Peter Schumann, the 91-year-old founder of Bread and Puppet Theater, remains as politically engaged as ever. A new documentary by Shaftsbury filmmaker Robbie Leppzer, originally planned as a retrospective of Schumann's life, now centers on his response to the Israel-Hamas war.
Leppzer had been filming for a broader biographical film when the October 2023 attack on Israel and subsequent military campaign in Gaza prompted what he called a change of course. Schumann, who grew up in Nazi Germany and fled bombing as a child, began producing new signs and performances with what Leppzer described as renewed urgency.
“Seeing that he’s doing some of his best work now, I had to keep filming,” Leppzer said.
The resulting 45-minute film, titled “An Artist Responds to War,” is set to premiere May 3 at the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro, with an online release May 12 on kinema.com. It includes archival footage and recent interviews, including Schumann recalling fleeing his home at age 10: “Our parents allowed us to pack one little bag of our own choice. I packed the puppets.”
Bread and Puppet, known for oversized papier-mâché puppets and sourdough bread handed out after performances, has staged anti-war pageants since the Vietnam era. Company members Maru Martinez and Amelia Castillo note in the film that the troupe tackles uncomfortable subjects head-on.
Leppzer first visited the Glover farm in 1984 and began filming there a decade ago. He hopes to complete the larger career-spanning documentary by next year.
Originally reported by VTDigger.
Photo: HONG SON via Pexels. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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