Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Representative in Attendance
Eight Detroit youth venture to Yosemite National Park to meet legendary Park Ranger and fellow Detroiter, Shelton Johnson. A homecoming in the High Sierra ensues and the next generation is inspired to connect with and protect precious outdoor spaces.
Has Subtitles, Subject in Attendance, Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, Family Friendly, Representative in Attendance
Over 400 years ago, a major disturbance disrupted nature’s law along the West Coast, reshaping coastlines, Indigenous life, and traditions. Now, a new wave emerges, allowing Indigenous communities to thrive in harmony with nature. Haagua portrays the deep bond between Great Great-Grandmother Ocean and her great-grandchildren, where surfing is more than a sport—it is a cultural revival, reconnecting with ancestral ways of life.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere, Representative in Attendance
From Rugg Pond Dam on the Rapid River in Kalkaska County to the Crystal River in Leelanau County, this film follows the Conservation Resource Alliance’s River Care program and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians as they restore Northern Michigan’s rivers—reconnecting waters, renewing habitats, and honoring cultural ties.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Has Subtitles, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, First Time Filmmaker, Representative in Attendance
Taste of Home follows Mimi and Eak, a Thai couple who run a beloved restaurant in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Through a blend of vérité footage and intimate interviews, we observe a full day in their lives, from morning prep to closing time, they navigate the joys and challenges of running an authentic Thai kitchen in America.
Family Friendly, Representative in Attendance
Maxime Chabloz is a seafarer, a man of the sea, a versatile athlete and a lover of the wind and watersports. Often surrounded by the ocean and other enthusiasts, this time he decides to go alone on a unique journey to the end of the world and this ode to the sea.
Has Subtitles, Representative in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere, Family Friendly
Urban farming empowers Detroiters to reclaim their food supply. Three Detroiters to share what urban farming does for them emotionally and physically. Their stories are unique, but all use urban gardening to connect with their communities and understand what’s going in their bodies.
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, Representative in Attendance
The Seven Grandfathers Teachings sculpture, created by renowned Anishinaabeg artist Jason Quigno, is an installation in the public art collection of the City of Marquette that honors the foundational principles of Anishinaabe culture.
Michigan Premiere, Family Friendly, World Premiere, Representative in Attendance, Filmmaker in Attendance
The pristine waters and winding channels of the the Bad River and Kakagon Sloughs hold the largest wild rice beds in the Great Lakes. Managed through time by the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the sloughs are recognized internationally for their exceptional quality. They also remain under threat from an aging oil pipeline and impacts of climate change. The video is a segment of an upcoming hour-long documentary, Estuaries in the Balance: Freshwater Nurseries of Lake Superior, which is being produced by Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education.