Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Adult Language, Staff Pick
Ope, we made it 10 years. Time to look back at our driving themes of Adventure, Conservation and Inspiration and hear from some special guests old and new. Laugh and learn with Joey Santore of Crime Pays Botany Doesn’t and be uplifted by the music and poetry of hip-hop and spoken word artist Mama Sol.
Reelin in the Years with some of the best short films to flow through the Fresh Coast.
The Films
Shaggy’s Skis • FCFF 2018
The Snowblader • CFF 2018
Iran: A Skiers Journey • FCFF 2018
Moving Mountains • FCFF 2018
Imagination • FCFF 2018
Made in the Mitten • FCFF 2021
North Country • FCFF 2021
Pioneers • FCFF 2023
Reelin in the Years with some of the best short films to flow through the Fresh Coast.
The Films
Denali • FCFF 2016
Firewood Angel • FCFF 2018
Sand in the Sky • FCFF 2021
24 Leeches • FCFF 2019
The Coffin Club • FCFF 2018
A Yooper Remodels a Sundancer • FCFF 2022
Everything I learned when my house burned down• FCFF 2023
My Dudus • FCFF 2022
Friday Night Blind • FCFF 2023
My Big White Thighs & Me • FCFF 2018
Join experienced audio professionals from a variety of backgrounds for a peer-to-peer learning opportunity around sound capture, creation and post production. This workshop is intended for attending filmmakers but is open to all.
So you made a film, now what? Gather for a peer-to-peer conversation around distribution. Filmmakers Keith Patterson, Lindsey Hagen and Mike King will share their experiences, everything from selling a film to booking an indy theater tour. This workshop is intended for attending filmmakers but is open to everyone.
How does sound shape the way we experience a film? This conversation brings together audio experts to talk about the creative process behind sound design, from capturing sounds on set to building atmosphere and emotion in post-production. We’ll explore the ways sound can tell a story, create a sense of place, and bring a film to life.
Where do good stories come from—and how do you know when you’ve found one worth pursuing? This conversation brings together storytellers to explore the process of finding ideas and developing them into compelling stories. We’ll talk about inspiration, curiosity, research, and the creative process of turning a spark into a story.
First Time Filmmaker, Student Filmmaker
Native plants improve outcomes for the environment, but are increasingly eliminated in favor of more “typical” garden plants. Learn how to make an impact on your local environment, and potentially yourself, by planting native species.
Michigan Premiere, Filmmaker in Attendance
On a small Caribbean island, the native Brown Booby is disappearing, not from climate change but from feral cats people brought generations ago. Chicago-based filmmaker Armin Korsos follows the stories of the conservationists caught between action and inaction, asking when human-caused damage becomes our responsibility to fix, and what it means if we choose not to.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Has Subtitles, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
On the mend from a knee replacement, ultra marathoner Dane Rauschenberg attempts to break a record in the half marathon portage category – even though he’s never before lifted a canoe!
Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere, Nudity
The Heat That Holds Us explores the enduring sauna culture of the Great Lakes region, tracing its evolution from century-old public steam rooms to breathtaking modern architectural marvels.
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
“Big Jim” Whittaker was a legendary Pacific Northwest mountaineer who became the first American to summit Mount Everest on May 1, 1963. Featuring rarely seen 16mm footage from the 1963 American Everest Expedition, archival images from the Whittaker family collection, and interviews filmed in Jim’s late 80s, the film is both an intimate portrait of an extraordinary life and a celebration of the adventurous spirit that helped define a generation of American climbing.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Adult Language, Michigan Premiere, Adult Themes
Before Stonewall there was The Black Nite, a Milwaukee gay bar where LGBTQ activists and allies brawled with a group of homophobic sailors.
This video ode to the location tells the story of that night.
