"Stories from the Water"

“Stories from the Water” doesn’t fit into a tidy film category. It has done well in several film festivals. Five kids from town take a 2-year journey discovering the river and learning about the process of storytelling. All featured musicians are from River Falls and western Wisconsin, several bring a personal connection to the river. A children’s book from 1962, “The Fishing River,” is one of the inspirations for the film.

A conservation theme is central. The issues & challenges facing the Kinni haven’t changed much through the years. The 5 middle school producer/actors learn that the watershed is as important to protect as the river itself.

Mike Wurm loves aerial photography, scuba diving & visual storytelling. The River Falls community is near & dear to his heart. He's worked in medical television as a senior producer. Through the years, he has won awards as a producer and editor & in photography. He's honed his storytelling skills in corporate & healthcare media and worked for Allina Health for over 30 years.

After UWRF, he thought he'd like to do something on the river. He states he's "fortunate to have friends & family here to support all my crazy projects. Years ago, I tipped a kayak on the Kinni, resulting in over $600 dollars in drone & camera gear. Nothing was lost, but the water damage reminded me that 'the river always wins'."