Summer: A season filled with relaxation, travel and adventure. Whether it is attending summer camp or basking in the sweltering heat along the coastlines of a beach, summer is a season filled with thrills. This season is the environment of “Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake),” the directorial debut of Sierra Falconer, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. I attended a screening of “Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake)” with my partner at the Bud Frank Cinema, and it is a beautiful film.
“Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake)” is an anthology film centered on Green Lake in Michigan, and focuses on the people who encompass the lake during the summer months. The film is divided into four separate segments, with each segment interconnecting with the others.
The titular segment, “Sunfish,” focuses on Lu (Maren Heary), a teenager who, after an impromptu engagement by her mother, is dropped off at her grandparents’ house without warning. Lu soon becomes interested in sailing on Sunfish, the titular sailboat owned by her grandfather (Adam LeFevre), and he begins to teach her how to sail.
“Summer Camp,” the title of the following segment, focuses on Jun (Jim Kaplan), a violinist at a music camp who is vying for first chair of an orchestra.
The third segment, “Two Hearted,” follows Annie (Karsen Liotta), a local bartender who, one night at work, encounters Finn (Dominic Bogart), a bar patron who keeps speaking of a big fish. This monstrous fish resides within the waters of Green Lake.
The fourth segment, “Resident Bird,” focuses on sisters Robin (Emily Hall) and Blue Jay (Tenley Kellogg) who run a bed-and-breakfast by Green Lake, where a wealthy family soon stays.
Sierra Falconer, the film’s writer, director and producer, is at the helm of this film. She captures the nostalgic elements of summer and the variety of experiences that the season often offers for many. Each segment of the film flows into the next smoothly, like the water of the lake washing upon the shore. While most of the segments contain elements of the coming-of-age genre, at times “Two Hearted” contains dashes of humor, specifically with a scene involving a bumbling cop.
Falconer takes a poetic approach to depicting the summer, with the film at times feeling drenched in the haziness that summer often brings. Her poetic approach includes the sounds of nature being prominently featured throughout the film, immersing the viewer in this environment. Falconer also gives each character a distinct personality and develops them into fully fleshed-out characters within the short runtimes of each segment. Whether it be the determination of Jun or Lu wanting to learn how to sail, each character has their own goals.
The soundtrack of the film is fitting and complements the visuals and tone well. Notedly, it features a track by Adrianne Lenker, the frontwoman of the indie folk band Big Thief.
In terms of the performances in the film, there are many standout performances from the cast, including Karsen Liotta and Dominic Bogart, the leads in “Two Hearted.” As Annie and Finn, Liotta and Bogart’s chemistry in the portrayals of these characters is stellar. Evidence of this is a scene where they are on a boat and Finn is discussing his mortality with Annie.
As for the cinematography, cinematographer Marcus Patterson captures several beautiful wide shots of the glistening water of Green Lake, drenched in a bright haziness.
With “Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake),” Sierra Falconer brings a unique take on summer, containing several engaging plotlines, in a fantastic directorial debut that is pure poetry.
A season filled with nostalgia and adventure, amongst the waters of Green Lake.
“Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake)” is currently holding selected screenings at theaters across the United States.
