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DocuClub HI: Girlie

 HST



About the Screening

Please join the International Documentary Association and Hawai'i Women in Filmmaking on Thursday, October 13 for the DocuClub HI work-in-progress screening of the short film Girlie. Following the screening, we will be joined by filmmakers Alison Week and Liz Barney for a discussion, moderated by filmmaker Erin Lau.

Live screening of the film begins at 5pm HST / 8pm PT on the Eventive platform, followed by a moderated feedback discussion with the filmmaking team in a Zoom meeting.

ASL and/or live captioning can be requested for the feedback discussion. Please email your request by October 1, 2022 to docuclub@documentary.org.

DocuClub HI is a collaboration between IDA and Hawai'i Women in Filmmaking. DocuClub is a work-in-progress screening series offering the public and members of the documentary film community a first look of new projects. Filmmakers and creators have the opportunity to showcase their rough cut and consult feedback from their peers and audience.


About the Work-in-Progress Film: Girlie

Native Hawaiian Cowgirl Lani Cran Petrie, nicknamed “Girlie”, manages the 34,000 acre state-owned Kapāpala Ranch just a few miles from an active volcano on the island of Hawai'i. As Lani moves cattle down the slopes of Mauna Loa for cattle sorting, she shows the investments she has made to transform fields of lava rock and invasive guava trees into lush, fertile pastures, and help combat wildfire threats. The state has proposed taking back key parcels of the land once their leases expire in a few years, but Lani worries what this will mean for the future of the land. As Lani completes a full day of sorting cattle, she reflects on what the future may hold for the land she cares for so deeply.


Feedback Session Participants

Alison Week and Liz Barney, Director

Alison Week and Liz Barney are filmmakers who tell character-driven stories exploring the relationship between sociology and sustainability. Inspired by their time living on the Island of Hawai'i, they documented the lives of two Native Hawaiian cowgirls. Girlie and The Last Rodeo capture these cowgirls' struggle to preserve their way of life and create a sustainable future for the land they manage. Both filmmakers blend their own childhoods growing up around agriculture with previous work documenting environmental issues to provide a unique perspective they hope can bridge the gap between conservation and ranching. 


Erin Lau, Moderator

Raised in Kahaluʻu, Hawaiʻi, Native Hawaiian filmmaker Erin Lau has dedicated her life to creating empathy-forward stories for her community. After completing her Chapman thesis film The Moon and The Night with the support of the Sundance Native Lab, the award-winning film went on to screen in over 30 festivals, including being short-listed for the 2018 Student BAFTA awards and licensed by the Criterion Channel. Since graduation, Erin has signed with the United Talent Agency (UTA) and continued her growth through opportunities with the Sundance Institute, Film Independent’s Project Involve and Episodic Intensive, Points North Institute, Nia Tero, Powderkeg’s Break The Room, and the Future Gold Film Fellowship. For three years, she worked as a Senior Producer-Director for Jubilee Media, where her videos accumulated over 130 million views. Through this work, she was also given the opportunity to develop content for brands including Google, Netflix, and Always. She now works as a freelance producer and director, developing projects inspired by her community and home.


Space is very limited, so please RSVP only if you can commit to attending the entire event and actively participate in the feedback discussion.


Director(s): Alison Week, Liz Barney