Footcandle Film Festival | Papertown

When the paper mill that defined Canton, North Carolina announced it would close, the town had just three months before its largest employer—and a core part of its identity—was gone. Filmed in real time, this documentary captures the shock, unanswered questions, and growing anger as rumors swirl, corporate leaders stay silent, and news emerges of executives profiting from stock trades days before the announcement. Through grief, resilience, and uncertainty, the people of Canton confront life without the industry that shaped them for generations.