Will Ferrell's Stepmom 'Got Chills' Telling a Friend About His New Doc: 'Makes Me Feel So Hopeful' (Exclusive)

"It's what we need right now in a lot of different ways," Will's stepmother Karen Ferrell says of 'Will & Harper,' streaming on Netflix Sept. 27

Will Ferrell's parents are major fans of his new documentary.

The actor's father, Roy Lee Ferrell, and stepmother, Karen Ferrell, tell PEOPLE at the Los Angeles premiere of Will & Harper on Thursday, Sept. 19, that that they have already seen his new documentary twice before.

"You know, this is the third time that we've seen it, and I was telling someone today about it, and just telling them about it, I got chills, and I'm ready to cry again and laugh again," Karen says of the new film, which covers as cross-country road trip Will, 57, took with his longtime friend and former Saturday Night Live writer Harper Steele following her decision to come out as transgender.

"I say it makes me feel so hopeful for the world. It's what we need right now in a lot of different ways," Karen adds of the movie. "I think this is so important, and just what an idea that we'll have just... And we love Harper. We've known her for a long, long time."

Related: Will Ferrell Says Dressing in Drag on 'SNL' Is Something He 'Wouldn't Choose to Do' Now

Roy, a musician, adds that Harper's story rings close to home given how long they have known her.

"Having known somebody for 30 years, it's different than if you read about something in the paper, you know? It's a personal thing," he tells PEOPLE. "Plus, these gentlemen, these little lady and gentleman, they're comedy writers. They'll be saying something brilliantly funny and, all of a sudden, there'll be something very poignant, very sweet."

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"And I got my handkerchief, he adds of seeing the movie. "The first time I saw it, after it was over, I couldn't even talk."

Will & Harper, which played at this year's Sundance Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival prior to its upcoming Netflix release, also features appearances from SNL alums Seth Meyers, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, Colin Jost, Will Forte, Molly Shannon, Tim Meadows and Paula Pell. The movie was filmed during a 16-day road trip from New York City to L.A., per an official synopsis.

Related: Will Ferrell and Harper Steele Say Their Road Trip Doc Is About Friends 'Coming Together' in 'Change or Crisis'

Will himself showed how much the project — and Harper's friendship — meant to him as he told PEOPLE on the red carpet that he could "talk about this movie forever."

"The questions that were asked and the reaction that it's getting and that she's getting for being so courageous and brave in sharing her story, it brings me to tears every time," he says.

Will & Harper is in select theaters now and begins streaming on Netflix Sept. 27.

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