Richard Steinberger and Andy Wakeman
Dreams Realized
story by HEATHER STEINBERGER photos courtesy of RICHARD STEINBERGER
During the 2025 Beaufort International Film Festival (BIFF), audiences will have an opportunity to view a short documentary from a local filmmaker, Beaufort resident Richard Steinberger. Richard and his colleague, Andy Wakeman, have produced a film titled “Wakanyeja Kin Wana Ku Pi (The Children Are Coming Home),” which will be screened during the 11 a.m. film block on Thursday, Feb. 20.
In early 2024, a small Native American-led nonprofit organization in South Dakota purchased a nearly 40-acre property adjacent to Bear Butte State Park, a piece of land they call Wakanyeja Kin Wana Ku Pi. The film shares the story of the Cheyenne River Youth Project’s historic purchase and explores how restoring access to sacred sites is essential for Native communities.
Through the film, audiences will travel with Lakota youth from the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation to Wakanyeja Kin Wana Ku Pi. They will climb Bear Butte, descend into the depths of Wind Cave, visit Devils Tower National Monument, and camp on the open, windswept prairie. Along the way, they will learn how the land connects Lakota people with their ancestors, ceremonies, and traditional life ways — a connection that has the power to heal the massive intergenerational scars left by historical trauma.
Festivalgoers might remember Richard from BIFF 2023. His film “Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count),” which he produced with Drew Bennett, Joseph Gamble, and wife, Heather Steinberger, was an official selection and took home the Susan A.K. Shaffer Humanitarian Award. The film also won a Social Impact Award at the Latino & Native American Film Festival, a Gold Award in the international Spotlight Documentary Film Awards, and a Silver Award in the Anthem Awards, which were created by the Webby Awards to recognize purpose- and mission-driven work.
The new film also is garnering attention. It was a selection for Open Projector Night 2024 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Andy’s home state; a finalist in the Stockholm City Film Festival in September 2024; and an official selection in the Documentaries Without Borders International Film Festival.
A native of Eschweiler, Germany, Richard has been a full-time commercial and editorial photographer in the United States for nearly 30 years. His love for the work, he says, is deeply rooted in his childhood.
“Although my father was a mining engineer, he also created vibrant images of some of Europe’s most beautiful places, from the Italian Dolomites and Austrian Alps to the Mediterranean coast,” he says. “That made a huge impression on me. His passion became my dream.”
Determined to become a professional photographer, Richard moved to America in 1989 at age 17. He completed his senior year of high school in Huntington, West Virginia, and then moved to Florida, where he attended Daytona State College’s Photography Institute and further developed his craft with several acclaimed Florida-based photographers.
With significant experience in architectural, hospitality, and marine photography, Richard started his own business in 2002. He operated Richard Steinberger Photography in Door County, Wisconsin, and Denver, Colorado, before relocating to Beaufort in early 2020 with Heather and their daughter, Johanna.
Today, Richard is one of the world’s top marine photographers. His clients include some of the most iconic brands in recreational boating, including Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, and Chris-Craft. He also continues to work with prominent clients in architectural design, hospitality and travel/tourism, and he is looking forward to undertaking new film projects.
Richard served as executive producer on “Wakanyeja Kin Wana Ku Pi,” while Andy handled film direction and cinematography. He is a director and photographer with a rich background in creative direction.
Andy began his career at an advertising agency, where he sharpened his expertise in visual storytelling and branding. Now, through his production company, Floodgate Media, he specializes in commercial and documentary productions, creating powerful content that combines creativity with purpose.
Floodgate has earned multiple Addy Awards for its work in commercial and nonprofit PSA productions. Its short film “Firewood Angel” was showcased at the Fresh Coast Film Festival in 2018.
