Trial documentaries about indigenous land protectors are typical endurance tests for filmmakers, not to mention protagonists. But the payoff is that these films often resonate strongly with audiences because of their ability to take viewers beyond the headlines and front lines in profound and intimate ways.
One of the strong land activism documentaries looking for buyers at Hot Docs this year is Jalena Keane-Lee’s directorial debut “Standing Above the Clouds.” The film follows three Native Hawaiian families over six years as they work with a growing coalition of local and international supporters to protect Mauna Kea (a dormant volcano on Hawaii’s largest island) from further development – most notably a project to build the massive Thirty Meter Telescope to build. (TMT) on the arid summit of the sacred mountain, home to the world’s largest astronomical observatory.
“I was raised by an activist mother in a community of strong women, which was definitely an initial spark,” Keane-Lee said. Variety in an exclusive personal interview ahead of the film’s warmly received premiere on Sunday’s Hot Docs International Competition program.
She and producer Amber Espinosa-Jones, who joined the project early, are childhood friends and were both members of a Bay Area social justice dance theater company that was the subject of a documentary. “That experience taught me the importance of communicating with participants and their participation in the process,” said Keane-Lee. “Part of my job as a filmmaker is reclaiming this medium that originated as an extractive process, and transforming it into something that can give agency again to the people in the film.”
“Standing,” also showing Wednesday, is based on her award-winning 2020 short film of the same title, which screened at more than 30 festivals and aired on POV and streamed on the Criterion Collection.
Keane-Lee, the cinematographer on both films, became interested in the Mauna Kea kia’i (protectors) through her aunt, who lives on the Big Island. Through family connections, she met community organizer Pua Case – the main character – and her daughters Hāwane and Kapulei. Pua Case then introduced her to the other Native Hawaiian mothers and daughters featured in the film. She became a cultural advisor and co-producer.
Although a feature film was the goal, the short film helped build trust between filmmakers and participants. “The movement was extremely active when I started filming in 2018 and into 2019, when trucks arrived in an attempt to build the telescope and a frontline was established at the foot of the mountain,” says Keane-Lee, who is on her own. was standing. to film.
Native Hawaiian filmmaker Erin Lau, who knew Espinosa-Jones, was also on the front lines during that period and later joined as a producer. “She was part of a media collective that also released footage because in these types of protests the dominant news narrative will always be on the side of the establishment, so it’s up to protesters to counter that narrative,” Keane-Lee said. .
“Something we talked about on the mountain was that the physical intervention of the protectors had to be accompanied by narrative intervention. And that is the work of artists and storytellers.”
The feature picked up where the short film left off, but soon COVID arrived, changing the dynamics of the story and the creative and production practices. “The silence of COVID created a space for past traumas to surface, not just from Mauna Kea, but from Standing Rock and many front lines,” Keane-Lee said. “The cultural practices we saw in 2019 – often very theatrical and involving thousands of people – were now being used on an intimate scale for personal healing.
“This created a much deeper story that grew over time and allowed for a different image quality – and my own technical skills evolved too.”
“We were able to be in Hawaii and film while participating in industry forums and pitch events (including Hot Docs’ Deal Maker in 2021) because everything was online,” she said, adding that Espinosa-Jones’ familiarity with the series of foundations and Funds to support issue-based documentaries were key to maintaining the film’s momentum.
Renowned filmmaker Tracy Rector of Nia Tero – a US-based nonprofit that works with indigenous peoples and movements around the world – was an early mentor and provided funding for the feature.
Jess Devaney and Anya Rous of New York-based Multitude Films joined as executive producers, as did American activist and investor Ruth Ann Harnisch.
The film is handling US sales, with Amber Espinosa-Jones as primary contact, while international festival and sales are being handled by Corey Tong.
“Standing Above the Clouds” will also screen at the Seattle Film Festival on May 15 and 17.
