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Title
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A’ai: Language, Biodiversity, and the Art of Coexistence
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Presenter/ Speaker
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Kalie Granier
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Date
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April 22, 2026
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Description
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A’ai is an experimental film and the first cinematic work presented entirely in the Esselen language. Developed in close collaboration with members of the Ohlone Costanoan Esselen Nation, the film stages a poetic dialogue between a woman and a pelican along the California coast. As a messenger of the marine world, the pelican bears witness to the collapse of kelp forest ecosystems—of which nearly 90% have disappeared—transforming ecological crisis into a shared narrative of loss, memory, and responsibility.
Blending Indigenous knowledge, scientific research, and artistic practice, A’ai explores the possibilities of communication and collaboration across species. Through a relational exchange between human and non-human voices, the film reflects on interdependence and the urgent need to protect the fragile systems that sustain life. Carried by an atmosphere of care and attention, A’ai becomes both elegy and call to action—inviting us to listen to the living world and to reimagine our role within it.
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Climate & Ecology Themes
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Oceans and Coasts
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Biodiversity and Species Loss
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Indigenous Knowledge and Sovereignty
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Themes and Concepts
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More-than-Human Relations
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Loss and Grief
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Care and Reciprocity
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Ecological Domain / Habitat
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Kelp Forest
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Discipline / Field
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Arts & Design
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Interdisciplinary
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Audience / Engagement Type
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Public / General Audience
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Academic / Research
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Geographic Scope
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Coastal / Marine Region
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Location
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Santa Cruz, California
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Rights
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Rights held by artist or creator
