Sasha Waters
Director "Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World” Saturday Night Gala Feature Documentary
Waters – who spent part of her undergraduate years at the University of Michigan – is known for her acclaimed documentary work about outsiders, misfits, and every-day radicals. Her films have won a Special Jury Prize at SXSW (“Garry Winogrand: All Things are Photographable”) and been featured at renowned venues ranging from the Telluride and Tribeca film festivals to the Film Society of Lincoln Center to the Sundance Channel. She is currently professor of photography and filmmaking at VCUarts, the number one public art school in the United States.
Owen Reiser
Co-Creator - "Listers - A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching" - Friday Night Gala Feature Documentary
Owen Reiser is the director of "Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching" (2025), "America the Beautiful" (2022) and "Bugs That Rule the World" (2025). He is a vagabond creator and brother to Quentin.
Quentin Reiser
Co-Creator - "Listers - A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching" - Friday Night Gala Feature Documentary
Quentin Reiser is the writer of "Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching" (2025), "America the Beautiful" (2022) and "Bugs That Rule the World" (2025). He is a vagabond creator and brother to Owen.
He is also the author and illustrator of the book “Field Guide of All the Birds We Found One Year in the United States” - a companion piece.
Hannah Toutonghi
Field Ornithologist University of Minnesota at Duluth - Featured in “Listers - A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching”
Hannah is a field ornithologist from the greater Seattle area, who has focused her research efforts on Studying raptor migration and breeding birds in the boreal forest over the last several years. She has Previously worked at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, the Natural Resources Research Institute, Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, and the Institute for Bird Populations.
Hannah completed her master’s degree through the University of Minnesota Duluth, and now works as a data scientist at the Ocean Research College Academy in Everett, Washington.
Bugsy Sailor
Co-Founder Fresh Coast Film Festival and Photographer - Founder, U.P. Supply Co. of Marquette, Michigan
Sailor says he’s the official Unofficial Ambassador of the Upper Peninsula, and while he’s still waiting on the paperwork, Bugsy is a lifelong Michigander worthy of the title.
From his Year of the Sunrise project that began as a resolution on New Year’s Day 2019 and continues to this day to founding unique events like 906 Day, Plaidurday and the Fresh Coast Film Festival, Bugsy celebrates the things that set Michigan – and the U.P. in particular – apart from anywhere else.
Years later, Bugsy continues to be inspired by his Marquette surroundings and creates opportunities for connection within the Upper Peninsula community and beyond.
Aaron Peterson
Co-Founder Fresh Coast Film Festival and Filmmaker - Founder, Aaron Peterson Studios of Marquette, Michigan - Shorts Programs A/B/D
Peterson is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and creative director whose work is inextricably linked to the rugged landscapes and resilient communities of the Upper Great Lakes. Based in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Peterson has spent decades documenting the intersection of outdoor adventure, environmental stewardship, and regional identity. His visual storytelling often highlights the quiet, profound connection between people and the wild spaces they inhabit.
As a co-founder of the Fresh Coast Film Festival in Marquette, Michigan, he has been instrumental in building a premier platform for "Fresh Water" storytelling. The festival celebrates the spirit of the Great Lakes and the surrounding backcountry, fostering a unique space where filmmakers and outdoor enthusiasts converge. Through his production work and his leadership within the festival, Peterson continues to champion the North’s cinematic voice, ensuring that the stories of the Great Lakes are told with authenticity, grit, and a deep-seated respect for the natural world.
Bill Thompson
Co-Founder Fresh Coast Film Festival and Outdoor Guide - Founder, Downwind Sports of Marquette, Michigan
Thompson is a cornerstone of the Midwest’s outdoor community, serving as the co-founder of the Fresh Coast Film Festival and the longtime owner of Downwind Sports in Marquette, Michigan. With decades of experience as a climber and adventurer, Thompson has dedicated his career to fostering a deep appreciation for the Great Lakes’ rugged backcountry.
Through Downwind Sports, he has equipped generations of enthusiasts while organizing premier regional events like the Michigan Ice Fest. His leadership at the Fresh Coast Film Festival further cements his commitment to the intersection of adventure, culture, and environmental stewardship.
Claudia Galeno-Sánchez
Activist and Featured in "Sueños De Una Monarca (Dreams of a Monarch)" - Shorts Program B
After Claudia Galeno-Sánchez and her daughter raised a caterpillar in their home and watched it transform into a Black Swallowtail butterfly, Galeno-Sánchez was inspired to create a butterfly habitat in her backyard as a way to teach her children about nature during the pandemic — but her vision quickly expanded
Now, she and a group of motivated neighbors calling themselves “Mujeres Por Espacios Verdes" (or “Women for Green Spaces”) are working to expand green spaces in Chicago neighborhoods.
Julián Trejo Bax
Filmmaker "Sueños De Una Monarca (Dreams of a Monarch)" - Shorts Program B
BIO COMING SOON
Kristin Tièche
Filmmaker "The Invisible Mammal" - Feature Documentary
Kristin Tièche is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, and editor based in San Francisco, CA. She crafts immersive, character-driven stories that explore sustainability, conservation, and science, with a focus on making complex subjects accessible and emotionally resonant. With hundreds of hours of film and television credits, she specializes in documentary storytelling that informs, engages, and inspires action.
Her work includes acclaimed short films such as Forms of Identification (2011), The Spinster (2013), The Bat Rescuer (2016), and Velo Visionaries (2015–2017). Her first feature documentary, The Invisible Mammal, follows a team of women scientists working to prevent bat extinction; it premiered at the 2025 DocLands Film Festival and won the Audience Choice Award.
Kristin holds an M.A in Television-Radio-Film from Syracuse University. She shares her expertise as a film instructor at Diablo Valley College and SF Film School, mentoring the next generation of visual storytellers.
Nate Crane
Co-Founder Rare Bird Brewpub - Volunteer Birdwatching Guide
Nate Crane is a pivotal figure in the Traverse City craft beverage scene as the co-founder of Rare Bird Brewpub. An avid birdwatcher, Crane’s passion for ornithology is the literal soul of the pub, inspiring its name and welcoming atmosphere.
Since 2014, he has successfully married high-quality brewing with a community-centric space that celebrates Northern Michigan. Through Rare Bird, Crane continues to champion local collaboration and sustainability.
Stephen McGee
Filmmaker "Resurgo: The Rise From Within" - Feature Documentary
BIO COMING SOON
Jason Whalen
Co-Founder Fauna Creative Studio and Filmmaker “Dinosaur Fish,” “Loon,” “Restoring Northern Michigan’s River” and ”Ephemeral” - Shorts Programs A/C/F/G
Whalen is the Co-Founder of Fauna Creative. Fauna specializes in conservation storytelling with the mission of connecting audiences to nature and the efforts to protect rare species, restore habitat and enhance cultural connections to nature.
Christy Frank
Filmmaker "A Bird in the Hand" - Shorts Program H
Frank is a filmmaker, photojournalist, biologist, and writer based in the Great Lakes region. She tells intimate, visually rich stories at the intersection of environmental, human, and wildlife conditions, drawing on a background in art, journalism, business, and biology to bring a multidisciplinary lens to every project. Her work is driven by a mission to act as a catalyst for change, protecting the wild and helping heal communities by deepening connections with each other and the natural world.
Her films, photography, and reporting have appeared with bioGraphic, National Wildlife Federation, PBS and PBS Nature, Great Lakes Now, Audubon, CBS News, Earth Island Journal, galleries, film festivals, and a range of nonprofit partners.
Mike King
Multi-hyphenate Athlete and Filmmaker “Lake Michigan Gets Swell! - Hometown Hype Northern Michigan”
BIO COMING SOON
Ladislav Hanka
Artist and Featured in "A Two Hearted Tale" - Feature Documentary
Ladislav Hanka is a Michigan-based artist, printmaker, and fly fisherman whose work is rooted in the landscapes, wildlife, and waterways of the Great Lakes region. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Hanka has built a reputation for intricate, deeply personal imagery that bridges fine art and the natural world. He is perhaps best known for designing the iconic trout label for Bell's Two-Hearted Ale — a image that has become one of the most recognizable in American craft brewing. His prints and paintings are held in private and public collections across the country.
Bret Miller
Filmmaker "A Two Hearted Tale" - Feature Documentary
BIO COMING SOON
Jason Lindsey
Filmmaker "Breaking Ice: The Making of Cracks in the Ice" - Shorts Program B
Jason Lindsey is an award-winning director and conservationist whose work bridges human experience with environmental narratives. Rooted in photojournalism and commercial directing, his cinematic style blends observational authenticity with striking visual storytelling. A dedicated advocate, Jason served on the Prairie Rivers Network board and permanently protected 27 acres of Illinois forest. His latest films, including Breaking Ice and It’s Time, explore climate change through intimate stories designed to inspire environmental stewardship.
