2020 • Canada • 9 min • Andrew Wyton
100+ New Films for 2021
Adventure. Conservation. Inspiration.
2021: A Surf Odyssey
A Concerto is a Conversation
A virtuoso jazz pianist and film composer tracks his family’s lineage through his 91-year-old grandfather from Jim Crow Florida to the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
A Sad Story About a Tree
A video essay about Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Fir Tree,” perhaps the saddest Christmas story every written.
A Surfer's Search
An intimate portrait of midwestern lake surfer Erik Wilkie.
After Antarctica
Staff Pick
A journey across both poles, After Antarctica follows polar explorer Will Steger’s life journey as an eyewitness to the greatest changes to the polar regions of our planet. …
All Bodies on Bikes
Kailey Kornhauser and fellow “fat cyclist” Marley Blonsky are on a mission. A mission to change the idea that people with larger bodies can’t ride bikes. They aim to make …
An Imperfect Advocate
In the rarified air of the world’s wildest mountains, alpinist Graham Zimmerman has seen firsthand the effects of human-driven climate change on the world. And he has been forced …
Arrow 1
Filmmaker in Attendance
Arrow 1 is his best arrow, the first one he will shoot in the fall, but this hunt started 13 years ago.
Awakenings: A Revolution of Love
“A Revolution of Love” is a short film that follows a young Black woman as she grapples with the histories of her ancestors, the present-day violence ravaging her community, and …
Bløm | From Farm to Fourth Ave.
Filmmaker in Attendance
After a gluten allergy shook up a brewer’s career, him and his wife turned to a new fermentation project using all local ingredients from Michigan; Bløm Meadworks in Ann …
Camera Jesus
Subject in Attendance
Since a family trip to the Grand Canyon as a child, Detroit photographer Joe Gall, aka Camera Jesus, has been in love with the authentic moment. From Joe’s early days …
Charge 2
We took five top freeskiers and a World Champion drone pilot to Mustang Powder Cat Skiing in BC for one week. Their instructions: charge as hard as you can everyday. Featuring …
Cities to Crags: Minnesota
Subject in Attendance
Showcasing and amplifying the climbing culture from each of these places, from the city to the crag.
Cities to Crags: Upper Peninsula
Subject in Attendance
Showcasing and amplifying the climbing culture from each of these places, from the city to the crag.
Color Out Here: Shaping Narratives
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance
Alice Lyn, a biracial woman raised in Brooklyn, re-frames the outdoors and Michigan places you think you know, as she leads urban people of color to the outdoors.
Coreyon
Filmmaker in Attendance
The Coreyon Reef restoration is aimed at bringing open water spawning reef habitat back to Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay. Throughout history, land use, pollution, overfishing and …
Diving UP
Filmmaker in Attendance
In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, there are many who enjoy the numerous wonders of nature this state has to offer. However, there is another natural treasure that has been mostly …
DURGA: Forging a New Trail
Staff Pick, Filmmaker in Attendance
“DURGA: Forging a New Trail” tells the story of 34-year-old Durga Rawal, the only guide of any gender from her village in northern Nepal. In a country where boys …
Eight Days on Isle Royale
Filmmaker in Attendance
Isle Royale is the nation’s least visited National Park, however it is the most revisited National Park. In the spring of 2021, Kristin Ojaniemi, co-host of the U.P.’s …
Feast or Famine
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance
Mike King presents “Feast or Famine”. A film that connects passion with purpose, as I’ve discovered the importance of protecting the places I love while chasing powder and …
Freshwater
Filmmaker in Attendance
Freshwater is a documentary that dives into the cold waters of Lake Superior along Minnesota’s North Shore. Despite the fact that it contains ten percent of Earth’s freshwater, …
Gone Tomorrow, The Story of Kentucky Ice Climbing
Staff Pick, Filmmaker in Attendance
Ice climbing in Kentucky?! This adventure documentary takes the audience for a bourbon-fueled ride deep into the bushy hollers of Appalachia with a crew of harmless misfits as they …
Gretchen Metsa and the Arrowhead Ultra
Filmmaker in Attendance
Gretchen Metsa is a northern Minnesotan woman who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was 19. After almost giving up running when she found managing her blood sugar while …
How to Count a Wolf
Wolves are recolonizing Washington. How to Count a Wolf follows three wildlife biologists who try to find them as they get here. Learn about the methods they use, and the risks …
Ice Age Trail FKT attempt
Filmmaker in Attendance
Meet Midwesterner Coree Woltering, 30, as he attempts to set the men’s supported fastest known time (FKT) of 21 days, 13 hours, and 35 minutes on Wisconsin’s 1,147-mile Ice Age …
Ice Ball
Best known for his legendary polar explorations, Will Steger’s life work grew out of a single log cabin he built after moving to the Minnesotan wilderness at age 25. Reliant on …
If I Tell Them
James Sampsel, a plein air painter and fly-fishing guide, comes to terms with his past and a bi-polar diagnosis that hangs over his future.
