'Mother River' Wins Sanctuary Selections Film Competition

The Sunset Project
2 days ago
2 min read

Produced by The Sunset Project, in partnership with the Thunder Bay International Film Festival, the third annual competition featured five films from across the Great Lakes Region.

Four people smiling, holding a large check for $5,000. Background has flags and a table with an orange cloth. Date on check: 1/25/2025.

Gavin MacDonald and Nick Poli of The Sunset Project present the $5,000 grand prize to filmmaker Jeremiah Schuster for his film 'Mother River.' Photo courtesy of Liam Kieliszewski.

Alpena, Michigan | Last weekend, The Sunset Project hosted its third annual Sanctuary Selections Film Competition Screening Event in partnership with the Thunder Bay International Film Festival, held at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, Michigan.

With over 100 attendees, the evening featured a pre-screening reception, individual showings of each of the five film finalists, engaging audience-driven Q&A sessions with each of the filmmakers, and an awards ceremony to highlight this year’s Sanctuary Selections winning film.

This year's winning film was 'Mother River' by Jeremiah Schuster of Harvest Film Company, who received the $5,000 grand prize to support future film projects.

'Mother River' explores the story of Devin Brown and her journey to be the first black female on record to kayak the entire length of the Mississippi River. During his audience Q&A, Jeremiah discussed production challenges, the story's unique perspective on community support, and how he hopes to continue the narrative through a stronger environmental lens.

A group of nine people smiling in a room with an American flag. They wear lanyards and casual clothes. A blue and orange backdrop is visible.

Filmmakers gather for a photo at the conclusion of the Sanctuary Selections Film Competition. Pictured from left: Ben Albert, Jeremiah Schuster, Jason Lindsey, Nick Loud and Dusan Harminc. Photo courtesy of Liam Kieliszewski.

In addition to the winning film, The Sunset Project honored the contributions of the four other outstanding filmmakers, who were each awarded a $500 travel and expense stipend for their participation in this year's competition.

Special thank you to all the participants, attendees, sponsors, and supporters who made this event a success – stay tuned for more details on the 2027 Sanctuary Selections Film Competition and Thunder Bay International Film Festival!

This project is proudly supported by The Sunset Project's FOCUS45 Program and our incredible group of community sponsors.

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