“Where We Rise” by Todd Felderstein
January 7th, 2026 on the Palisades cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, survivors of the Los Angeles/Palisades fires and the surrounding community gather to share their grief and perform a ritual to aid in healing and understanding. It was one year ago to the day that the devastating LA fires swept through this coastal town, bringing much of it to ash.
Led by the Perricones, who lost their house to the blaze, the afternoon is accompanied by Elizabeth Yochim, Miguel Rivera and others who share their sorrow through performance, movement and sound in a surrounding landscape of renewal.
STATEMENTS ABOUT THE FILM
“Out of tragedy comes beauty. 'Where We Rise' is a testament to the greater Los Angeles community now bonded in a grand healing gesture of love and support. Along with the Earth, which is sprouting anew out of the ashes of loss, we continue. It is a great privilege to tell this story, representing the many who inhabit this land. I pray that we, as stewards, learn the much-needed lessons from this devastation and proceed with caution and cooperation for today and future generations.”
-Todd Felderstein, Director
“With boundless gratitude to Elizabeth Yochim, whose dream of embodied healing learned to breathe and take flight; Miguel Rivera, who listened to the wisdom of earth, air, fire, and water and grounded us in their remembering; Michael Perricone, Sound Whisperer, who summons the Ancient Tones and opens unseen doorways of healing with every invocation; Don Norman, whose steady presence held us in kindness and care; and Todd Felderstein, whose compassionate eye and masterful direction gathered these moments into a living memory of healing and resilience, preserving the essence of what was felt and shared.”
-Jahna Perricone, Voice Alchemist & Mindful Interpreter of Sound
“Gratitude to Don Norman for the inspiration for this ceremony, his presence, and his photography. To Elizabeth Yochim for her ritual performance and ceremonial orchestration, and for awakening connection to self, others, and the more-than-human world.”
-Elizabeth Yochim, Performance Artist & Creative Producer
Don Norman, Poet & Photographer
CREDITS
DIRECTOR
Todd Felderstein (www. TMFilmWorks.com)
FEATURING
(alphabetical)
Don Norman
Jahna Perricone (www.michaelandjahna.com)
Michael Perricone (www.michaelandjahna.com)
Miguel Rivera
Elizabeth Yochim (www.elizabethyochim.com)
ADDITIONAL CAMERA/VIDEO FOOTAGE
Don Norman
Michael & Jahna Perricone
SOUND MIX
Michael Perricone
MUSIC & VOCALS
Michael & Jahna
LES NUAGES
Written by
Michael & Jahna Perricone
PUBLISHED BY
Hollow Notes Music BMI
STILL PHOTOGRAPHS
Todd Felderstein
Don Norman
Robert Sturman
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