Standing Above the Clouds

They thought they were building a telescope, instead they awoke a nation

When the massive Thirty Meter Telescope is proposed to be built on Mauna Kea, an uprising of kia'i (protectors) in Hawai'i and around the world dedicate their lives to protecting the sacred mountain from destruction. The film follows teacher and community organiser 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 that has dedicated its lives to protecting Mauna Kea.

Screening with the following short film

Rising Nations
Michael Kirby Smith | 2023 | 7 min | United States
Asia Pacific Premiere

Tuvalu, a tiny island nation, in the Pacific halfway between Hawai'i and Australia, stands at the epicentre of the climate crisis. Unless the international community acts urgently, Tuvalu and other Pacific Atoll island nations face complete inundation of their lands via rising sea-level.