Made In Michigan: Frontier to Freedom

Name: Made In Michigan: Frontier to Freedom
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2026-09-27
Duration: 1 h 59 min

<div>Part of The Bay’s Made in Michigan series, the award-winning documentary “Frontier to Freedom” will be shown at a special one-time screening in partnership with the Leelanau Historical Society on Sunday, September 27 at 4pm. Written, directed, and produced by acclaimed Michigan filmmaker Keith Patterson (“The Spirit of Sleeping Bear Dunes,” “Beer City, USA”), this historical documentary feature unearths the rich and often overlooked history of Michigan, tracing its evolution from a vast, untamed wilderness inhabited by Indigenous peoples in 1600 to its emergence as the 26th state in 1837. </div><div><br></div><div>Through a blend of expert interviews, archival imagery, animated maps, and stunning visuals, the film explores the region’s formative years, its history of war and conflict on the American frontier, and the complex socio-political forces that shaped its path to statehood. “Frontier to Freedom” has won the 2026 State History Award for Media from the Historical Society of Michigan. “Our goal is to reinspire patriotism and civic engagement in generations of Michiganders by telling the origin story of our great state in a bold and truthful documentary,” says Patterson. Patterson will attend the screening and participate in an audience Q&A. Tickets are $15 and on sale now at TheBayTheatre.org.</div>DocumentaryPT1H59M2026-09-27

Keith Patterson

Made In Michigan: Frontier to Freedom"Made In Michigan: Frontier to Freedom"

Showtimes

September 27, 4:00 pm