A Paradise is Lost
A PARADISE LOST is the enchanting, yet harrowing tale of the yellow finch of Palila v. Hawaii, a landmark case where nature took humanity to court to stave off extinction. The film unfolds through the POV of the animated Palila called Anuenue who stood as the client in 1979 court trials. The legal battle leveraged the Endangered Species Act to protect mamane 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.
Producers: Laurie Harue Sumiye, Anne Misawa
Director: Laurie Harue Sumiye
Cinematography: Anne Misawa, Paul Atkins
Writer: Laurie Harue Sumiye
Editing: Laurie Harue Sumiye, Satoko Sugiyama
Animator: Zoya Baker
Composer: Thomas Osborne
Laurie is a Japanese American artist and filmmaker from Hawaiʻi. A fellow with Sundance, Firelight, Jackson Wild, and UnionDocs, her award winning animated shorts have screened at DOCNYC and BAMcinemaFest. Her debut feature A PARADISE LOST received support from Pacific Islanders in Communications, Firelight Media, and Doc Society. She holds an MFA from CUNY Hunter, has exhibited artwork internationally, and has taught filmmaking at the University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu.