Jilel: The Calling of the Shell

Jilel (The Calling of the Shell) is the story of Molina, a young Marshallese girl who is confronted for the first time with the idea that her island—her beloved homeland—is vanishing because of the rising seas caused by world-wide global warming.

The most cherished person in Molina’s life is her grandmother, Bubu Titi. One day Bubu Titi tries to tell Molina that she is feeling weaker, that the time had come for her to pass. Though Molina refuses to believe this, a few days later she finds herself alone with her grandmother as the old woman draws her last breaths. It is then that Bubu Titi bequeaths to Molina an ancient family heirloom in the form of a shell. Bubu Titi’s last words implore the deeply saddened Molina to treasure the shell, to not be careless with it because of its immense power.

*University of Washington Burke Museum of Natural History & Art, WORLD PREMIERE, May 2015
*Guam International Film Festival, AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD, September 2015
*Big Island Film Festival, WINNER, GRAND HONU BARBARA AWARD for FILM PROJECTS THAT CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN, May 2015
*Springdale Arkansas Jones Center Theatre, 3 SHOWINGS, August 2015
*Skagway Alaska Climate Change Festival, OFFICIAL SELECTION & FEATURED FILM, December 2015

“JILEL – THE CALLING OF THE SHELL frames the current climate change disaster
in a mystical, hopeful way.” ~ -Jacqueline Froelich, National Public Radio, Arkansas, August 2015

Full interview link: kuaf.com/post/marshallese-epic-be-screened-springdale

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