Family Friendly, Filmmaker in Attendance
An eccentric coach uses his outsider status to develop a new play to implement in the annual Troy Athens powder puff football game.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance
An inside look at Northern Michigan’s surf scene. Hometown hype is part of a video series highlighting America’s Surf Towns.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Adult Language
Spanning between Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota lies 650 miles of trees, lakes, and trails, what some call the North Woods, where most folks don’t expect to see anyone on a bicycle. A posse of Midwestern boys decided it’d be a good idea to bike through this area of the country that sometimes gets overlooked.
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance
Since 1972 the Little Traverse Conservancy has preserved over 82,000 acres in northern Michigan. Today every LTC sign is an invitation and a reminder that all conservancy-owned lands are open to you to enjoy.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
Stone Cold Phoenix is an intimate look at the life and stylings of Shelley Novotny, a northern Wisconsin artist who creates stunning wearable art pieces to showcase the understated beauty of the world and people around her. This film explores how communal art (and cold water immersion!) can transform us through the ashes of trauma into something new and more beautiful.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere, Staff Pick
A five-minute tribute to the last 100 years of Flint, through the lyrics and performance of Mama Sol and the Flint Symphony.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
After losing her corporate job in New York City, Christina “Maz” ventures into the remote Upper Peninsula searching for a way back to her art and herself. Guided by Yooper Wise Women, a collective of healing artists deeply connected to nature, she enters a transformative world where the wilderness becomes her guide. This is a sneak preview of the upcoming documentary series Yooper Wisdom.
Adult Language, Filmmaker in Attendance
The city of Detroit is 138 square miles. You may know Midtown or Downtown, but Rabinski has been all around. Follow Dan as he traverses the back roads, alleys, and dense wilderness of the Detroit you’ve never seen. Armed with only his bicycle and a camera, Rabinski takes you on a journey that even the locals have a hard time finding.
Michigan Premiere
This short documentary tells the story of sandhill cranes in America.
Filmmaker in Attendance, First Time Filmmaker
Water is Life covers issues facing the Great Lakes in brief yet explains how people around the region are doing something when it comes to the challenges they face. This is a synopsis of the longer documentary still in production.
Representative in Attendance
The Search for Anna & Levi uncovers the overlooked story of Anna and Levi Johnson, early Black homesteaders in Leelanau County. Through descendants, historians, and regional experts, the film connects their family story to the broader history of African American settlement in the Midwest.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere, Staff Pick
This portrait of Northern Michigan artist and musician Dana Falconberry follows her from inspiration to finished piece as she combines paint and traditional chain-stitching to create a multi-layered scene.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Student Filmmaker
After their life takes an unexpected turn, Megan and Mitchell start a business creating keepsakes for families’ most important moments.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
After crushing the fastest known time paddling the Wisconsin River, Kyle Parker takes on his next adventure: canoeing from Washington to Florida. Throughout his solo tip to tip journey, he discovers community and connection on and off the water.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
This short film explores the work of local Marquette artist, Niikah Hatfield, engaging with the philosophical questions of life and what it means to be alive through the process of ceramics, creativity, and living well.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Work in Progress
Michipicoten Island in Lake Superior is the little known sibling to famous Isle Royale. Soak in the rugged wilderness. Explore seldom seen relics and natural wonders. Get to know your seasoned off-trail guides, Michael Neiger and Chris Ozminski. This is a special sneak preview of the nearly completed film.
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
In 1994 Eric Anderson returned to his home town with a dream of building an outdoor themed business with his father. This video tells the story of how a family’s dream became a reality and how the owners gave it away to keep the Ironwood, Michigan property in its natural state for all to enjoy.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere, Representative in Attendance
Kendsie and Matt have been living car-free forever, and now they’ve added two kids to the mix without losing any of their optimism. The filmmaker knew she had to capture the joy it’s brought her family and so many others along the way.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, Adult Language
Endless Ride follows artist Billy Coulon of Evergreen Skateparks and his crew making public parks as skateable art pieces all over the United States.
