Related Films

Lake Leelanau, Spirit of the Lake

2024 • USA • 24 min • Keith Patterson

Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly

Blending stunning visuals, heartfelt stories, and expert perspectives, “Lake Leelanau, Spirit of the Lake” is a heartfelt tribute to a lake that continues to shape the identity and memories of its community.

Saving Sturgeon the Tribal Way

2026 • USA • 28 min • Kathy Johnson

Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Staff Pick

The film explores the lake sturgeon’s traditional role in Anishinaabe culture as told through interviews with community members across Michigan and examines how traditional beliefs have guided and revolutionized lake sturgeon restoration efforts in the Great Lakes.

The Spirit Gardens at Bad River

2025 • USA • 8 min • Finn Ryan

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.