An intimate portrait of summer in Wisconsin's North Woods

Through one summer, this feature-length documentary takes us behind the scenes of Wisconsin’s longest running water ski team and the construction of an Anishinaabe wigwam. With kids at its center, the film observes how tradition, lineage, and relationship to land manifest in two distinct communities under the same blue skies of Wisconsin’s Northwoods.

Synopsis

Forest County is home to two Native American reservations, 350,000 acres of national forest, unlimited fish fry, and not a single traffic light. Amidst an ensemble, multi-generational cast, it is the children, with their playful and unfiltered nature, who drive the film. Blue Skies asks: what can community look like today in a country growing more diverse yet increasingly divided?

Project Status

We are in the final stages of post production. In order to complete the film, we are raising $20,000 to pay for a professional sound designer and colorist.

About the Filmmakers

Amira and Joel met at NYU Tisch film school in 2018 and quickly connected over their overlapping mixed identities (Latino, Jewish, Midwestern). As people of mixed heritage, they hold deep reverence for those who manage to walk with their cultures against the pressures of assimilation. Their shared affinity for observational documentary underscores their commitment to transparent and intimate storytelling. Building genuine connections with protagonists and their communities is paramount. They are committed to a lifelong journey of minimizing the extractive and intrusive tendencies of filmmaking and have a strong and growing sense of how to direct a space rooted in humility, trust, and care.