Michigan Premiere
4DWN is a service-driven, value-based, nonprofit organization and community resilience hub rooted in skate culture. It is headquartered in South Dallas, in one of the nation’s largest food, infrastructure, and recreational deserts. CEO and co-founder, Rob Cahill, makes it 4DWN’s mission to sustainably foster the health of kids, families, communities and environment providing free programs emphasizing recreation, education, cultivation and conservation.
Family Friendly, Filmmaker in Attendance, First Time Filmmaker
A year in the making - a story of the beauty of a peninsula, the power of its community, and how they overlap in an annual dogsled race.
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
On 4,000 acres in Illinois, first worn out by farms, roads and parking lots, Americans try to rebuild – with fire, beast and seed – what is lost elsewhere. On this restored prairie habitat they seek and still find a connection to the land.
Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Filmmaker in Attendance
Bugsy Sailor has watched every consecutive sunrise for nearly five years. What started as a project to find purpose and presence in life has now evolved into something with a whole new meaning. In “A Thousand Sunrises”, Bugsy shares the joys, challenges and the lessons he’s learned from watching sunrise every single day.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, First Time Filmmaker, Staff Pick
Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale is America’s No.1 IPA. The now infamous & iconic trout image is found in every convenience store nationwide. The legends behind this label and many others have been buried in folklore for nearly 40 years, but the vision created at Bell’s started a revolution in the craft brewing industry that changed what a beer label could be. This is the unconventional story of an artist whose love of fishing, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and beer found its way into every store in America. Dave Chapelle, during a comedy set in Kalamazoo said aloud, “Why the hell did you put a fish on the label?” However, eccentric artist Ladislav Hanka’s reasoning is simple yet personal. Just like the rest of his artwork.
Subject in Attendance, Staff Pick
Emily Ford and sled dog Diggins attempt to cross the secluded Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in winter during subzero temperatures to raise awareness about copper mining threats.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Subject in Attendance
Who would have thought a ship could sink twice? That’s exactly what happened to the wooden steamer A.A. Parker, but on September 19th, 1903, Lake Superior would finally claim the vessel, miraculously no one lost their life. Join us for this mini-documentary and learn how the crew of the Parker was saved in a brave rescue mission. Then, almost 100-years later after it sank, it was discovered by the GLSHS and how they were surprised the way it’s sitting on the bottom of Superior. We also pay an emotional tribute to a diver who loved exploring the bottom of our Great Lakes.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, Adult Language
Chad Caruso, a skateboarder from Long Island, challenges himself to skateboard alone over 3,000 miles across the country. The documentary offers an intimate perspective on what drives Chad to push his limits and the mindset he possess to find joy even in the toughest moments of his adventure.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, World Premiere
The official music video for Ethan Bott’s hit song “Ain’t No Honky Tonks in Michigan,” in which Ethan abandons a life as a Texan race car driver in order to voyage back to the UP in search of a mythical northern honky tonk bar.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly
A unique kind of wilderness adventure, off trail natural geocaching.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, First Time Filmmaker, Work in Progress, Staff Pick, Making Waves Recipient
Guided by the wisdom of his grandfather, a young filmmaker journeys through the mysterious wetland in his grandparent’s backyard. Navigating the challenges of this environment, the film uncovers the life, secrets, and importance of wetlands in a way that must be seen to be believed.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
The Lac Court Oreilles community in northern Wisconsin has persevered through loss of land, language, and culture. These losses resulted in historical trauma that continues to challenge the community. This short film shares traditional ceremonies that are used by the community to heal and revitalize their Anishinaabe life ways.
Michigan Premiere, Staff Pick, Adult Language
Apayauq Reitan’s journey of gender, mental health, and purpose on her way to become the first out transgender woman to complete the legendary Iditarod sled dog race across Alaska.
Set in Marquette, Michigan and Virgin, Utah the film follows Brandon Semenuk as he sets out to win his first American Rally Championship while also defending his Red Bull Rampage Title all within one high-stakes week in 2022. It’s a true balancing act of skill, strategy, logistics, and determination.
