Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance
Food security is an issue for residents of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. (In)Security explores the food systems in the U.P., and how a few organizations are working to improve access to quality food.
Environment
42 films at Fresh Coast 2025
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(In)Security
A Seething Underneath: Water Contamination in Wisconsin
Filmmaker in Attendance, World Premiere
A Seething Underneath explores the stories of three Wisconsin communities grappling with the devastating challenges posed by water contamination – from lead in Milwaukee’s drinking water, to nitrate-polluted groundwater in the state’s farm country, to the threats posed by factory farming on the shores of Lake Superior.
A Wilderness Act
Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere
Indigenous and Western ways of knowing come together through the collaboration of a Anishinaabe scholar and college professor to redefine our understanding of wilderness and argue for the return of fire to our forests.
An Outlook on Your Life
Family Friendly, Student Filmmaker, First Time Filmmaker
A visual essay from a first-time filmmaker explores how life is beautiful and complex. Enjoy every second of every day you have in this life. One day it will all be gone.
Beyond the Ashes
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
In November 2016 Gatlinburg, Tennessee was devastated by a wildfire that impacted thousands of families and businesses. Beyond the Ashes tells the stories of the families and businesses affected by the fire and how one city demonstrated resilience during its darkest times.
Breaking Ice: The Making of Cracks in the Ice
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
“Breaking Ice” follows photographer Jason Lindsey creating his “Cracks in the Ice” series after his son Björn asked what the world will look like due to climate change. Unable to give clear answers to a child who craves stability due to his medical history, Lindsey turns to art to explore this question.
Color Out Here: Breaking Ice & Building Community
First Time Filmmaker, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere, Filmmaker in Attendance
Rooted in the core values of uplifting representation, place, and public learning, this segment follows Alice Lyn and community members on a powerful journey to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where they learn to ice climb at Michigan Ice Fest.
Color Out Here is a TV show highlighting BIPOC representation in the outdoors through Public Learning, Representation, and Place. Each episode explores outdoor activities, unique environmental narratives, and the intersection of identity with nature, inspiring inclusion and advocacy for equitable access to outdoor spaces.
Detroit to Gloryland
Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Representative in Attendance
Eight Detroit youth venture to Yosemite National Park to meet legendary Park Ranger and fellow Detroiter, Shelton Johnson. A homecoming in the High Sierra ensues and the next generation is inspired to connect with and protect precious outdoor spaces.
Dinosaur Fish
Filmmaker in Attendance
The Lake Sturgeon has existed virtually unchanged for more than 130 million years. It survived a meteor impact, it outlived the dinosaurs but we’ve found out it couldn’t survive human development. With only 1% remaining in the Great Lakes, conservationists in Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay are working to bring this icon species back to the waters.
Driven Apart
First Time Filmmaker, Filmmaker in Attendance, Student Filmmaker
A documentary about urbanism and life on the road- how is a car centric society changing the way we interact?
Edgelands
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere, Making Waves Recipient
Using relationship as a method of storytelling, Edgelands explores urban green spaces to see what’s thriving despite impositions of modern infrastructure.
Flowing Forward
Filmmaker in Attendance
Mud-thick boots, cold farmers, an adze chopping holes for tiny trees in a huge field. These are memorable images from a film that follows one recent restoration project of Ohio’s Black Swamp Conservancy to tell the larger story of the history and mission of the Conservancy.
Haagua
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.
ʻAʻā (An Islands Twinkle)
Family Friendly
A cross pacific journey to find one’s homeland on a 26 foot voyaging canoe. Join a pacific islanders path from learning the stars to eventually re discovering their island.
Is It Worth It?
Adult Language, Michigan Premiere, First Time Filmmaker, Student Filmmaker
A 17-year-old’s first film offers an intimate look at the climate crisis, current events and a trip West through a teenagers eyes. It is brave to admit you are scared.
Lake Leelanau, Spirit of the Lake
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.
