“Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake)” was written and directed by Sierra Falconer, produced by her husband Grant Ellison, and co-produced by Nick and Chris Loud.
They are all creatives with strong ties to Northern Michigan, and the movie was shot in and around Interlochen on Green Lake — a family connection for the director.
“I think Traverse City and northern Michigan is a very artistic community, and I think that's why I wanted to make this film, because I bring so much of what I learned growing up in this place into all of my work,” Falconer said.
She and Ellison started planning the project in 2022, spent most of the next two years in production, and then submitted to Sundance in October of last year. Since learning they’d be one of only 10 projects highlighted in the centerpiece American Dramatic Competition, they’ve had a whirlwind of attention.
IPR’s Arts & Culture Contributor Joe Beyer interviewed the team behind this small independent project as they traveled to the festival. Listen to that conversation through the audio player above.
For the latest news on their release, follow “Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake”) on Instagram or listen to our previous IPR story when the news of the festival was announced. Here are a few of the early reviews coming in after the film’s first screenings at the Sundance Film Festival:
