For over 200 years the Mead paper mill was the bckbone of Chillicothe, Ohio — a source of good jobs, generational pride, and a town’s identity. In August 2025, that legacy is torn apart as the mill’s closure leaves more than 800 workers without jobs and a community reeling. Paper Promises is a raw, intimate portrait of a town in transition.
Through the voices of mill workers, union leaders, small business owners, and local officials, the film captures the fallout of a corporate decision made far from the people it affects most. More than just the story of a factory shutting down, Paper Promises is about broken trust, economic displacement, and the quiet resilience of a town determined to write its next chapter.
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-- Directed by Grayson Kisker & Grant O'Brien-- Director of Photography: Grayson Kisker Production Manager: Grant O'Brien Excutive Producers: Nicolette Jaworski, Todd Rensi, Lauren B. Worley, Rebecca Houghton, Rachel Rossi Editor/Colorist/Sound Mixer: Grayson Kisker Production Assistant: Gavin Steele
The Accountability Project
PAID FOR BY ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT 2025 (WWW.OHIOACCOUNTABILITYPROJECT.COM) AND NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE, COMMITTEE OR PARTY.
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