Ellavut Cimirtuq [our world is changing]

As an archeological team digs to save cultural artifacts from rising sea levels in her coastal village, a Yupik filmmaker explores her tribe's relationship with its language, subsistence hunting and gathering practices and cultural traditions in Alaska.

  • Mischa Hedges
    Director
    Of The Sea, Women's March, Seeker of Truth, Sustainable Table
  • Jacqueline Cleveland
    Director
  • Sonia Luokkala
    Director
  • Mischa Hedges
    Producer
    Of The Sea, Women's March, Seeker of Truth, Sustainable Table
  • Alex Albers
    Editor
    Complicated, Perfect Sweat, Women's March, Beakman & Jok
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Climate Change
  • Runtime:
    33 minutes 27 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 1, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    75,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    4K Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Mischa Hedges, Jacqueline Cleveland, Sonia Luokkala

Jacqueline Cleveland is a Yupik documentary filmmaker living in Quinhagak, Alaska. She serves on her village's Tribal Council and uses film and photography to share the stories of her community.

Mischa Hedges is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, based in Northern California. His passion is telling stories that raise social and environmental awareness and inspire people to action to make the world a better place to live.

Sonia Luokkala is a Photojournalist and writer of Finnish-Amazigh descent. She has covered indigenous and environmental topics for over a decade. In the far north, she has come to witness how fundamentally the climate crisis is altering the human experience.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Our filmmaking team believes in inclusivity and equality, and always strives to hold and include these values in our work. With this film, we know that is more important than ever. We are striving to include diverse perspectives in the film itself and throughout the filmmaking process – in gender, race, indigeneity, cultural identity, religion, and beyond.