Film
A Paradise Lost
United States- Director
- Laurie Sumiye
- Year
- 2025
The true story of one small Hawaiian bird who took a stand changed the rules.
The film unfolds through the POV of the Palila called Anuenue who stood as the client in 1979 court trials. The legal battle leveraged the Endangered Species Act to protect māmane forests where 2,500 Palila competed with introduced sheep & goats. He explains how they won in court, but are still in jeopardy; in 2024, only 300 Palila remain. Today, a Native Hawaiian conservationist struggles to save them amidst escalating threats of climate change, wildfires, introduced predators, diseases, and governmental neglect.
Top cast
Directed by
Laurie Sumiye
Written by
Laurie Sumiye
Produced by
Anne Misawa, Laurie Sumiye