World Premiere, Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance
The official music video premiere for “Baltic Avenue” by The Thirties. This far out commentary on the housing crisis was filmed aboard a float in the 2023 Marquette 4th of July Parade, and features all sorts of wackiness and stunning set pieces throughout.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance
Alison Világ counts migrating waterbirds at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, near Paradise, Michigan. It’s key to getting a pulse on different populations. But counting birds is more than just science – it’s an escape for her. Despite the harsh, often windy and cold conditions at Whitefish Point, Alison is always sad when migration season is over because she never wants to leave this place. It’s her paradise.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly
“Small Town to State Champs” is Part 2 of the docu-series “Born in the Barn” about the legacy of Ewen-Trout Creek basketball. In 1972, a small-town high school boys basketball team, led by current “barn” owner Gary Fors, went undefeated, winning the Class D state championship. 50 years later their grandsons are on their way to possibly do it again. “Born in the Barn” is an 8-part docu-series releasing throughout 2023.
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, Filmmaker in Attendance
A mini-doc about a crèche in Paparoa, New Zealand, focused on saving an iconic species of kiwi, and how that relates to protecting the entire ecosystem.
Michigan Premiere, Family Friendly
A heartwarming story captures about resilience and unexpected friendships. Amid the Covid-19 lockdown, UK based director Hannah Maia turns her lens towards her own family life, capturing the charm and monotony of seemingly endless homebound Sundays. As she grapples with pandemic health anxieties, pregnancy, and postnatal rage, she finds solace in an unexpected friendship with a wonderfully eccentric American woman and invigorating ice baths in her garden.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Staff Pick, Making Waves Recipient
Grassroots efforts create opportunities for Detroit’s Black community to connect with the great outdoors.
Many Great Lakes communities that have carried the burden of legacy pollution for decades have an opportunity for a new lease on life when local waterways are finally cleaned up. This video series features five cities along waterways deemed Areas of Concern (AOCs) that are in various stages of the cleanup process and are experiencing revitalization.
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
In the Westfjords of Iceland, where mountains meet the sea, creativity finds its ultimate human expression: a surfer on a wave, a snowboarder on a peak, a musician on a stage. Creation Theory seeks to find the parallels between sport and music, and answer the question: where does creativity come from?
Has Subtitles, Family Friendly, First Time Filmmaker
Peek into the world of Belgian climber Siebe Vanhee’s authentic, raw process of his first season climbing on Yosemite’s hardest big wall. The infamous Dawn Wall proves to be a challenge in more ways than one.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Adult Language, Michigan Premiere
A documentary following artist Billy Coulon and his crew making free public parks as skateable art pieces all over the United States. This segment is about a stop near Detroit Michigan. Evergreen Skateparks has set out to elevate skatepark construction to an art form; complete with a philosophy on how a park should “flow”. They are on a mission to build “moonscape” parks that are fun and easy to learn for all levels of ability. (WIP)
Filmmaker in Attendance
The magic that exists within the world of the vernal pool is temporary. Each spring, the forests of Michigan become home to seasonal pools of water that are often overlooked and under-appreciated. But without them, some species of frogs, salamanders and fairy shrimp could not survive.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Adult Language, Michigan Premiere
A rural comedian tries to make sense and nonsense out of a tragic loss.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Adult Language
A genre-bending, monologue driven film. 10 stories, 10 locations. One town, Appleton, Wisconsin, plays the 11th character.
Has Subtitles, First Time Filmmaker, Adult Language, Filmmaker in Attendance, Staff Pick
It’s another Friday night at Burnham Bowl. Strikes, spares, gutter balls. With no shortage of trash talking and victory dancing. But the group that’s making all the noise isn’t just another bowling league. The Milwaukee Beer Barrels Blind Bowling League is an eclectic mix of visually impaired and sighted bowlers with a simple focus. Making friends, having fun, taking life one frame at a time. Friday Night Blind is the warm, quirky, inspiring story of three visually impaired bowling friends and the way they roll.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance
The official music video for “Girl with Bangs” by Marquette-based musician Hairday. This upbeat earworm will be stuck in your head all day. Featuring a visually dazzling array of locations around Marquette.
Filmmaker in Attendance
Follow as the Kahle family breaks the cycle of generational health issues by revolutionizing their farming practices. Driven by a deep commitment to their family and community’s well-being, the Kahles bring revelatory science practices to combat years of problematic, status-quo methods of farming.
Filmmaker in Attendance
The official music video for “I Built a Fire” by celebrated Marquette-area musician Michael Waite. Shot in slow motion around a towering bonfire, this reflective piece mirrors the solemn beauty of Mr. Waite’s song.