Maurice Champion
Filmmaker “Belonging: A Journey of Inclusion and Nature“ Shorts Program G
Maurice Champon is a Story Strategist and Documentary Filmmaker whose advocacy films and screening toolkits help environmental justice and creation care organizations move audiences from emotional engagement to concrete action.
Each project pairs a film with guided discussion tools — creating a pathway from "I feel this" to "What do we do about this?" Over time, organizations build a library of films and facilitated conversations that sustain advocacy and advance policies protecting people and the land. His debut short documentary, Belonging, won Best Regional Film at the Ely Film Festival and secured licensing deals with WaterBear Network and PBS.
Jim Aikman
Filmmaker "Snail Hunters" - Feature Documentary
Jim has been making award winning documentaries for over twenty years, combining a lifetime in the wilderness with a formal education in storytelling to craft films about natural history, science and mountain sports. Currently based in Portland, Oregon, Jim began his career in Michigan and Colorado, traveling for projects around the globe. He has been the Creative Director and Co-Founder at Bedrock Film Works for ten years, directing titles for platforms like National Geographic/Disney+, Outside, AT&T, REI and more.
James Parker
Filmmaker "In Our Nature" - Feature Documentary
Parker is a director, producer, and founder of Synchronous Pictures, a boutique production company creating award-winning films that bridge divides and spark conversation. His work has aired on major networks and screened internationally, earning multiple Emmy nominations, Telly Awards, and a presidential medal for his work documenting Botswana’s HIV/AIDS response. Driven by a deep belief in storytelling’s power to illuminate complexity and foster connection, James has spent the past decade capturing human stories across Singapore, Botswana, India, Sri Lanka, Peru, the UK, and the United States. He’s worked with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to major studios including CBS, ABC, BBC, Amazon Studios, and National Geographic, with a body of work that spans from rural Oregon to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
Tim Warmanen
Writer, Producer and Editor Tim Warmanen / “The Humungous Fungus Among Us”
Warmanen is an award-winning commercial editor, recognized with both Cannes Lion and Super Bowl accolades. He served as writer, producer, and editor for The Humongous Fungus Among Us, collaborating with director and cinematographer, Logan Hall. They are currently in post-production for a new feature documentary titled Puzzle Party which was featured in the New York Times.
Lexie Garrett
Managing Director and Editor of House of Bug Productions / “The Wild Mile” Shorts Program E
Lexie Garrett is a co-founder, editor, and managing director at House of Bug Productions, a Chicago-based documentary studio born from graduate work in digital media and storytelling. Her work centers on compelling nonfiction narratives, including The Wild Mile: A River Reborn, which explores urban waterways and community transformation.
Mark Wilson
Filmmaker "Eva Petoskey: Honoring the Water” / Water Ways Special Event
Mark L. Wilson is a Traverse City–based filmmaker and founder of New Leonard Media. A citizen of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, his work is rooted in storytelling that uplifts Indigenous voices and preserves cultural knowledge.
Through documentary film and media, Mark collaborates with tribal communities, nonprofits, and educators to share stories of language revitalization, traditional ecological knowledge, and community resilience. His recent projects explore topics such as the Indigenous Education Initiative, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons, and Indian Law across Michigan. With a background in public service and deep ties to Northern Michigan, Mark brings a community-centered approach to filmmaking, using story as a bridge between generations and a catalyst for understanding.
Rachel Felder
Detroit Outdoors and Detroit Parks & Recreation / Producer “Detroit to Gloryland” / Shorts Program G
Rachel Felder works as a Naturalist for the Detroit Parks & Recreation Department and a member of the Detroit Outdoors collaborative. She hopes to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and safe while exploring nature. She believes that there are so many ways to exist in the outdoors and will continue to share this with others; hopeful that they too experience the magnitude of just how powerful nature can be.
Nick Loud
Co-Founder The Boardman Review and Filmmaker "The Last to Leave: Saving the Ash Tree from Extinction" - Shorts Program E
BIO COMING SOON
Dan Wanschura
Interlochen Public Radio and Points North Podcast Producer and Filmmaker “The Last to Leave: Saving the Ash Tree from Extinction” - Shorts Program E
BIO COMING SOON
Rory McHarg
Filmmaker "A Two Hearted Tale" - Featured Documentary
I am a father, husband, and occasionally an Emmy award-winning creative director, filmmaker, art director, brand architect, and casual photographer. Originally from New Zealand, I am pretty much consumed by anything that involves creative problem solving through story or rehashing jokes from Flight of the Conchords
I am currently Head of Creative & a director at Detroit based production company Woodward Original. As a documentarian & director, I’ve always been interested in the intersection of culture, music, art, and the human condition. How do creative characters drive innovation and inspire us? If we crack that together we never run alone.
