"It's only fitting that filmmaker Sierra Falconer's feature debut, "Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake)," does a lot with a little. Originally conceived of as her senior thesis film for her graduate program at UCLA, Falconer's spectacular gem eventually took her all the way to Sundance, where it debuted in competition at the 2025 edition of the fest. It's the sort of discovery film fans are eager to find and don't always get a chance to: a charming, lived-in first film that shows off a filmmaker's talent and soul, heart, and skill."
"And with a smart - but tricky - format, Falconer's film literally works on multiple levels, thanks to her choice to build it as an anthology. While each of the four shorts that make up the film takes place in the same spot (Green Lake, Michigan, where Falconer spent most of her summers growing up) and is built around interconnected characters, they also stand alone. But they're better together."
"Anthologies aren't easy for anyone, let alone a first-time feature filmmaker with a very slim budget (thank her family for generously letting their own Green Lake cottage serve as a major location), but Falconer pulls it off. The result is a warm collection of stories that show her range - family stories, summer camp mishaps, coming-of-age tales, and more - and her knack for building an entire world and a deeper feeling from one central idea."
The feature evolved from a UCLA graduate thesis into a Sundance 2025 competition debut, demonstrating resourceful low-budget filmmaking. The structure is an anthology of four interconnected shorts, all set at Green Lake, Michigan, that function both independently and as a cohesive whole. Production relied on a family cottage as a primary location, enabling a lived-in summer atmosphere despite limited resources. The shorts examine family dynamics, summer camp mishaps, and coming-of-age moments while collectively building a deeper sense of place and emotional resonance. The format reveals range, careful worldbuilding, and a strong command of tone across varied, warm stories.
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