Irakli's Lantern
Staff Pick
In the Caucasus mountains of Georgia, 78-year-old Irakli Khvedaguridze has spent the past 25 winters living alone as the last inhabitant of Europe’s highest village.
Iron Family
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Staff Pick
Jazmine Faries, a 32-year old woman with Down syndrome, is obsessed with soap operas, Barbie dolls, and Matthew McConaughey. For the past 5 summers, her family has performed her …
Joint Effort
Joint Effort is a poetic ode to Zoe Zeerip’s lifelong battle with Junior Rheumatoid Arthritis. Everyday Zoe Zeerip pushes back against a condition that conspires to hold her …
Kindling
Subject in Attendance
North Face athlete and Michigan native Sam Elias is on fire, but fire needs fuel.
Leelanau Conservancy - Farmland Protection
Filmmaker in Attendance
Local farmers band together with the Leelanau Conservancy to preserve the land, environment, and way of life that defines Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula, and thanks to their …
LOON
Filmmaker in Attendance
Is wilderness more valuable than money? It depends on who you ask. Loon is a through hiking naturalist who understands what’s truly valuable in life. At 80 years old with …
Made in the Mitten
On December 25th, 1965, amidst the blustery winds and sand dunes of Muskegon, Michigan, Sherman Poppen made history by strapping two skis together and sending his young daughter …
Michigan Backcountry Search and Rescue
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance
Follow Michigan Backcountry Search and Rescue as they work two heart-wrenching cases helping the families search for their missing loved ones.
Mission Mountain
Filmmaker in Attendance
Raising cattle doesn’t usually rate as an earth-friendly practice. Amy O’Hoyt, a first-generation rancher, can confirm. So she bucked the standard way of producing beef to finish …
Native and American
Native and American follows Holly Spaude as she navigates her tribe’s blood quantum standard. Through working to help preserve the endangered Potawatomi language, Holly has come to …
Nibi: The fight for water, rights and a way of life
While there has been a widespread focus on the controversy of Line 5, this film takes a closer look into perhaps one of the most often overlooked, yet most important perspectives …
North Country
In the rugged White Mountains of northern-New Hampshire, Lahout’s has remained open 365 days a year since 1920. While technology and conglomerates have stripped the country of …
Ode to Minnesota
Filmmaker in Attendance
On August 6, 2018 Stephen Schreader and Eli Nord launched on a self-made 1,000-mile journey around the arrowhead region of Minnesota by bike, canoe and foot, using primarily …
On A Wing and a Prayer
Photographer Ben Depp has set out to chronicle the wetlands in a series of aerial photographs that he captures with the help of a paramotor that he straps to his back. From above …
One Man's Trash
After his father passed, Bennett uprooted his idyllic life as a fishing guide to try and get a “real” job in real estate. That plan flops and he spends the summer …
Open Water
Open Water is a short documentary film about what it feels like to swim across the largest freshwater lake in the world. It follows 61-year-old open-water swimmer Marilyn Korzekwa …
Operation Wolf Patrol
Staff Pick, Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Adult Language
“Operation Wolf Patrol,” is a feature length documentary about eco-activist, Rod Coronado, and his attempt to end wolf hunting in the United States.
Over the course of …
Originate
In sport, success is often defined by measuring yourself against the competition. With little change to the landscape of Alaska since her first trip 10 years ago, big mountain …
Oshkigin: Spirit of Fire
Filmmaker in Attendance
Not all fire is bad. Increased droughts and longer fire seasons in recent decades have caused more frequent, dangerous, and intense fires across the country. But for thousands of …
Our Common Home
Filmmaker in Attendance
A captivating illustration of Catholic recognition of climate change as an environmental and social problem.
