Photo: 515 Productions website 

By Ben Henry KSTP - October 16, 2022


A nationally and internationally award-winning documentary about surfing on Lake Superior is part of this year’s Twin Cities Film Fest.

The film’s creators say “Freshwater” is about more than just surfing, but says it’s a unique part of it.

“They’ve all adapted to surfing freshwater,” Ian Planchon, of 515 Productions and co-director of Freshwater, said about the surfers part of the film.

“They have to chase the storms as they come – it’s not like an ocean where the waves are pretty predictable, so they’re a hardy bunch of people and it’s fun to watch,” Planchon said.

The documentary’s other director is Planchon’s wife Lynn Melling – the two said they learned the film was going to be about more than just a hobby as they were gathering content.

“It’s such a powerful resource that’s in our own backyard,” Melling said, adding: “As Minnesotans, I think we forget that we have this incredible natural resource right here.”

Here’s how 515 Productions describes the documentary.

Freshwater is a documentary that dives into the cold waters of Lake Superior along Minnesota’s North Shore. Despite the fact that it contains ten percent of Earth’s freshwater, this massive force of nature remains largely unexplored. One group of people, however, is intimately aware of its power. From the surfers who catch its waves to the scientists who study its depths, learn why Lake Superior is a precious resource that should never be taken for granted.

This year’s Twin Cities Film Fest is being held at the ICON Showcase movie theater in St. Louis Park – Freshwater will air this Saturday, at 3:45 p.m.

“We’re just really excited to get to show this to a hometown crowd,” Melling said.

“We have this ability to tell a really cool story to shoot some really cool scenery, and, and subjects. And we have this platform might as well do something good with it,” Planchon added.

To read this original story and more news, follow this link to the KSTP 5 News website.