world they call The Big Green. Choosing to be the only healer in the group, she’s an important part of the team.
What makes the connection of these campers feel so dear is that it takes place in a COVID world. Kids whose lives have been changed in ways we probably still don’t understand are more than ready to get away and be around other people. Wayfinder is their escape from their life issues, of course, but its importance now is at an all-time high. It highlights what being cooped up for months and years has done to younger generations during their most formative years. Wong and Simmons make sure to show all the great work that the camp has done for kids going back to its creation. They show that kids are a lot more accepting of each other’s quirks and differences than what is assumed.
To get the audience into the zone of The Last Green, the camera work brings us to the heart of the battle. Often it feels like we are members of the campaign ourselves, watching with our colleagues, trying to find a weak link in the chain mail of the enemy. We Can Be Heroes made me yearn for those sleepovers with my childhood friends, especially when the kids are in their sharing circle; the camera view has us sitting in the ring listening to fellow campers share secrets with one another. The best moments from cinematographer Peter Alton come when showcasing the epic moments of their campaign, especially when Cloud is serving up some sword-slashing action.
What makes We Can Be Heroes shine is the multitude of personalities on full display, with no shame or worry about being judged or ridiculed. Making the audience feel like one of the campers, it allows those who haven’t had a camp experience a small slice of being there. It’s refreshing to see acceptance on this level, and it’s a reminder that we could learn a thing or two about being ourselves from tapping into our inner child.
