3:00pm
Sun, Oct 09
Guam Museum Indoor Theatre
plays with Int’l Documentary Shorts
General Admission
$5.00 USD
at the door
(cash only)
Kāhuli
GRAND JURY AWARD NOMINEE – BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
US | 27 min. | Guam Premiere
Documentary, Cultural, Environmental | GIFF Guide: General Audiences – material suitable for all ages
Synopsis
Hawai‘i’s native snail species, which at once numbered greater than has all of North America combined, and play significant roles in ecosystem functioning and Hawaiian culture, face an emergent threat and are rapidly disappearing.
Kāhuli is a cinéma vérité documentary that offers a glimpse into this largely unknown and complex world through the eyes of cultural and scientific experts, each of whom guide us through what stands to be lost if Hawai‘i’s snails go extinct. This urgent story bears unprecedented biological and cultural significance and reminds us that local nature is an embodiment of Hawaiian identity and a precursor to life on these islands.
More broadly, this documentary encourages reflection on our relationship with the rapidly changing natural world and shows us that even the smallest species are worth saving.
Chris A. Johns (Producer, Director)
Chris received his PhD in biology from the University of Florida for his research on the evolution and conservation of Hawaiian insects and their host plants. Prior to his academic career, Chris worked on the field crew at Puʻu Kukui Watershed Preserve on west Maui. He also has extensive experience working with youth environmental education programs in Hawai‘i, including service as a Team Leader for Kupu and as an Expedition Leader for National Geographic Student Expeditions.
With support from organizations such as the Disney Conservation Fund, National Geographic, and National Science Foundation, Chris is also a creative director and communications researcher who helps members of the broader scientific community develop communications materials that better support their work. His films have been featured at the Hawai‘i International Film Festival, International Wildlife Film Festival, Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, and the National Geographic Short Film Showcase, as well as on Hawaiian Airlines as a Made-in-Hawaii Series short. Chris has family history in Hawaiʻi and is passionate about finding innovative ways to the preserve the integrity of the natural and cultural heritage of the Islands.
Kūpa‘a Hee
Dr. Sam Gon
Aimee Sato
Dr. Carl Christensen
Dr. Norine Yeung
Dr. Ken Hayes
Dr. David Sischo
Keahi Bustamente
Marques Hanalei Marzan
Pomaika’i Kaniaupio-Crozier
Dr. Daniel Chung
Wilfred Ogawa
Vincent Costello
Dr. Mike Hadfield
Produced by: Tucker Gragg
Editor: Austin Gardner, Matt Dillman, Chris A. Johns
Cinematography: Chris A. Johns, Jon Spencer, Keahi Bustamente, Marcus Rodrigues
Sound Design: Ben Frazier
Graphics and Animations: Matt Dillman, Bear Ochs
Aerial cinematography: Pacific Island Drone
Graphics Designer: Blueline Media
Illustrator: Sami Chang
Funding has been provided to Guam International Film Festival, Inc. from Humanities Guåhan and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the federal ARP Act of 2021.