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Filmmaker in Attendance, Adult Language
Mall Video Store is a fun and nostalgic short documentary about Harrison Lange, owner of Static Tape Video, an independent video store located inside a Michigan shopping mall. Passionate about movies and physical media, Harrison spends his days rescuing VHS tapes, tracking down forgotten collections, and creating a place where movie lovers can connect through a shared love of film.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Has Subtitles, Family Friendly, Representative in Attendance
Patrick Concannon reflects on his ancestral land near North Lake Leelanau, where hunting, gathering and caring for the land connect family across generations. This film is part of the Leelanau Conservancy’s Indigenous Knowledges Project, dedicated to elevating Anishinaabe voices.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Has Subtitles, Family Friendly, Representative in Attendance
For Tanya Raphael, maple season is a time for family, friends, and tradition. This film is part of the Leelanau Conservancy’s Indigenous Knowledges Project, dedicated to elevating Anishinaabe voices.
Michigan Premiere, Adult Language, Family Friendly
For over a decade, artist Pete Mauney has been ritualistically trekking into the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night, all alone. The desolate darkness brings him into confrontation with everything he can’t control. But when the landscape slowly starts to shimmer and sparkle, the magic begins.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
When previously used surgical robots and other medical equipment find new life in the Great Lakes region, a small Toledo company’s commitment to reuse and sustainability helps train the next generation of veterinary surgeons, while giving rescue dogs a second chance at adoption.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere
In America’s Dairyland, many families only learn that the water coming from their wells is toxic once it’s far too late. The Right to Know follows people living with nitrate and bacterial contamination caused by factory farming, and shows how knowing what’s in your water can be a matter of life and death.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, Subject in Attendance
Lead poisoning is an ongoing public health emergency. This short documentary goes into the trenches with the workers and advocates fighting to replace lead pipes in Wisconsin, while revealing the human stakes of a water crisis that continues to put children at risk.
Family Friendly
An intimate documentary exploring the world of Dan Yagmin as the creative force behind Decoy Holds. It’s a portrait of an artist shaping not just holds, but the way we experience climbing itself.
Subject in Attendance, Michigan Premiere
The rapidly changing climate weighs heavily on Andrea, a sensitive and passionate professor who has taught climate science for over 20 years. She knows she can’t navigate these feelings alone. The film follows participants in the Good Grief Network, an innovative support program, as they lean into their painful feelings and, in the process, discover joy, connection, and a renewed sense of possibility.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, Student Filmmaker, Family Friendly
A student documentary exploring what drives people to keep going, and the people who show up to support them, Still Running follows the Anderson Lake Backyard Ultra, a grueling endurance race in the heart of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, First Time Filmmaker
Across the salt-sprayed shores of Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, a gathering of Indigenous women comes together to rematriate wampum as a living system of justice, truth, and inherent relationship. Through practices of teaching, making, and collective remembrance, the film examines how patriarchal disruption, colonial extraction, and climate-driven coastal change threaten not only living shores but the relationships that sustain them.
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance
A music video for the song ‘If I Go’ which touches on themes of life, death, rebirth, mental health and mother nature. Featuring various beautiful, natural U.P. locations such as The Huron Islands, Montreal Falls, Point Abbaye, and Manitou Island.
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.
Filmmaker in Attendance
A small village west of Milwaukee is known for one thing: frog jumping. This yearly cultural competition has been happening for over 70 years and brings out hundreds of participants. But all that tradition is about to end, as one woman from the Wisconsin DNR considers her own legacy.
Filmmaker in Attendance, First Time Filmmaker
Artists, researchers, and activists explore the relationship between their lived experiences and the patterns of uneven development in Metropolitan Detroit and its art ecosystem.
Adult Language, Michigan Premiere, Adult Themes, Staff Pick
From Brooklyn’s concrete jungle to the heart of the Everglades, Black wildlife photographer George McKenzie Jr. is transforming his lens into a beacon of change. A rare gem in the predominantly white canvas of wildlife photography, McKenzie is empowering kids of color to shift their gaze to conservation.