Michigan Premiere, Filmmaker in Attendance
Cycles of extraction, consumption, and reclamation continue as the past, present and future of a ghost town on the banks of Lake Michigan repeat themselves.
Michigan Premiere, Filmmaker in Attendance
As two siblings - the filmmaker and her brother - look back on a road trip with their father 20 years ago, they discover their memories have faded, but the feelings they share remain the same.
Michigan Premiere, Family Friendly
As one of only 30 fluent Squamish language speakers left in Squamish Nation, Myia Antone teaches as a way to preserve her language for generations to come. Seeking to learn more about her culture and language, Myia uses her mountain bike as a needle weaving through her ancestral lands and language. While biking with other Indigenous women, Myia utilizes the Squamish language to point out geographical features and native plants on rides. Weaving complex conversations through nuanced layers of generational trauma, Inseparable ultimately paints Indigenous joy and community as vital elements for a path forward.
Michigan Premiere
For time immemorial, climbing has been a traditional activity for Kanaka Maoli. While history shows Native Hawaiians climbed over mountains and scrambled rocks to trade goods and information with their neighbors, today few Indigenous members of the tropical islands practice climbing actively. For Skye Kolealani Razon-Olds, climbing is a way to connect with her ancestors. With few “official” outdoor climbing spaces on the island of Hawaii, Skye and her friends make due by visiting local State and National Parks to climb. It is here that the discovery of various petroglyphs left by her ancestors ignited her to protect and advocate for these sacred lands for her own sons and generations to come.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Adult Language
Amidst a shifting music scene, electro-pop duo FINKEL departs LA for Michigan’s Mackinac Island. Jane and Brian, partners in music and life, brave winter’s challenges on this car-free island. Revisiting Jane’s roots sparks their creative journey as they compose an album inspired by the island’s unique charm, diving into its sonic tapestry for fresh inspiration.
Has Subtitles, Staff Pick
Once a year, the Bulgarian tradition of Kukeri unites a small village as residents wear intricate masks and costumes and dance at night.
Has Subtitles, Michigan Premiere
Deep in rural Nepal, a group of childhood friends channels their resources and energy into fulfilling Jagat Lama’s promise to his dying father; to bring medical care to their home of Kumari. Led by Jagat, the team begins developing a self-sustaining community centered around many of the region’s firsts: basic electricity, a women’s skill center, a local school, a working community farm, and a medical hospital.
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
A film made from 12,000 pressed leaves opens up the visual language of the plant kingdom and speculates on what message nature might have for us.
Staff Pick
There’s a mysterious man in Milwaukee nicknamed “The Milverine” because of his resemblance to X-man character Wolverine. He has a theme song, there is a beer emblazoned with him on the label and even a bobblehead in his likeness. What does the life of a local legend look like from the inside?
Filmmaker in Attendance, First Time Filmmaker
American National Parks face unprecedented overcrowding. Park units from Michigan share the impact and potential solutions.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Adult Language, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere, Staff Pick
No one fights to preserve a multiplex, but some people will risk everything to save a marquee. Through booms and busts, Delft Theatres Inc. - and its innovative gem, The Nordic - endured in Marquette for almost 100 years, even as the world changed endlessly around them.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, Family Friendly
Mates for Life follows two cranes (portrayed by ballet dancers) as they discover each other and become closer, creating a lifetime bond. Their movement is inspired by the whooping crane, 1 of 15 species of crane in the world, and one that in the 1940’s, was nearly extinct. Set in a prairie in the Midwest U.S., we stumble upon the cranes and are able to observe them moving gracefully in their natural habitat. Inspired by nature documentaries and birding, patience pays off as the story unfolds and their movement becomes more and more jaw dropping. This film was created with the intent of inspiring audiences to take action and support conservation efforts of the International Crane Foundation as well as expose them to the art form of ballet.
Family Friendly, Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere
Following a citizen scientist’s journey of discovery, the film explores the treasure hunt for finding freshwater mussels in the upper Sangamon River. Everyday people in Illinois are supporting science in ways that are important to the well-being of their local environment.
Staff Pick
Sarah tells her story of how her Hockey Journey shaped her as an individual, and led into her professional life as the Athletic Director of Quinnipiac University.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Staff Pick
A visually stunning celebration of our spectacular starry skies above the world’s largest designated Dark Sky sanctuary. Ojibwe, Dakota cultural astronomers and other experts share the wonders of the heavens. The documentary, which was co-produced with Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education, also illuminates ways we can reduce the negative impacts of light pollution.
Family Friendly, Staff Pick
“Of Wood” is a unique stop motion film created over four years and 2,600 hours of filming and progressively carving images into a large round of wood. It examines the role of wood in daily life through the ages and comments on the impact of consumerism on our lives. Creator Owen Klatte teaches animation at the University of Milwaukee, and has worked on projects like The Nightmare before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
Inspired by the growth of the American craft beer movement, a group of Catholic monks in Spencer, Massachusetts produces America’s first “Trappist-certified” beer, a historically European tradition that signals growth opportunities for financially insecure monastic communities looking to preserve their unique way of life. “Ora et labora” is Latin for “work and prayer,” and is the motto of the Christian monastic life.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Adult Language, Michigan Premiere
Peter Hogan’s life went off the rails when he descended into heroin addiction as a teenager. As he began the road to recovery, he picked up a bicycle. In this film, Peter dives into his unique relationship with cycling and how the road to recovery isn’t a linear path.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Staff Pick, Adult Language
After winning the American Birkebeiner - the largest cross country ski race in North America - Joe Dubay was disqualified for wearing the wrong bib. Now, 11 years later, Joe and his former roommate who lent him the bib -Chris - document their return to the Birkebeiner to pioneer a new sport: tandem cross country skiing.
Adult Language, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
Following an unlikely courtship, Jorge and Joanne Urioste arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1970s, long before it was a mecca of rock climbing in North America. When the rest of the country was focused on Yosemite Valley, the Uriostes began developing long, moderate climbs on Red Rock Canyon’s impeccable sandstone, defying climbing norms and charting a new path for the sport. Their routes remain the most classic in Red Rock, drawing climbers from all over the world.
Has Subtitles, Family Friendly
Restoring Aquatic Ecosystems shines a light on Michigan’s first indigenous-led, multi-agency collaborative created to restore and protect the ecology of streams and rivers across an entire region. Led by the Grand Traverse Band (GTB) of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Tribal Stream and Michigan Fruitbelt Collaborative includes over a dozen nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies working together to remove blockages to the natural flow of water in Michigan’s streams and rivers – often called ”the arteries of mother earth.”
Family Friendly, Staff Pick, Representative in Attendance
Most people think of it as a sewer, but the Los Angeles River is just like any other river: a vital natural habitat that must be protected and revitalized. Through the eyes of local fly fishermen and women, as well as a local infrastructure agent, and members of a non-profit focused on the LA River, we see the waterway in a new light, as it is revealed that sections of the river are loaded with fish, ducks, and other wildlife.
Family Friendly, Filmmaker in Attendance
A documentary film exploring the challenges facing three upper Michigan theatre groups and how they plan to survive and provide value to their communities as cultural hubs. Featuring the Vista Theater in Negaunee, the Keweenaw Storytelling Center in Calumet, and the Masonic Theater in Marquette.
Michigan Premiere
Indigenous people and salmon have been intertwined for thousands of years in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Today, kids learn from elders to fish but must also learn to fight, as pollution from Pebble Mine threatens this pristine ecosystem. Can the next generation defend the most prolific salmon run left on earth?
Filmmaker in Attendance, Staff Pick
Filmmakers Desmond Love and Eden Sabolboro illuminate the world of visual artist Senghor Reid, who draws inspiration for his paintings from current events and from his hometown of Detroit. Reid’s colorful and evocative paintings of human subjects in strange yet familiar environments inspire audiences with future visions of hope and possibility.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly
When Randy experienced a life-changing injury at work, he turned to farming to help himself heal and stay active. The Buchlers farm with integrity and practice permaculture on their beautiful homestead in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In 2009, their right to farm was challenged by their township. This is where the quest for food freedom began.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, World Premiere
_Sight Unseen: Norway** **_is a short film that dives deep into the personal and emotional impact that riding in unfamiliar places can have on a rider. It’s ultimately a celebration of the growth that comes from those experiences and is meant to encourage others to pursue it for themselves amidst the jaw dropping backdrop of Sogndal, Norway.
Subject in Attendance
Our Superior October started with a few dips in Lake Superior during a stretch of nice fall weather. It developed into a challenge to dip into the lake every day of October no matter the weather.
Michigan Premiere, Family Friendly, First Time Filmmaker
A team sails to the remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen to recreate the 1921 British expedition to summit the world’s northernmost volcano, Mount Beerenberg. They conduct marine science, alongside discovering how climate change is affecting the volcano’s glaciers today.
Filmmaker in Attendance
Long offering refuge to newcomers and regulars alike, Round’s, the iconic Traverse City diner, has a history dating back to 1947. This episode explores the meaning of a diner to its community and the challenges Round’s owners and staff face as they look to the future.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
A short documentary chronicling the story of Wisconsin inventor Carl Eliason and his essential contributions to the development of the modern snowmobile.
Family Friendly, Staff Pick, Michigan Premiere, Representative in Attendance
At age seven, Cash “The Conservation Kid” Daniels began leading cleanups along the Tennessee River in his hometown, Chattanooga. Six years later, Cash continues to make a significant impact on the river’s health by strategically collecting fishing waste and inspiring his peers across the world to protect the environment and all the wildlife he holds dear.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Staff Pick, Adult Language
THIS IS A LIVE PERFORMANCE!
Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett grew up in Wisconsin as childhood friends and now have the dubious distinction of having amassed the world’s largest collection of VCR tapes.
They’ve scoured the nation’s thrift stores and rummage sales for VHS gold in order to find the long-lost cringe from workout videos, home videos, self-help miscellany, animals, and literally anything you can imagine and beyond. The antics and absurdities from the VHS era are easy to forget in today’s world, but when curated by two hard-working comedic geniuses, it makes for pure, timeless laughs.
Pickett (The Onion) and Prueher (The Colbert Report and the Late Show with David Letterman), are cassette tape archaeologists whose life’s work is finding gloriously terrible footage in the most unlikely places, editing it together, and creating a live show they bring all over America.
They call it The Found Footage Festival–we call it genius, and welcome its Greatest Hits show home to the Fresh Coast.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly
November 27th, 1872, the schooner-barges Jupiter, and Saturn broke their tow lines and went aground west of Whitefish Point. 15 people died that day…15 souls never seen again. Join the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society for this special mini documentary as we look back on that tragic day, also meet a family who finally found out what happened to their ancestor on the day he died 150 years ago…in the Great Storm of 1872.
Filmmaker in Attendance, First Time Filmmaker
On Halloween, a grief dream reunites a young programmer with his lost Player 2. Based on a true story of loss and life.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Adult Language, Michigan Premiere, Staff Pick
This adventure documentary follows a loud-mouthed crew of Appalachian adventure seekers deep into the mountains of the Western United States as they climb, talk shit, fish for their dinner, and try to use their single-pitch skills to summit a 1,300ft rock face.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere
_The Last Damn _explores the origin and sociocultural impact of The DAMn, set against the backdrop of its final rendition in 2021.
The DAMn is a 240 mile, 24 hour, point-to-point gravel bicycle race also known as the Day Across Minnesota. The event starts at midnight in Gary, SD and riders have until midnight the following day to reach Hagar City, WI traversing Minnesota’s gravel roads from west to east in the process.
Michigan Premiere
One frozen night every year in Minneapolis, MN, a group of volunteers called the Luminarians create an immersive outdoor experience to bring the community together.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Has Subtitles, Family Friendly
Tyronne Edwards is a pastor and a 5th generation resident in a small, southern Louisiana town. His ancestors fought for the right for his family to live in the town of Phoenix, so when Katrina devastated the community, it became Tyronne’s mission to rebuild. But building houses and churches was just half the battle. After a lifetime of community organizing, climate activism and protecting future generations from storm surge has become his new calling.
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, Subject in Attendance, Filmmaker in Attendance
In 2016, the League of American Orchestras conducted a study that revealed a shocking statistic: only 1.8% of the professional orchestra workforce in the US is Black. From an old church rec room in the inner city of Los Angeles, former lawyer-turned-conductor Chuck Dickerson is on a mission to change that.
Through ICYOLA - The Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles — the largest majority Black orchestra in the country — Chuck is creating life-changing opportunities for his community that did not previously exist. The Orchestra Chuck Built is a loving portrait of a tireless mentor and a testament to the transformative power of music.
Michigan Premiere
As a trans-masculine cyclist and policy scholar, Izzy Sederbaum was searching for community and acceptance within the sport. After surviving a rare cougar attack on a ride outside of Seattle in early 2018, Izzy was hospitalized with severe facial trauma while hateful anti-trans rhetoric filled comment sections of news articles that he had little to no control over. In the years since, he has struggled to overcome his anxiety of being alone in the woods and the self-doubt brought on by strangers after the attack. Despite these challenges, Izzy found solace and support in the Seattle cycling community, which reignited his passion for the sport. This film follows Izzy’s journey as he navigates the aftermath of the attack, overcomes his fears, and becomes a vocal advocate for diversity and trans inclusion within cycling communities across the country.
