Swimming with Butterflies

2025 | Coast Film & Music Festival

Duration: 8 min

Synopisis

Since she was a girl, Austin-based para swimmer Lizzi had used the pool as a way to experience the world - a way to win, to lose, to be accepted. Swimming wasn’t just what Lizzi did - it was who she was.
So when she missed bronze by 1/100th of a second at the 2016 Paralympic Games - Lizzi wasn’t just defeated…she was lost.
Unsure if she would even return to swimming, Lizzi shares an intimate, soulful story of how she went from “Lizzi the girl with one hand” to “Lizzi the Swimmer who falls short in big moments,” to finally…Lizzi.
And that’s all she needs to be.

Featured at Coast Film & Music Festival 2025

Production Team

KARL STELTER is a self-taught filmmaker with a distinct, soulful tone that transcends genre. Chicago-born and LA-based, his indie spirit and curiosity drew him to cut his teeth on intimate documentaries and character studies. He has since incorporated this curiosity of the human experience into his creative work as a narrative and commercial director/producer, with work recognized by the Clio’s, Tribeca, Tribeca X, the ADDY’s, Telly’s, Webby’s, 1.4, ADCC, DUST, and over 15 Oscar Qualifying film festivals. Additionally, his recent Jury Award win at Sebastopol qualified him for the 2026 Oscars. His clients include Invisalign, Amazon, NFL, Telus, Western University of Health Sciences, and GHA Autism Supports among others. Beyond filmmaking, Karl is an avid runner, poker player, and proud father of two.