An American Girl: Saige Paints the Sky

Plot summary

Saige begins her first day as a fourth-grader in Albuquerque, New Mexico, only to learn that the art class has been dropped from the school's curriculum due to budget cuts, replacing it with music. Saige's best friend Tessa meets another girl named Dylan from camp and hangs out with her instead of Saige. Tessa's friendship with Dylan makes Saige jealous. Saige doesn't like Dylan, because she interrupted her and makes jokes that she doesn't think are funny. A new girl in school named Gabi becomes friends with Saige. It turns out that she is also an artist who draws cartoons and designs her own clothes. She tells Mimi (her grandmother) and her friends about the situation, and they proposed a school-wide protest against the decision.

Tessa goes to Mimi's house with Saige instead of going to Dylan's house. Gabi invites Saige to her house, but Saige turns her down by saying she is busy. Tessa comes over to her house. They sing, paint, eat and play. Saige feels like she has her best friend back.

As Saige is telling her grandmother about Tessa and her other friends, Mimi trips over Saige's dog, Rembrandt, and breaks her leg and wrist. She is then hospitalized due to her injuries. At the hospital, she begs Saige to continue on with her protest. Saige agrees, and promises to do so for her grandmother.

At school, Saige, Tessa, Gabi and Dylan discuss plans on staging the protest, with Saige coming up with "A Day of Beige" after her visit to the hospital. Dylan suggests a press conference in order to gain more attention since her mother works as a news reporter, to which Saige reluctantly complies. The demonstrations are held as planned with all of the students wearing beige in protest, but is nearly put to a halt as Saige and her friends are summoned to the principal's office to explain the situation. After a bit of a talk, Principal Laird gives the girls the permission to hold a press conference. The conference takes place, but upon being interviewed, Saige is overwhelmed with stage fright, and Dylan answers the reporters' questions in her place.

Principal Laird later tells the girls that there aren't any more funds to hire an art teacher, and that they would need to earn $5000 in six weeks for the art class to start. Mimi suggests a fund drive to be held at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, and to have her granddaughter lead the parade in her place as she may not make it in time for the event. Saige worries that she might freak out in front of people, but her father assures her that it will be alright.

The four girls take up various odd jobs to earn funds only to end up getting next to no money from doing so. Dylan suggests a concert at the fiesta, but Saige has doubts on it.

Later at the ranch, Saige and her horse Picasso do a practice run, but Saige is frustrated as she can't concentrate on the ride. Saige and Gabi are worried that Dylan and Tessa's part for the fundraiser is getting more attention than theirs, and the two agreed to come at Mimi's ranch to further discuss on the matter. Saige and Picasso do another run at the ranch, this time with success as they manage to pull off a gait without being distracted.

The four girls talk about combining their efforts in the fundraiser. Dylan and Tessa argue that they have their plans already set for their part, but Saige insists, leading to a confrontation. Saige then flies into a rage against Dylan and accuses her of stealing the spotlight over her efforts.

Saige tries to talk Mimi into using the brush pens, but Mimi says that she can't do things as she did before. Saige tries to discuss doing art again, including coming to the parade; Mimi says that she's not up to any of it, even going to the parade. Saige gets upset and confesses that things are worse than she has been admitting, but that the Mimi she knows wouldn't give up before she runs off.

Another practice run with Picasso takes place, but Saige is too frustrated to continue, and worries that the fiesta is going to be a disaster. Her parents and Gabi watched her. Gabi leaves, because Saige said she wished things were the same as last year.

Saige then joins her father in a balloon ride. She later reconciles with Gabi, and apologizes to Mimi about how she got mad at how things turned out on her end. After her horse practice with Luis, Saige goes to Mimi's studio and decides to paint over her horse painting with a painting knife, turning it into an abstract work. Tessa later sees it, and compliments Saige for what she did. Both Saige and Tessa admit to their wrongdoing, reconcile, and agree to work together for the fiesta. Saige also makes amends with Dylan, with the latter apologizing over how she was taking over Saige's fund-raiser.

With the Balloon Fiesta taking place, Saige leads the parade in front of onlookers. She is nervous at first, but she eventually overcomes her stage fright as she performs the scarf trick. The girls later come up with the joint fund-raising art exhibit and concert as previously planned. The show is a success, but they were several dollars short of the $5,000 goal. Saige then makes a speech in front of the audience telling them about how important art is to her and to others, receiving a standing ovation. Once some extra money is put into the fundraiser from the audience, the donation goal is reached and with the art program being reinstated the girls rejoice over the news.

Back at the hot air balloon show, Saige, Tessa, Gabi, and Dylan (now all best friends) all ride a hot air balloon Saige designed as the film ends.

Cast

Television release

The film aired on NBC on July 13, 2013.

Home video release

The movie was released on DVD + Blu-Ray on July 2, 2013.

Production

An American Girl: Saige Paints the Sky was Filmed in New Mexico, USA and Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada