Out of a band breakup and onto the linen-lined rugs of their childhood Jewish summer camp, Nomi (Jackie Tohn) reluctantly takes a last-ditch job from her over-achieving best friend Mara (Sarah Podemski) — supervising the misfit teen group nicknamed “the Floaters” at Camp David. As the camp faces financial collapse and a rival camp throws down a high-stakes competition, Nomi must bridge the gap between outsider campers and her own bruised ego. The result is a comedy rich in warmth, nostalgia, and the knitted-together diversity of Jewish summer life.

With direction by Rachel Israel, The Floaters skillfully blends sharp humor and heartfelt storytelling to explore identity, belonging and the legacy of camp memories. It’s a film about how one finds community not by fitting in — but by embracing who you are, even if you float between groups. Drawing from multigenerational perspectives, it captures the spectacle of summer camp tradition while turning a lens on the outsiders, the jokers, the ones who didn’t quite belong — and the power that comes from that very freedom.

Already resonating across the festival circuit, the film is the winner of the NYWIFT Excellence in Narrative Filmmaking Award at the 26th Annual Woodstock Film Festival, recognizing its bold storytelling and inventive direction. The Floaters promises laughter, heart and a reminder that sometimes the best legacy is the one you never meant to leave behind.