Follow the Wind

Screened at FCFF 2018

Film Synopsis

Jerrie van de Kop follows the wind cycle to kiteboard between the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and the snowy peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, to raise awareness of ecological threats to the region.

Related Films

Freshwater

2022 • USA • 51 min • Ian Planchon and Lynn Melling

Michigan Premiere

Freshwater is a documentary that dives into the cold waters of Lake Superior along Minnesota’s North Shore. It contains 10% of Earth’s freshwater, yet this massive force of nature remains largely unexplored. One group of people, however, is intimately aware of its power. From the surfers who catch its waves to the scientists who study its depths, learn why Lake Superior is a precious resource that should never be taken for granted.

Haagua

2024 • USA/Mexico • 16 min • Marc Chavez and Octavio Aceves Coutiño

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.

In Waves: 20 years of Sleeping Bear Surf

2024 • USA • 4 min • Mike King

Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Staff Pick

‘In Waves’ gives us a glimpse into the joy that has cultivated a culture of Great Lakes connection. In 2004, visionary Beryl Skrocki founded Sleeping Bear Surf with a dream of sharing the potential for freshwater play. Now, 20 years later, her legacy lives on.