On July 10th, Next City will be screening "Standing Above the Clouds," a feature-length documentary highlighting the movement to protect Mauna Kea through the intergenerational stories of women in three Native Hawaiian families as they stand for the sacred mountain. The film follows teacher and community organizer Pua Case and her two daughters, artist-activists Hāwane Rios and Kapulei Flores, who have been called to stop the telescope since 2010. Their lives quickly become consumed with frontline actions and court proceedings and immersed in ceremonies and cultural practices. As they face opposition and arrests, they are joined by a community who have dedicated their lives to protecting Mauna Kea.

The film is an intimate journey through the women’s lives both on and off the mountain, and explores the physical and emotional toll of sustaining a grassroots movement. After nine months of living on the mountain, blocking construction, and establishing a frontline camp, Standing Above The Clouds shows their journey to heal once they return to their homes in March 2020. In the face of challenges and tragedy, the mountain gifts each woman with hope and strength and the understanding that victory is in standing in unity for sacred places and that healing occurs through the sisterhood they have created along the way.

Standing Above the Clouds Q & A with Producer and Native Hawaiian filmmaker Erin Lau and Next City's Managing Editor, Aysha Khan

Producer: Native Hawaiian filmmaker Erin Lau has dedicated her life to creating stories for her Pacific Islander community. She earned her MFA at Chapman University and continued her growth through opportunities with the Sundance Institute, Tribeca Studios, Film Independent, 4th World Media Lab, and more. Her films have screened in over 50 festivals across the world and have been featured on the Criterion Channel, Netflix, and PBS. Notable works include THE MOON AND THE NIGHT, ALL I EVER WANTED, and INHERITANCE. Erin most recently directed an episode of FOX’s series RESCUE: HI-SURF. Outside of her scripted work, Erin contributed to multiple award winning documentaries including producing the award-winning films DEAR ALOHA and STANDING ABOVE THE CLOUDS.

Moderator: Aysha Khan is Next City's managing editor. Her reporting has appeared nationally in outlets including the Associated Press, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe and Religion News Service. She has been awarded fellowships with the Solutions Journalism Network, the International Center for Journalists, the GroundTruth Project, the Journalism & Women Symposium, the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education and more. Aysha holds degrees from Harvard Divinity School and the University of Maryland. To submit articles and story ideas, check out our pitch guide.