OCEANIA: Journey to the Center
Directed by Natalie Zimmerman

OCEANIA begins at the center of the planet on a coral atoll – predicted to become uninhabitable by 2030 due to rising sea levels and temperatures brought by climate change. We journey with a mother and her adult son as they struggle to maintain their culture, freedom and independence. In the wake of decades of colonizing encounters, we soon realize our seemingly disparate histories, experiences and fates—are all connected.

OCEANIA is a lyrical documentary that explores climate change over 8 years through the eyes of two characters in the remote Pacific Island nation of Kiribati. Tekinati is deeply grounded in her indigenous culture and environment, despite generations of Western depredation. Now, as the climate changes, her adult son Charles tries to find a path into his future which becomes increasingly disrupted.

Some Western environmentalists have viewed Kiribati and other Pacific nations simply as a canary in climate change’s cage–their destruction proof of a climate emergency. In OCEANIA, we are offered counter-narratives that examine deeper geopolitical histories of colonization and the impact this continues to have on the I-Kiribati people and possible solutions for their future. 2024, U.S., DCP, in I-Kirbati and English with English subtitles, 75 minutes. Recommended for 15 +

Includes a post-screening discussion with director, producer, and co-writer Natalie Zimmerman.

View Trailer >>