2024 • USA • 34 min • Scott Ballew

Adult Language, Staff Pick

In the late 60’s a group of poets, writers and musicians descended upon the southernmost point of the United States to pursue their love of literature and fishing. Initiated by Tom McGuane - the prodigal son of American Literature in the 1970’s - his friends Jim Harrison, Richard Brautigan, Russell Chatham and Jimmy Buffett soon joined him. This crew and that era were captured on film by Guy De La Valdene and Christian Odasso in an obscure documentary called “Tarpon” in 1974. They went on to create some of the best art, poetry, novels, and music of their generation - but there will never be anything like Key West in the early 70’s. If you were lucky to survive it.

2024 • USA • 5 min • Kody Kohlman

Adult Language, Michigan Premiere

Anton Krupicka is an icon of mountain running in the USA. At 23-years-old he won Leadville 100 in Colorado and more recently has blazed a high altitude trail on extensive bikepacking tours.
We wanted to know what drove Anton to chase these experiences. A need for self reliance and a desire for discovery have fueled years of awe-inspiring achievements that have motivated runners, cyclists and climbers around the world. In this film, Anton dives into the purpose behind his pursuits.

2024 • USA • 6 min • Mike Schwartz

Family Friendly, First Time Filmmaker, Staff Pick

“Elladj" follows the remarkable journey of Elladj Balde, a Canadian figure skater whom found his voice and fan base through wild ice skating. The film centers on the transformative power of embracing one’s passion over measurable results.

2023 • USA • 17 min • Stephen Michael Simon

Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, Adult Language, Staff Pick

The city lifestyle left New York City artist Lala feeling hollow, forcing her to make the bold decision of uprooting herself and seeking solace in the untamed landscapes somewhere far west. Stripped of the familiar comforts of running water, electricity, and constant connectivity, she faces the daunting challenge of building a bountiful life from scratch.

2023 • USA • 3 min • Lily Kissinger

First Time Filmmaker, Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere

In Gordon, viewers follow the story of a blacksmith based in Marquette, Michigan, during which Gordon Gearhart explains the importance of following one’s own interests.

2023 • USA • 14 min • Sergio M. Rapu

Michigan Premiere, Subject in Attendance, Staff Pick

Ojibwe artist Jonathan Thunder explores the mythic inspirations of his surrealist work.

2024 • United States • 15 min • Brody Kuhar and Joshua Cannon

Family Friendly

In South Memphis, married artists Bertram Williams and Talibah Safiya transform their creative practices into vehicles for a higher purpose. Enter Mama’s Sundry, a collaborative movement fostering wellness and sustainability through education, service initiatives and a neighborhood garden that produces fresh fruit and vegetables within a community that’s long been designated a food desert.

2024 • USA • 3 min • Cam Nabors

Subject in Attendance, Has Subtitles, Michigan Premiere

Artist carves poetry into a 150-year fallen oak tree

2024 • USA • 8 min • Freddie Gluck

Michigan Premiere, First Time Filmmaker, Family Friendly

Rex, a gifted marble sculptor, lives in a small mountain town in Colorado on a property littered with half-finished headstones, beer cans, a faithful dog, and a family of scrap metal minions. Stone Dead invites viewers to delve deep into a sequestered artist’s unconventional existence and explore the intriguing intersection of life and death.

2024 • USA • 4 min • Matthew Hill and Elliot Kennedy

Family Friendly, Subject in Attendance, Filmmaker in Attendance

This film tells Emily Lanctot’s story and personal relationship with art and how the beauty of the lakeshore intertwines with her world in art. Emily wears many hats, she’s a working artist, organizer of a local art group, professor in NMU’s art and design program, and the Curator and Director of the Art Museum on campus.

2023 • France • 36 min • Morgan LE FAUCHEUR

Has Subtitles, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere

Six monumental statues are immersed between the Lérins Islands under the gaze of their creator, the sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor. Molded from the faces of six inhabitants of Cannes, these stone giants were made from an ecological marine material. If today, these statues constitute the first underwater eco-museum inFrance and the Mediterranean created by the artist, tomorrow they will serve as a habitat and refuge for local marine biodiversity.

2023 • USA • 5 min • Veena Rao

Staff Pick

An artist gives life to the memories of our most beloved companions.