Michigan Premiere
A Yukon trapper, in the twilight of his career, passes along his ethos and his trapline to a young woman determined to carry on his work.
Adult Language
THIS IS THE WAY WE RISE is an exploration into the creative process, following Native Hawaiian slam poet Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio as her calling to protect sacred sites atop Maunakea, Hawai`i reinvigorates her art.
Michigan Premiere
After walking away from professional cycling to pursue climbing, Adrien Costa suffered a devastating accident that began his journey as an adaptive athlete. This film follows his path from recovery to the cutting edge of adaptive climbing, working his way up to an epic first ascent in Washington’s North Cascades with PNW legend Mark Allen.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, World Premiere
The mellow and charming music video for Ethan Bott’s “Two Track.” Hop in the passenger seat of a vintage Chevy truck and take a cruise down a Michigan backroad in autumn. The fall colors are out in all of their glory.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, First Time Filmmaker, Michigan Premiere, Family Friendly, Staff Pick
Geo Rutherford is a TikTok creator and educator, whose viral videos about the world’s strangest and most breathtaking bodies of water have been seen by millions. Diving deeper into her complex relationship with science and education, this documentary follows the artist as she sifts through The Great Lakes’ detritus, gathering found objects to create her largest installation to date.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Staff Pick
If you don’t know something exists, how do you give it a voice? Waterfall Hunters follows three Costa Ricans -Javier, Jimmy and Miguel- as they seek to find, document, and inspire others to preserve invaluable ecosystems and habitats in the Costa Rican jungle. A beautiful journey into rarely-seen territory, teeming with life but under imminent threat of destruction. The stakes couldn’t be higher, as the men abseil, climb and hike into the heart of the jungle.
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, Staff Pick, Representative in Attendance
For more than 30 years, the Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) organization has been working to protect and restore the Fox River in Illinois and Wisconsin. Now led by Gary Swick and Jenni Kempf, FOTFR is still fighting for the Fox, organizing river cleanup events to remove tons of trash from the river basin and educating students by bringing them directly to the watershed.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, Family Friendly, Staff Pick, Making Waves Recipient
Disabled paddleboarder Mike Shoreman attempts to become the first person with disabilities to paddle across all five great lakes. In doing so he raises money and awareness for the mental health crisis.
Has Subtitles, Family Friendly, Staff Pick, Michigan Premiere, Representative in Attendance
As a child, Piotr Chara spent countless hours on the Oder River in Poland, fishing with his father and wondering at the wildlife; as he grew, Piotr noticed a decline in the river’s bird species and decided to take action. Now an award-winning photographer - and a father himself - Piotr runs an organization that builds floating nests for the birds and restores the rapidly receding wetlands.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Staff Pick
Inspired by the plight our planet faces under the threat of climate change, critically-acclaimed musician Kishi Bashi composes his new song “Winter’s Eve” on the tundra of Churchill, Manitoba. In connecting with local community members and wildlife scientists, he reflects on our responsibility to our planet and our descendants.
Family Friendly, World Premiere
The ocean is for everyone, but often surf lineups can often be rife with gender disparities. A diverse group of teen girls in North County, San Diego are redefining that, showing that there’s a place in the lineup for everyone. Through Changing Tides Foundation’s Women’s Outreach Mentorship Program (WOMP), these girls form a relationship with the ocean for the first time through surfing. As they develop their newfound confidence in and out of the water, the bonds of sisterhood, friendship and community begin to shift the Southern California surf scene on a foundational level.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
Embark on an insightful perspective into the realm of empowered “Yooper” women residing in Michigan’s remote Upper Peninsula. Meet Kim Kee and her extraordinary circle of healing artist friends, all gifted with special talents that have developed a distinct spiritual bond with the expansive outdoors. Step into her world as she shares the wisdom gathered from the secluded natural haven, including her unique ability to connect with nature through interspecies communication.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, World Premiere
The official music video for “Zombie” by Hairday. Follow Hairday as he stalks through the night with a shovel in hand, searching for warmth in a cold and haunted world. Shot on VHS.