Ways to Watch

STANDING ABOVE THE CLOUDS highlights the movement to protect Mauna Kea through the intergenerational stories of women in three Native Hawaiian families as they stand for the sacred mountain. | Runtime: 1hr 23min

The Feature Film

  • Kanopy partners with various schools and universities to stream our film at no cost! CLICK HERE to see if you’re eligible.

  • Purchase a license through Collective Eye Films to screen Standing Above the Clouds at your school or university. The license allows for both digital screenings and the purchase of a physical DVD.

  • If you are an organization or individual interested in hosting a virtual, on-demand, or in-person screening of Standing Above the Clouds, submit a request via Kinema. Then, our team will reach out to support and confirm your event details.

PBS Special Edition

We are proud to be apart of Pacific Heartbeat’s 13th season. Starting September 10, 2026 the film will be available to stream on pbs.org and select local stations nationwide. | Runtime: 55min

We are proud to offer various ways you can watch Standing Above the Clouds and share this film with your community.

Need help? Contact our team here.

Upcoming Screenings

Friday, Sept 11, 2026 - Oakland, CA (Eastside Arts Alliance Film Fridays)

October 11-16, 2026 - Barcelona, Spain (Alternativa Film Festival)

Check back for more information!

  • "There’s a life force coursing through Standing Above the Clouds that is intensely infectious. The film is a profound statement on how the human spirit can’t be broken as long as individuals band together. Although focused on a specific region in Hawaii, the film still manages to conjure an entire history of first nations peoples’ struggles against destructive colonialist forces. The film’s impact can be felt across time and space and is a deeply inspiring message for all viewers."

    - POV

  • “A devastating inside look at a powerful grassroots protest led by women and elders to protect our nature and future from commercialization.”

    - Hot Docs Jury

  • “Takes viewers beyond the headlines and frontlines in profound and intimate ways.”

    - Variety

  • “Standing Above the Clouds is a deeply human portrait of what it means to dedicate one’s life to activism.”

    - Film Obsessive

The Short Film

Watch Standing Above The Clouds, the short film, on demand on YouTube

Standing Above the Clouds​ is a story of inter-generational women activists, who call themselves Ku Kia'i Mauna, or guardians of the mountain. The film follows three sets of mothers and daughters indigenous on the Big Island of Hawaii who find themselves standing at the forefront of the movement to safeguard their sacred mountain, Mauna a Wakea, when a construction permit is granted for an eighteen story, Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) to be built directly below the summit on pristine, untouched land.

Filmmakers: Jalena Keane-Lee and Amber Espinosa-Jones

Runtime: 15 minutes

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