Directing
At a Hawaiian grief camp, a boy sets out to trap his late mother’s spirit animal—the endangered ‘i‘iwi—believing it will bring him closer to her. Guided by Kumu 'Ānela, he learns that true connection isn’t about capturing, but releasing. Together, they find solace in nature, memory, and letting go.
Lauren immortalizes the evanescence in her archival documentary, bridging the 5,000-mile gap between New York and Oʻahu, her ever-changing island home. All archival footage shot on Super 8.