Whistle Down Wind

Electronic press kit

Whistle Down Wind

a film by andie morgenlander

Full-resolution stills, posters, headshots & press notes ·

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THE OFFICIAL TRAILERWatch on Vimeo ↗

A queer love story in Southern Appalachia.

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The film

Three chapters.
One hidden love.

Across three chapters of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, Whistle Down Wind follows Janie and Alex from childhood neighbors to the drunken teenage kiss that propels their quirky friendship into a hidden love affair. As the conservative ideologies of their Appalachian hometown shape them, Janie's desire for Alex sharpens. They are forced to confront the truth about their sexualities and the bitter future of their relationship: Janie bravely asks Alex to run away with her, and Alex must decide her path forward.

Country
United States
Language
English
Runtime
1 hr 26 min 42 sec
Format
Digital · DCP available
Accessibility
Subtitles available
Director
Andie Morgenlander
Read the full synopsis +
When nine-year-old Janie's family relocates to a small Appalachian town, she meets her new neighbor Alex and the two become inseparable. Janie's mother Charlotte indulges their gender-bending game of house, affirming their bond, before slipping down the stairs on her way to make dinner. As paramedics take Charlotte away, it is Alex who holds Janie close. As teenagers, Janie and Alex are best friends, in lock step. The dynamic shifts on a double movie date, when Janie sees Alex and Jake kissing and feels her own attraction sharpen. Dealing with rumors from the night and their own inability to make sense of what they’re feeling, Janie and Alex sneak out to a party. The evening spirals from an electric first kiss to a fistfight, landing them caught and shoved back into hiding by Alex's parents. Now in their late twenties, Janie scrapes by at a hardware store while Alex is in a flatlined relationship with Jake. Janie and Alex's secret affair becomes the truest element of both their lives, culminating in a stolen camping trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains. When Janie is accepted into an art residency, she bravely asks Alex to run away with her - forcing Alex to choose between societal expectations and the love she deserves.
Director’s statement +

As a director, I am captivated by the interconnectedness of familial, platonic, and romantic love, shaped by my Jewish/Italian-American family and the glitter and grit of Appalachian queers. Whistle Down Wind is part of that process. It's the movie I needed growing up, a reminder that my chaotic inner teenager was and is valid. From sneaking out for late night trysts to naked dance parties, the spirit of adolescence, collective discovery, and chosen family fuels this story. Whistle Down Wind began in 2018 as a short film made in the Blue Ridge Mountains for $500. In 2019, I first publicly came out as queer during a talkback at OUTSouth Film Festival. After production wrapped in 2024, reviewing footage provided an anchor during months of mutual aid following Hurricane Helene. As my debut feature, we continue transforming each other, and I have the continued joy of witnessing the movie’s impact on early and even mid-career makers who worked on our crew. This project challenges clichés by exploring multidimensional Southern families and queer protagonists. In a political landscape where LGBTQ+ lives are diminished, Whistle Down Wind invites reflection on relational ecosystems and the sometimes not so straightforward mission of creating conditions for love.

— Andie Morgenlander

Behind the film

The filmmakers

Andie MorgenlanderDownload headshot ↓

Andie Morgenlander

Writer, Director, Producer

Andie Morgenlander is a Southern, queer writer/director and film producer dedicated to social change through cinematic storytelling. Their work spans collaborations with independent artists to national brands including Carhartt, NBC, and Paramount+. Andie is the co-founder of Justice Film Collective, a creative studio dedicated to conscientiousness at every stage of the filmmaking process. They authored a holistic guide to independent filmmaking and shared this ethos with organizations including various film festivals, ReelWorks, University of North Carolina-Asheville, University of South Carolina, and their own crew ahead of production on their debut feature film, Whistle Down Wind. Their short films have screened nationally and internationally, known for intimate character explorations that unearth the societal structures keeping us from fully experiencing belonging.

Julia ChristgauDownload headshot ↓

Julia Christgau

Co-Writer, Casting Director, Adult Alex

Julia Christgau is a filmmaker, actor, and podcast producer. In addition to co-writing Whistle Down Wind, she produced and directed the Webby Award-winning podcast Rumble: Ali/Foreman and the Soul of '74, and voiced characters in Owen Wilson's Tom Slick: Mystery Hunter, a 2025 Ambie nominee. Other career highlights include directing Nick Offerman and Patrick Warburton in Founding Son with Bob Crawford of the Avett Brothers, and collaborating with Eva Longoria and Dania Ramirez on Sisters of the Underground, winner of a Signal Award for Best Limited Series. Her theatre credits range from Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth to Annie Baker's The Flick. Her film work has earned regional and international recognition for Best Comedy, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, and Funniest Music Video.

Nathaniel “Nate” GlassDownload headshot ↓

Nathaniel “Nate” Glass

Cinematographer, Producer

Nate Glass is a cinematographer, director, and producer drawn to stories that reward a careful eye and a human aesthetic. On Whistle Down Wind, he served as director of photography and producer, shaping the film's visual language while helping guide it through production. His producing credits include As It Is in Heaven, a New York Times Critics' Pick. As a cinematographer, he also shot Luke & Jo along with the documentaries Aged Out and They Can't Stop All of Us. He also directed Stitching Strength. Nate is the founder of GlassFire, a Raleigh-based production company, and has spent more than a decade behind the camera across narrative, documentary, and commercial work, including projects for Apple TV+, Volvo, Paramount+, and Coca-Cola.

Laura MacFie GlassDownload headshot ↓

Laura MacFie Glass

Producer

Laura MacFie Glass is a film producer and the Executive Producer at GlassFire, a Raleigh-based production company. Known for her people-centered leadership and sharp narrative instincts, Laura focuses on compelling, deeply human storytelling. Her prominent film credits include serving as Executive Producer for the feature documentary Stitching Strength, a poignant exploration of resilience within the ALS community, and producing the narrative film Whistle Down Wind, shot in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Complementing her independent film work is a decade-long track record of directing large-scale, multi-platform campaigns and cinematic content for global brands. From creative development and complex budgeting to managing high-profile stakeholders on time and on budget, Laura brings an elite level of operational excellence and strategic vision to every project, whether guiding an intimate indie feature or a massive commercial production.

Tabitha McDonaldDownload headshot ↓

Tabitha McDonald

Producer

Tabitha McDonald is an Albuquerque-based producer whose collaborative, artist-first approach has shaped four feature films and a wide range of commercial and documentary work. Her feature credits include Sunlight (premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe, starring Nina Conti, executive produced by Christopher Guest), The Virgins (dir. Jennifer Trudrung), The Mold (dir. Mason McDonald), and Whistle Down Wind (dir. Andie Morgenlander). She is currently producing Fruit of the Desert, a feature documentary directed by Arman Cole, now in post-production. Known for fostering creativity and authentic expression on set, Tabitha continues to develop and produce new work across film and television, bringing the same thoughtful, collaborative spirit to every project.

Beatriz M. CallejaDownload headshot ↓

Beatriz M. Calleja

Editor

Beatriz M. Calleja is a New York City-based director and editor whose work spans narrative, documentary, and commercial storytelling. Her short film Pequeño screened at BAFTA-qualifying festivals including the London Short Film Festival and the Cork Film Festival. She also edited and co-directed the feature documentary 999: The Forgotten Girls, which premiered at the Hamptons Documentary Film Festival and received a Human Rights Award.

Zaq BrewerDownload headshot ↓

Zaq Brewer

Editor

Zaq Brewer is a Kentucky-based filmmaker and the Creative Director at GlassFire. Whistle Down Wind marks their feature film editing debut.

The people in the story

Principal cast

The childhood chapter

Additional cast

  • Dustin WhiteheadAndrew
  • Abi Van AndelEmma
  • Chris P. SmithJake
  • Parker EllisorRiver
  • Alyssa OlsonMelanie
  • Adam PlantHarold
  • Jennifer TrudungCarol
  • Morgan ParpanSarah
  • Jeff BenninghofenDr. McKenna
  • Kylie CunninghamDarlene
  • Emily Tynan McDanielLoretta
  • Colin WasmundJoseph
  • Will Curt LaneTeen Jake
  • Davin BroadhurstTeen Connor
  • Ryanne TrenchTeen Marilyn
  • Melissa SaxeTeen Rachel
  • Aubrey RogersTeen Sarah
  • Basil CookTeen Wyatt
  • Micah Cole PittmanTeen River
  • Brian ReckerYouth Group Leader
  • Aidan FisherMcDonald's / Drive-Thru Employee
  • Jason MarsdenMr. Lobekowski
  • Savannah GibsonMs. Rainy
  • Kelley SchogerCharlotte
  • Charles John WilsonYoung River

A world in pictures

Film stills 30

Explore every supplied still. Open an image to view it larger, or download the full-resolution original for editorial use.

