We are woven into a single, breathing tapestry. From the rhythmic hum of the bees to the steady heartbeat of beasts, we share one fragile home … bound together by love, breath, and life.

Presented with support from Ben and Erin Anderson Whiting

Special Guests: Filmmakers Nicholas Stachurski and Jason Whalen

Our waters are a central artery of constant renewal, offering a quiet sanctuary where urban life meets the wild. Flowing waters mirror the soul’s resilience, fostering deep connections, reflection, and a sense of belonging together.

Presented by Great Lakes Fisheries with support from Interlochen Public Radio

Special Guests: Points North Podcast Producer Ellie Katz, (TBA Great Lakes Fishery Commission), Filmmaker Mark Wilson, and (TBA Conservation Resource Alliance)

As part of the festival’s experiences, a Guided FishPass Tour with Brett Fessell from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and Frank Dituri from the City of Traverse City, Michigan follows at 12pm. Please note tickets do not include the tour, and a separate future registration is required.

Hope isn’t always a grand anthem - often, it’s a quiet melody found in simple stories. Like a sprout breaking through concrete, small narratives remind us that even in stillness, we are always still finding our way.

Presented by Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy and Leelanau Conservancy with support from Interlochen Public Radio

Special Guests: Filmmakers JohnPaul Morris, Aaron Peterson, Dusan Harminc, and Jason Whalen

Catching Pinecones is the story of Jan and Herb Conn, pioneering rock climbers and cave explorers who lived life to the fullest on their own terms. Rejecting a conventional lifestyle in pursuit of adventure and fun, the Conns’ story reveals a legacy of renowned discoveries and their philosophies for a simple, well-lived life.

Special Guest: Filmmaker Chad Heddleston

Exploring how environmental education - and the people who teach with it - can help heal some of our most pressing social, emotional, and political divides. Through stories of resilience and reconnection, the film reveals why nature belongs at the heart of what it means to be truly educated.

Special Guest: (Filmmaker James Parker)

Identity is the soul's unique map, providing the essential sense of belonging, purpose, and continuity that anchors our human existence. This is a celebration of That.

Special Guests: Filmmakers Aaron Peterson and Julián Trejo Bax with advocate Claudia Galeno-Sánchez

A secret cinematic experience awaits, hidden in plain sight. Keep your eyes sharp and ears open … the reveal is coming very soon.

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.

Special Guest: Filmmaker Jim Aikman

Living anywhere near the Great Lakes and all their connected inland seas and rivers means embracing a four-season lifestyle defined by vast freshwater horizons, sandy dunes, and world-class recreation that has to be felt to be truly appreciated.

Special Guests: Filmmakers Jason Whalen and Mike King

Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale is America’s No.1 IPA. The now infamous and 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.

Presented with support from The Minervini Group

Special Guests: Filmmakers Keith Patterson, Rory K. McHarg and (Bret Miller) with artists Ladislav and Jana Hanka

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.

Special Guests: Producer Matthew Podolsky and Filmmaker Kristin Tièche

Deep within us burns a restless fire, an innate hunger to shape the world. We are not mere observers; we are creators and catalysts. Driven by hope and unyielding spirit, let’s take action!

Special Guests: Filmmakers Christy Frank and Alex Goetz

A secret cinematic experience awaits, hidden in plain sight. Keep your eyes sharp and ears open … the reveal is coming very soon.

It’s that restless, gritty part of us that looks at a locked door and starts picking the lock. It’s built to push back and demand better. The human spirit is our relentless inner drive to endure, create, and find meaning, even when facing life’s greatest challenges.

Special Guests: Filmmaker Aaron Peterson and Producer Dan Wanschura

Featuring a curated collection of local guests sharing true, first-person stories about times in their lives when they threw caution to the wind (and came away with an adventure tale). If you love spoken-word, The Moth Radio Hour, or the power of one person to surprise and delight you ... then you won't want to miss this one-time-only special festival event.

In collaboration with Traverse City Design Week (with support from Traverse City Arts Commission)

Saturday Night Gala

Special Screening and Guests To Be Announced