"Whistle Down Wind" Independent Feature Film

When a drunken teenage kiss propels Janie and Alex’s quirky friendship into a hidden love affair, the conservative ideologies of their hometown force them to confront the truth about their sexualities, and the future of their relationship. Shying away from southern stereotypes, WHISTLE DOWN WIND explores the impact of conservative ideology, family and grief on sexuality. After the short version of WHISTLE DOWN WIND had a successful run in the Southeastern festival circuit, co-writers Andie Morgenlander (she/they) and Julia Christgau (she/her) spent 2020 and 2021 expanding the story into a feature-length script. As they wrote, they connected on their distinctive experiences of queerness and living in the South. They’ve produced short and low-budget feature films that have screened at festivals like the Atlanta Underground Film Festival, Indie Grits Film Festival, Portland Comedy Film Festival, OutSouth Queer Film Festival, and more. 

In order to create an environment of mutual care on-set, we shot WHISTLE DOWN WIND through an ethical filmmaking framework, which we have been developing over the past few years. The framework encompasses on-set culture and mental/physical/emotional well-being. Historically, the film industry has been riddled with harmful practices, placing crew members’ human needs last on the priority list. We believe those at the forefront of the filmmaking process should be treated as sacred human artists. WHISTLE DOWN WIND was a finalist in WarnerMedia x New Orleans Film Festival's Southpitch Competition, and has been awarded grants from Campaign for Southern Equality, Blue Ridge Pride and Cucalorus Film Festival. 

Produced by Justice Film Collective and Solis Films, we completed principal photography  in July 2024, and we’re now in post-production. Moving forward, your support will help cover editing, sound design, music, and more. WHISTLE DOWN WIND is one of the first Western North Carolina-based independent feature films to magnify LBGT+ relationships in the early 2000s. This queer-led project centers the lived experiences of the cast and crew, creating both a powerful narrative of queer visibility and a community-forward filmmaking experience. We are overjoyed to be on this journey with you!