Pua Case

Pua Case Instagram – Congratulations to the entire team of Standing Above the Clouds especially Jalena Keane-Lee, Amber Espinosa-Jones and Erin Lau who documented our story covering six years. Mahalo to Mauna a Wākea for leading, guiding, protecting and correcting us every step of the way.
So very proud of everyone connected to the film.
The Bill Nemtin Award for Best Social Impact Documentary, which recognizes the producers of a film in the International Spectrum program that has the greatest potential to create social impact, went to Erin Lau and Amber Espinosa-Jones of Standing Above the Clouds (D: Jalena Keane-Lee | P: Erin Lau, Amber Espinosa-Jones | USA | 2024 | 85 min), chronicling the journey of three Native Hawaiian families as they risk it all to defend their sacred mountain where the Thirty Meter Telescope is set to be built on Mauna Kea. The $10,000 cash prize accompanying the Award will help enable the winning film team to optimize the impact of the documentary through outreach and marketing activities. Jury Statement: “A devastating inside look at a powerful grassroots protest led by women and elders to protect our nature and future from commercialisation and the damning indifference of bystanders. This film is a fight for Indigenous peoples. One that may make you uncomfortable by pointing out your complicity in mother nature’s destruction by sheer inaction. The International Feature Competition Jury is proud to confer Jalena Keane-Lee, a worthy firebrand, the Bill Nemtin Award for her film, Standing Above the Clouds. We applaud her courage to bring a marginalised, Indigenous community and their resounding call for environmental justice to the foreground.” | Posted on 04/May/2024 13:25:19