Our Water
Staff Pick, Filmmaker in Attendance
Four friends set out on an expedition inspired by Lake Superior. They travel in kayaks, paddle stroke by paddle stroke to circumnavigate the worlds largest freshwater resource. …
Overland
Filmmaker in Attendance, Staff Pick
Adventure unfolds across four continents as an eagle hunter, a hawk whisperer, and a falcon racer awaken an ancient art to connect to the wild that is fading out of sight and out …
Pangu
Based on the ancient Chinese creation myth, Pangu is a modern tale about parenthood and the differences between generations. Pangu creates a rigid world of angular shapes, but …
Pedal Through
Pedal Through invites us into the world of director-lead Analise Cleopatra as she discovers the healing and joy of mountain biking. Analise had never camped or ridden a bike off …
Protect the Orca: A Story About Whales, Fish, & Trees
The endangered Orcas of the Pacific Northwest rely on the West Coast Chinook salmon for food. However, salmon stocks are diminishing due to loss of habitat and increasing pollution …
Reclaimed
Filmmaker in Attendance
Chisholm, Minnesota is barely a dot on the map. But this small town on the Mesabi Iron Range of Minnesota once provided the ore to build the tanks and planes of World War II and …
Recomposed
Jared Blizzard is a composer and every day he sits at his desk, creating musical wonders for not just gnarly bay and our assortment of commercial clients, but to fulfill the inner …
River Therapy
Filmmaker in Attendance
There are lots of definitions of therapy. Two fishermen reflect on the peace they’ve found along the AuSable River of Michigan.
Riwaka | A Hop's Journey From Farmer to Brewer
Filmmaker in Attendance
Hop Butcher is always searching for new experiences through hops and the search was a long one when trying to find Riwaka. Once connected with Hop Revolution farms in NZ, they got …
Road To Wanderlust
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance
Meet Sam Salwei, Raquel Hernandez, and the Peace Love Car – two charmingly talented wanderers and their trusty (if quirky) steed. The Peace Love Car is one-of-a-kind. A solar panel …
Rural Runner
Rural Runner is a short film about finding purpose and common ground in rural America as Chloe Maxmin makes a bid to be the youngest woman in the Maine house of representatives and …
salt & sea
This film tells of the end of an era. Ireland has a rich history in its lighthouses. Gerald is one of about a dozen living lighthouse keepers in Ireland, as these lighthouses have …
Sand in the Sky
Traveling with a baby is an interesting thing. They add all sorts of challenges to any trip you do. Long flights, strollers, nap schedules, and car seats all seem to pile up and …
Saving Buffalo Reef
Filmmaker in Attendance
Buffalo Reef is a natural cobble feature in Lake Superior, located just off the eastern edge of the Keweenaw Peninsula in the U.P of Michigan. The reef has historically maintained …
Second Wind
Second Wind is a documentary short film about pulmonary fibrosis patient and double-lung transplant recipient Nick Brown. Nick was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis at the very …
Small Footprints: Crafting an Eco-Lodge in Wild Alaska
Staff Pick, Filmmaker in Attendance
In 2008, a sustainable development project began in the middle of the Kenai Fjords of Alaska, 3 hours by boat from the nearest port of civlization. Told from the points of view of …
Soul Deep
Thanks to Black Diamond Soul Deep takes the time to show how the face of climbing is changing. We head to Memphis to catch up with local climbing gym Memphis Rocks and some of its …
Stewards of All Creation
Filmmaker in Attendance
United in stewardship, the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa join our neighbors in protecting the land, water, and original orders of creation. The decisions we make today …
Superior Steel 3
Filmmaker in Attendance
The third film of Superior Steel brings acrobatic fish, low and high water, new and old places and the same great fish.
Sweetwater
Filmmaker in Attendance
Cast your line into another world. What is out there? An unknown.
Meet the people who explore the hills and valleys of the lake bottom.
Why do they do it? What happens when they …
The Duck Queen of Plaquemines Parish
Albertine Kimble is a duck hunter in Plaquemines Parish. Having worked for the parish, she knows the local wetlands better than almost anyone. In her own words, she explains how …
The Humongous Fungus Among Us
Staff Pick, Filmmaker in Attendance
A quiet Upper Michigan town becomes the center of an international media frenzy after three scientists discover a record-breaking ‘Humongous Fungus’ living next door. …
The Lifer
Subject in Attendance
Russ Clune is an integral part of climbing’s humble beginnings in America. Recently Black Diamond Athlete Sam Elias paid Clune a visit at his home in upstate New York, where he …
The Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative
The Arctic Grayling disappeared from Michigan waters over 100 years ago. This is the story of what it will take to bring it back. The Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative is a …
The No Service Program
Subject in Attendance, Filmmaker in Attendance
A short sampler mashup of Houghton-area BMX standout Trent Lutzke and friends compiled from the Sunday bikes “No Service” edit and the Puerto Rico segment of the DVD …
The Other Border
Filmmaker in Attendance
High school student Gerardo Hernandez - raised in the United States since six months of age - was arrested by ICE in Ohio, spent almost 2 months in prison and is scheduled to be …
The Story of Ramped Construction
Filmmaker in Attendance
Passion project I filmed and edited about my friend, Cory Wiergowski and his company, Ramped Construction. I filmed over the course of 6 months, we had a lot of fun making this …
The Unwanted Visitor
Ted Nolan has barely worked in the NHL after winning its Coach of the Year award in 1997. Despite a sometimes turbulent relationship with those in the league, Nolan believes he …
The Waterbird Counter
Tim Baerwald talks the importance of collecting data to establish patterns. The data is essential to have informed discussions on how development can effect our environment. His …
This Land
Runner and advocate Faith E. Briggs used to run through the streets of Brooklyn every morning. Now, she’s running 150 miles through three U.S. National Monuments that lay in the …
To The Surface
Like most things, Covid-19 wreaked havoc on the RI seafood industry. Through the wisdom of local fishermen, To The Surface explores the struggles and tries to shed light on some …
Traverse City's Not So Haunted Past - A look at The Northern Michigan Asylum's creation and fall.
A middle school student was assigned the task to create a documentary that shows how perception altered history. She went into the project simply thinking that a local mental …
UNDERSTORY
Staff Pick
Three women set sail on a 350 mile expedition through Alaska’s massive Tongass National Forest, exploring how clearcut logging in this coastal rainforest could affect wildlife, …
Unnúr
Elli Thor is an Icelandic photographer, surfer, and former kayaker. A decade ago Elli nearly drowned under a waterfall while kayaking a challenging Icelandic river. The near death …
Utah Stones of Strength
Staff Pick
Take a deep dive into the international world of stone lifting, then zoom in to the Utah stone lifting scene and one man’s efforts to capture that global experience and …
Vatna Glacier
Filmmaker in Attendance
The brutal reality of Vatna Glacier melting in Iceland.
Venture Out
Venture Out is a story of overcoming odds, the power of resilience, and ultimately, the ever-lasting effects of LGBTQ community building. The Venture Out Project, founded by Perry …
Water Flow Together
Water Flows Together elevates the importance of acknowledging Indigenous land in outdoor recreation through the voice of Colleen Cooley, one of the few female Diné (Navajo) river …
Weird Waves Season 1: Great Lakes Surf
What is a lake surfer? Are they different from you and I? Join host Dylan Graves on his quest to the “FREEZING GNARLS” of Duluth, Minnesota to find answers. Dylan links up with …
Wild Side
After competing in 3 Olympics for speed skating, this is my story of retirement and discovering a new side of the sport.
Will to Live: The Gary Edinger Story
In 2007, on a fateful February day, in the remote Northern Wisconsin woods, a solo independent logger named Gary Edinger severed his left leg off while felling a tree. Twenty miles …
Win(d) Over Cancer
Subject in Attendance
When the world closed, our waters opened and so did an opportunity for this crew of kids to make a difference. Follow our crew of kids as they compete in a sailboat race to raise …
Wood On Water
Staff Pick
An all girl canoe tripping documentary. Over six weeks of summer, this all-girl group paddle traditional wood-canvas canoes through the remote northern wilderness, travelling a …
You And The Thing You Love
A decade ago, Nick Mullins was one of the most promising skateboarders to come from the Midwest. Then, overnight it all changed. Shot by two strangers on weekends, across three …
Zibi Yajdan
Zibi Yajdan tells a story of the Kalamazoo River and her relationship to the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Pottawatomi people (Gun Lake Tribe) in the wake of the Enbridge Pipeline 6B …