Private Project

Breaking Ice: The Making of Cracks In the Ice

“Breaking Ice” follows photographer Jason Lindsey as he creates his “Cracks in the Ice” series, prompted by his son's question about what the world will look like due to climate change. Unable to give clear answers to a child who craves stability due to his medical history, Lindsey turns to art to explore this question.

COMPANION PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT, "Cracks In the Ice"

The "Cracks in the Ice" photography exhibit offers film festivals a compelling visual companion to "Breaking Ice," featuring up to 25 prints of shattered glass slides transformed into powerful metaphors of environmental loss. Each fragmented image reveals how art can translate climate anxiety into a language of hope and possibility. The exhibit can be paired directly with film screenings, providing audiences a deeper artistic exploration of the documentary's themes. View the complete series at jasonlindsey.art.

  • Jason Lindsey
    Director
    MUSSEL GRUBBING: A Citizen Science Treasure Hunt, It's Time
  • Talia Watkins
    Producer
    MUSSEL GRUBBING: A Citizen Science Treasure Hunt, It's Time
  • Jason Lindsey
    Key Cast
  • Jason Lindsey
    Editor
    MUSSEL GRUBBING: A Citizen Science Treasure Hunt, It's Time
  • Jason Lindsey
    Narrator
  • Jason Lindsey
    Writer
  • Alice In Winter
    Music
  • Scott Krahn
    Poster Designer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    October 10, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Sony Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Fresh Coast Film Festival
    Marquette, MI
    United States
    October 16, 2025
    North America Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Wild About Houston: A Green Film Festival
    Houston, Texas
    United States
    January 17, 2026
    Official Selection
  • Ely Film Festival
    Ely, MN
    United States
    March 11, 2026
    Official Selection
  • Little Fort Environmental Film Festival
    Waukegan, IL
    United States
    June 20, 2026
    Official Selection
  • Lake County Film Festival
    Grayslake, IL
    United States
    March 12, 2026
    Official Selection
  • Sanctuary Selections Film Competition (Part of The Sunset Project at the Thunder Bay International Film Festival (TBIFF))
    Alpena, MI
    United States
    January 24, 2026
  • Fresh Coast Film Festival Traverse City
    Traverse City, MI
    United States
    April 30, 2026
    Official Selection
  • Hollywood Shortsfest Virtual Event

    United States
    March 26, 2026
    Honorable Mention
  • Stories from the Cryosphere: Glaciers on the Edge
    Paris
    France
    March 18, 2026
    Finalist
  • Cannes Arts Film Fest

    February 25, 2026
    Nominee for Best Documentary Short
  • San Diego International Film Awards
    San Diego, CA
    United States
    March 6, 2026
    Semi-Finalist for Best Documentary Short
  • Bensenville Short Film Festival
    Bensenville, IL
    United States
    March 19, 2026
    Official Selection
  • Environmental Film & Screenplay Festival

    Best Micro-Short Film
  • Trees & Seas Film Festival: Fashion as a System

    September 21, 2026
    Official Selection
  • Wasatch Mountain Film Virtual Festival
    Salt Lake City, UT
    United States
    May 2, 2026
    Semi-Finalist
  • Creative Climate Awards
    New York City, NY
    United States
    April 30, 2026
    Official Selection
  • LA International Art Film Fest
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    June 27, 2026
    Winner of Best Environmental Film
  • YVY - Festival de Cinema Ambiental e de Montanhas de Teresópolis

    Brazil
    May 21, 2026
    Official Selection
  • Global Trend Climate Change Film Festival
    Dhaka
    Bangladesh
    June 5, 2026
    Best Climate Film Award
  • Maine Outdoor Film Festival
    Portland, Maine
    United States
    July 21, 2026
    Official Selection
  • San Francisco Frozen Film Festival (SFFFF)
    San Francisco, CA
    United States
    July 15, 2026
    Official Selection
  • World Water Film Festival

    United States
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Jason Lindsey

Jason Lindsey's journey as a director is rooted in a deep connection to the natural world, shaped by his upbringing among "salt of the earth" individuals. This background instilled a passion for capturing authentic stories that resonate, educate, and bridge human experiences with environmental narratives.

With a background in photojournalism, art direction, and commercial directing, he has honed his skills in visual storytelling, bringing a unique eye for composition and light to his documentary work. His approach blends observational techniques with visually striking cinematography, aiming to forge a deep connection between the audience and the natural world, to evoke emotions and inspire action.

As a volunteer, Jason was on the Board of Directors of Prairie Rivers Network for eleven years. His deeply held ideals are the driving force behind why he and his wife fulfilled a long-held ambition to purchase 27 acres of forest at the mouth of Jordan Creek. Ultimately, they worked with The Land Conservation Foundation to transfer the land to a land trust for permanent protection.

His films have been recognized at prestigious environmental film festivals, including the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Fresh Coast Film Festival, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, and 20 other festivals. He is honored to have received the Best Documentary award at the World Water Film Festival.

Jason's latest projects explore climate change through intimate storytelling. His most recent film, "Breaking Ice: The Making of Cracks in the Ice", follows his previous short documentary "It's Time," a short film set in his backyard along the Sangamon River in Illinois. Both projects give voice to nature and embody his mission to create films that showcase our environment's beauty and inspire environmental stewardship.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"Breaking Ice" emerges from my climate anxiety—that gnawing uncertainty about the world my son Björn will inherit. His early life of medical fragility, marked by multiple surgeries and a craving for stability, mirrors our planet's precarious state: both demand we reimagine certainty in an era of constant change.

Through shattering century-old glacier slides, I explore how we instinctively try to piece together what's broken. Our human impulse to rebuild reveals something essential about environmental crisis—we can create meaning from loss, not by returning to a pristine past, but by crafting an honest future.

Art, for me, is never about providing answers. It's about bearing witness to what's breaking while believing in our capacity to respond—showcasing both the beauty and loss that now exist side by side, and art's power to inspire action.

The challenge isn't about fixing everything. It's about being willing to begin.