Official artwork

The posters

For press & programmers

The press notes

The story behind the film, the people who made it, and the details you need. Read here or download the original PDFs.

PDF · 3.1 MB · July 27, 2026

Press notes

Synopsis, statement, biographies, cast, crew & technical information.

Download PDF ↓
Full production credits +

Direction & Writing

Director — Andie Morgenlander

Screenplay — Julia Christgau and Andie Morgenlander

Director of Photography — Nathaniel Glass

Editors — Zaq Brewer, Beatriz Calleja

Production Designer — Madeleine Richardson

Costume Designer — Victoria Xashara-Prescott

Production

Producers — Andie Morgenlander, Laura MacFie Glass, Tabitha McDonald, Nathaniel Glass

Associate Producers — Joshua Overbay, Zachary Gladwin

Line Producers — Tabitha McDonald, Laura MacFie Glass

Unit Production Manager — Steve Kniss

First Assistant Director — Cassidy Grace Scott

Second Assistant Director — Leigh Garmon

Production Coordinator — Madie Vachon

Intimacy Coordinator — Christine Hellman

Casting

Casting Director — Julia Christgau

Casting Assistant — Daisy Church

Background Casting — Tabitha McDonald

Casting Service — Breakdown Services

Camera

A Camera Operator — Nathaniel Glass

A Camera First Assistant — Traveler Shaw

A Camera Second Assistant — Charles Coffey

B Camera Operator — Matt Perry

DIT — Julian Dixon

Sound

Production Sound Mixer — Harley Taylor

Boom Operator — Eric Martin

Electric

Gaffer — Jason Ledford

Best Boy Electric — Kaden Richmond

Additional Electric — Reece Robison, Stephen Etchison

Grip

Key Grip — Tim Thompson

Grip / Electric Utility — Dan MacFie

Art Department

Production Designer — Madeleine Richardson

Props Master — Mallory Jennette

Set Dresser — Aly Taylor

Costume

Costume Designer — Victoria Xashara-Prescott

Wardrobe Assistant — Scotty Queen

Wardrobe Assistant / Seamstress — Darla Fae Cain

Hair & Makeup

Hair & Makeup Designer — Ashlie Puma

Stunts

Stunt Coordinator — Hunter McCoy

Production Office

Key Production Assistant — Julia Dougherty

Production Assistants — Phoebe De Brevedent D'Ablon

Set Medics — Marci Morgenlander, Monica Kniss, Roxane Townsend

Locations

Location Manager — Andie Morgenlander

Location Scout — Leigh Garmon

Transportation

Van Driver — Tim Thompson

Trailer Drivers — Jason Ledford, Dan MacFie

Talent Shuttle — Madie Vachon

Behind the Scenes

BTS Photographers — Missy Bell, Liz Williams

BTS Videographer — Ben Phan

Stills Photographer — Joshua Overbay

Rights & copyright +
Country of Origin: United States of America Whistle Down Wind, LLC is the author of this motion picture for the purposes of U.S. copyright law and the Berne Convention, as well as other international laws giving effect thereto. The characters and events portrayed in this motion picture are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental. WHISTLE DOWN WIND Copyright © 2023 Whistle Down Wind All Rights Reserved.

On the festival circuit

Festival screenings

Official screening updates ↗

Upcoming screenings

New Orleans Film Festival

New Orleans, Louisiana

Tickets ↗

Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Tickets ↗

Ashefemme

Asheville, North Carolina

Tickets ↗
Past screenings −

Tryon International Film Festival

Tryon, North Carolina

Festival website ↗

Portland Film Festival

Portland, Oregon

OUT at the Movies

Winston Salem, North Carolina

OUTSouth Queer Film Festival

Durham, North Carolina

Let’s talk about the film

Press. Programming.
Possibilities.

For interviews, coverage, screenings, and film inquiries:

Andie Morgenlander · Writer / Director / Producer

Visit the film website ↗

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