Mississippi Speed Record: An Epic Adventure
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, Filmmaker in Attendance
Four paddlers race against time to break the Guinness World Record on the mighty Mississippi—2,340 miles of brutal conditions and sleep deprivation, paddling 24/7 for over two weeks. With a large support crew behind them, it becomes clear that a record like this can’t be broken with skill alone—they’ll need teamwork, strategy, and a bit of luck.
Pulse of the Great Lakes
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Student Filmmaker
A look at the annual efforts to deploy and maintain the data collecting buoys by the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences. From scientists and sailors to weather forecasters and beachgoers, these buoys play an integral part of our lives to help us better understand and respond to the changing conditions of the Great Lakes.
Restoring Northern Michigan's Rivers
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere, Representative in Attendance
From Rugg Pond Dam on the Rapid River in Kalkaska County to the Crystal River in Leelanau County, this film follows the Conservation Resource Alliance’s River Care program and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians as they restore Northern Michigan’s rivers—reconnecting waters, renewing habitats, and honoring cultural ties.
Return of the Lake Sturgeon
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
Green Bay Lake Sturgeon during their spring spawning run are blocked from traveling up the Menominee River by the first set of dams. The 12-minute documentary explores the sturgeon lift operation, how the sturgeon make their way past the dams and spawn 22 miles upriver at the Grand Rapids Dam.
Roots
Has Subtitles
In the Dominican Republic, baseball is more than just a sport—it’s a way of life. Every child dreams of playing in the “big leagues,” and nearly every adult knows someone who has. However, as the nation’s passion for baseball flourishes, its natural environment is under threat from rapid development. Mangroves, which provide vital ecological benefits, are being destroyed to make way for new infrastructure. Despite this, there is hope.
Saving The Night Caller | Uncovering Echoes In The Dark
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
A hauntingly beautiful conservation documentary that follows wildlife researchers from Birds Canada and the University of Waterloo deep into the forests of southwestern Ontario, Canada to uncover the mysterious world of the Eastern Whip-poor-will — a nocturnal bird whose call once echoed across the night, and is now slowly falling silent.
ScrapFest: An Artist's Journey
Filmmaker in Attendance
“ScrapFest: An Artist’s Journey” chronicles the transformation of an artist as he turns scrap metal into stunning sculptures—celebrating resilience, community, and reclaimed beauty. Embracing sobriety, Andrew carved out his own second chance while also giving new life to scrap, crafting beautiful pieces that express his experiences and himself.
Snail Hunters
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
A team of evolutionary biologists from the University of Idaho travels to the Galápagos Islands to solve the Earth’s biodiversity crisis. The twist? They aren’t studying the iconic tortoises or blue footed boobies on this storied archipelago—they are Snail Hunters, studying a more unlikely subject in the crucible of evolution. By understanding the unique traits that make snails a champion of coexistence, the multi-disciplinary scientists hope to unlock a brighter future for humanity and the planet.
Somber Tides
Has Subtitles, Nudity
Somber Tides is a cry from the species, startled into survival against the elements. One last breath before being trampled by the Earth or maybe conversely a battle to wage against winds and tides clutching on before extinction.
Something in the Water
Filmmaker in Attendance
_Something in the Water _follows five water justice advocates who discuss how Milwaukee’s Black communities are disproportionately being lead poisoned, the debilitating effects it has on residents’ health, and their hopes to see equitable change that will heal the water and Black resident’s relationship to it.
Sueños De Una Monarca (Dreams of a Monarch)
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Has Subtitles, First Time Filmmaker, World Premiere, Making Waves Recipient, Staff Pick
After turning her Chicago home into a monarch butterfly sanctuary, Claudia Galeno-Sánchez, an environmental activist, Mexican immigrant, and mother is on a mission to save the monarch butterfly, an important symbol for both her family and millions of others in the United States.
The Bird House | On The Edge At Long Point
Filmmaker in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
Filmed over two field seasons spanning three years, The Bird House tells the story of the impacts of weather, storms and high water at Canada’s most isolated bird banding and research station located at the tip of a 20-mile long wind-swept sandspit in the middle of Lake Erie.
The Celebration
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
A dedicated group of paddlers embarks on a seven-day journey along Vermont’s Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers, celebrating the 10th anniversary of their Wild & Scenic designation.