JohnPaul Morris
Founder Practical Studio and Filmmaker “Find Me Up North” - Shorts Program A
BIO COMING SOON
Dusan Harminc
Filmmaker "Language Back" - Shorts Program A
Born and raised in Serbia, Dusan Harminc is a Milwaukee based Bachelor of Fine Art with interests in Cinematography and Storytelling.
He co-owns and operates a mom and pop production shop called Stumptown Media.
Parker Michaels-Boyce
Cinematographer and Editor “Catching Pinecones” Featured Documentary
Michaels-Boyce is a photojournalist with a passion for storytelling. His work has been published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Outside, and others.
“Catching Pinecones” is his first feature-length film, previously having worked as director of photography on several award-winning narrative shorts. His personal work for the last 15 years has focused on people who live eco-centric lifestyles and embrace primitive skills outside of mainstream society. He’d almost always rather be hiking in the mountains somewhere.
Nick Stachurski
Filmmaker "Land of Lost Toys" - Shorts Program F
Nick Stachurski is a Detroit-based director and the founder of Eightfold, a production collective rooted in collaboration and human-centered storytelling. His work spans automotive, branded documentary, and social campaigns, often blending cinematic craft with real-world intimacy. Nick’s films focus on community, identity, and everyday moments, with recent projects recognized by outlets including the LA Times. He continues to build creative spaces and stories that bring people together across Michigan and beyond.
Matthew Podolsky
Producer “The Invisible Mammal” - Featured Documentary
BIO COMING SOON
Nick Nerbonne
Filmmaker "A Thousand Sunrises” / Early Celebration 10 Years of Fresh Coast Film Festival / Fri May 1 at 12 pm
BIO COMING SOON
Drew Mason
Filmmaker "A Thousand Sunrises” / Early Celebration 10 Years of Fresh Coast Film Festival / Fri May 1 at 12 pm
BIO COMING SOON
Alex Goetz
Filmmaker "A Bird in the Hand" - Shorts Program H
Goetz is a wildlife filmmaker and photographer, and co-founder of Running Wild Media. He has contributed to outlets such as National Geographic, BBC, PBS, CNN, CBS and was a winner of the National Geographic "Wild to Inspire" film competition.
An Ohio native, some of his extensive travels have taken him from the countryside of Tasmania filming Tasmanian devils, to boating throughout the vibrant Marshall Islands, and road-tripping around four amazing African countries filming wildlife and conservation efforts.
He is a 2019 Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leader, 2019 NAAEE 30 under 30, TEDxToledo 2017 speaker, and a 2013 graduate from Bowling Green State University, with a degree in Film Production and Environmental Science.
Geoffrey Holstad
Creator of the 2026 Fresh Coast Film Festival: Traverse City Design Campaign
Geoffrey Holstad is a Michigan-born art director, designer, lake surfer and trail runner who currently lives most of the year in the small, mystic mountain town of Ojai, California. Geoff has worked for over a decade as a Senior Art Director on product at Patagonia, focusing primarily on Trail Running, Mountain Bike and Kids product.
During his tenure at Patagonia, and in his off-hours, Geoff has collaborated with dozens of grassroots enviro NGOs on creative strategy-building, many based in his heart’s home of the Great Lakes. Prior to working at Patagonia, he founded and directed Cabin-Time (501c3), a roaming creative residency to remote places.
Geoff and his wife Sarah Darnell (fellow Michigan-born Patagonia designer) have an all-season cabin with their two little girls, on fifteen acres bordering Palmer Woods Forest Reserve. They are so inspired to be a part of thoughtfully preserving Leelanau’s natural magic and to connect closely with Northern Michigan’s thriving (and growing) community working/playing at the confluence of art, sport and environmental action.
Ryan Busch
Filmmaker "Michigan’s Skiing Legacy”
Busch is a Michigan native and a Northern Michigan University alumni with a BFA in Digital Cinema. A lifelong, curious storyteller, his work over the years has been fueled by self-driven exploration of the Great Lakes region. Whether it be traveling to remote places or learning more about its incredibly rich ecosystem, he is passionate about sharing with others the wonders of this watershed through my lens. His mission is to inspire people to immerse themselves in the remarkable (and at times challenging!) landscape around them. Looking to the future, Busch is excited for new opportunities to reveal the unknown and push the boundaries of his work showcasing the uniqueness of the Great Lakes. For this year’s festival, he looks forward to sharing his passion for skiing in our back yard through his film, “Michigan’s Skiing Legacy”