Spotlight Events feature conversations with high-profile film and television industry professionals who share helpful advice and insights on their career experiences and creative processes.
When Will Ferrell finds out his close friend and collaborator of 30 years is coming out as a trans woman, the two decide to embark on a cross-country road trip to process this new stage of their relationship. Filmmaker Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Strays, The Short Game, Becoming Bond), captures it all in an intimate documentary portrait of friendship and transition, Will & Harper. The film premiered to multiple standing ovations at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Netflix.
“Layers of friendship are laid bare as Harper reenters once-safe spaces as her authentic self, reintroducing the eccentric yet earnest Will to the woman he’s always known. Their levity is reinforced and challenged: Harper embraces her newfound identity amid adversity, as Will is invited to stand by her, negotiating his celebrity in the process. What emerges is an exploration of both silliness and strife, a sincere facet of the trans experience audiences rarely witness, and an affirmation of the unbreakable bonds of friendship.” - Cameron Asharian, Sundance Film Festival
In this Spotlight Event, Will Ferrell, Harper Steele and Josh Greenbaum will discuss their collaboration, the challenges of making a road documentary, the importance of participant safety, and finding the laughs across genres.
If you have a disability and require accommodation in order to fully participate in this event, please complete this form, contact us at (435) 776-7790 or email us at accessibility@sundance.org to discuss your specific needs. Every effort will be made to accommodate advance requests; requests made within 5 days of the event may not be guaranteed.
Live event registration for Sundance Collab Spotlight Events is free of charge. A recording of this event will be posted to our Video Library the business day after the event and all members who registered can watch the recording for two business days after it is posted. After that, on-demand access to the recording can be purchased for $5.