WINDWARD builds upon core themes that have defined Sharon Lockhart's career: an exploration of place and how people engage with landscapes, a durational approach to attention and focus through extended static takes, and a deep, long-term commitment to those who appear before her lens. Filmed on Fogo Island, located off the northern coast of Newfoundland—the easternmost province of Canada—the film unveils the island’s striking geological formations, unique climate, and austere beauty, brought to life through portrayals of youth.

During her 2022 residency with Fogo Island Arts, Sharon Lockhart encountered The Children of Fogo Island, one of 27 films directed by Colin Low between 1966 and 1968 for the National Film Board of Canada. These films were part of The Fogo Process, a groundbreaking participatory filmmaking project aimed at fostering dialogue and strengthening a sense of unity among the island’s communities. Low’s innovative documentaries not only reshaped how the people of Fogo Island perceived themselves but also played a pivotal role in altering the island’s history. Inspired by Low’s approach—both in its temporal and social dimensions—Lockhart spent three summers immersing herself in the island’s communities and building meaningful connections with its residents.

Sharon Lockhart carefully observes the island’s geography, capturing its youth engaged in unstructured play amid fields of tall grass, volcanic rocks, and crashing waves. Through her lens, the sea, sky, land, light, and weather become essential elements in shaping a narrative across her subtly composed tableaux. Figure and landscape enter into a close dialogue—reflecting a community’s adaptation to the northern climate and the learned ability, honed over generations, to make use of the land’s natural resources. In Lockhart’s subjects, geographic isolation manifests as an acute embodiment of their histories—shared legacies shaped not only by material lineage but also by a profound, intrinsic connection to the natural world.