The Developer
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Adult Language, Staff Pick
The Developer is about outdoor climbing areas and how they are discovered, established, and maintained. Follow Michigan climber Brendan Baars and his journey to put The Nooks — a newly developed crag in northern Ontario — on the climbing community’s map.
The Inner Sea
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, First Time Filmmaker
The Inner Sea is an unconventional love story–a story about music, adoption, the journey of a lifetime, and a bright blue 40 foot school bus. This film explores the complex issues of identity that result from the decision to place a child for adoption. It is also a film that explores the role that art plays in suffering, and healing.
The Invisible Mammal
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, Staff Pick
Against the backdrop of the sixth mass extinction, an all-woman team of biologists set out to save bats from a deadly fungal disease, but when the COVID-19 pandemic interrupts their work, they are sent down a path of discovery that illuminates the connections between bat conservation and the spread of infectious disease.
The Last to Leave | saving the ash tree from extinction
Filmmaker in Attendance, Michigan Premiere, World Premiere
The film tells the story of how researchers discover ‘lingering ash’ trees, and use them to genetically breed emerald ash borer resistant trees. They hope to someday plant resistant trees back in forests across the country. A production from Points North Podcast & The Boardman Review in partnership with Great Lakes Now / Detroit PBS.
The Little Ancestor
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere
On a windswept hill, in a place still young and devoid of all life, an ancestral house builds itself. The house comes to life and unveils its long life of one hundred and fifty years. Brick by brick and beam by beam, each action, big or small, shows life. Over the years, it leads us to feel the passage of time, the transformations of its surroundings and its vulnerability in the face of the unstoppable frenzy of our urban growth. The house evolves quietly in the heart of a growing and buzzing city that will eventually bring its end.
The Spirit Gardens at Bad River
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.
The Wild Mile: A River Reborn
Michigan Premiere
Explore the evolution and transformation of a stretch of the Chicago River into a thriving habitat and neighborhood fixture through the Wild Mile, the world’s first floating eco-park planned and developed by nonprofit Urban Rivers.
To Trinity
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, Student Filmmaker
When a father is faced with health issues caused by nearby petrochemical plants, he must make a decision: stay and fight for his community, or leave and save his family.
Turtle Walker
Has Subtitles, Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, First Time Filmmaker, Staff Pick
In the late 1970s, Satish Bhaskar embarked on an epic journey along India’s coastline and the spectacular Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where he uncovered the vital nesting beaches of sea turtles. During his death-defying quest, he unravels mysteries surrounding these enigmatic ocean creatures – and sets out to save them from extinction.
Voices of The Grand River
Filmmaker in Attendance, Subject in Attendance, Family Friendly, First Time Filmmaker, Student Filmmaker
Ron Yob, chairman of the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians, seeks to gain federal recognition for his tribe from the federal government. Through Yob’s fight, he walks viewers through the historical evidence of the tribe’s presence in Grand Rapids to understand why the tribes deserve their federal rights.
Weathering the Change: Climate Adaptation at Rush Creek
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, Filmmaker in Attendance
In the face of climate change, Wisconsin conservationists are protecting the plants and wildlife at Rush Creek State Natural Area. Using fire and innovative adaptive techniques, their proactive approach offers a model for building resilience across our natural spaces in an uncertain future. In partnership with the Natural Resources Foundation of WI.
When I'm in the Water
Family Friendly, Staff Pick
When I’m in the Water is a film centered around a group of women, called the Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage, in Cape Cod, Mass. fighting to revitalize not only their own lives and the lives of their fellow group members, but the ecosystems consisting of hundreds of ponds in the Cape. Throughout their journey to clean up the ponds, members of the group have found an accepting and supporting community to aid them in their personal journeys, harnessing their mental fortitude and discovering physical strength at their age.
Where the Wind Takes You
Family Friendly, Michigan Premiere, Filmmaker in Attendance
Following in his father’s footsteps of polar exploration, captain Peter Schurke takes us up the West coast of Svalbard in a small sailboat, dwarfed by the towering mountains of this arctic archipelago.