A Hawaii story for helping global coastal communities.
The Line Where Water Meets Land is a short documentary set across the shorelines of Hāna, Maui and the North Shore of O‘ahu, where rising seas, stronger storms, and disappearing coastlines meet the people choosing to stand with the water rather than against it.
Through the voices of a Hawaiian master builder, a firefighter-veteran, an Indigenous Polynesian cultural preserver, and a flood-modeling scientist, the film traces a single throughline: ancestral wisdom and modern science, working as one, build the most resilient coastal communities on earth.
It is a Hawaii story, and a blueprint for every shoreline that comes after.
“We are caretakers, not owners, of the gifts entrusted to us.”
Born and raised in Hāna, Maui, Kumu Palani served nearly 30 years in the U.S. Air Force before dedicating his life to reviving the traditional Hawaiian arts of kūkulu hale, uhau humu pōhaku, and sacred heiau restoration. In 2022, he received the National Heritage Fellowship Award, the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.
“We don't fight the water. We learn to live with it.”
U.S. Air Force veteran, Hawaii firefighter, and founder of the Battle Scar Initiative. Evan leads boots-on-the-ground volunteer efforts supporting families impacted by environmental disasters, connecting communities with recovery resources while building long-term resilience across the islands.
“We honor our ancestors, our ‘ohana, and our ‘āina and moana.”
Indigenous Polynesian media producer, public speaker, and cultural educator rooted in her Tahitian heritage. Guided by aloha, aroha, mana, and mālama, Hiriata uses storytelling to bridge cultures and generations, advocating for environmental stewardship and the preservation of Indigenous voices.
“Practical, community-driven tools for a coastline under pressure.”
Earth Science PhD candidate and Associate Scientist at Integral Consulting in Haleiwa. A lifelong surfer and spear-fisherman, Brian builds low-cost flood monitoring tools, shoreline mapping systems, and coastal camera networks designed to improve evacuation warnings and prevent future flood-related fatalities.
“Surfing is culture, healing, friendship, the heartbeat of community.”
Respected Hawaiian waterman and entrepreneur. Following the devastating ‘99-Year Storm’ that impacted Waialua and Haleiwa, Liam and North Shore Surf Shop partnered with the Battle Scar Initiative through the ‘99 Boards for 99 Keiki’ Community Recovery Initiative, returning the ocean to children who lost their connection to it.
Principal photography for Phase I was completed in June 2026 across Hāna, Maui and the North Shore of O‘ahu. Over 50% of the feature documentary is now captured, cultural interviews, environmental sequences, scientific research, community resilience stories, and original music performances.
This footage forms the cultural, scientific, and emotional foundation of The Line Where Water Meets Land.
Phase I captured
Represents $125,000 in created production equity.
With the first half of the film completed, the production now moves into its final 10-day principal photography phase. This final segment will capture the remaining story components required for post-production.
Supporters and partners can review the full completion plan in the official pitch deck.
Eddie Kamae, a Living Treasure of Hawai‘i and recipient of the HARA Lifetime Achievement Award, devoted his life to preserving Hawaiian culture and sharing it with future generations. He donated films, study guides, and personally reached more than 200,000 students across the islands.
With his recent passing, his widow has graciously allowed us to use his music in this film. Our score will blend an original composition with a contemporary remix by Grammy winning producer Dave Audé, carrying Eddie’s voice forward to new audiences.
A Hawaii-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by U.S. Air Force veteran and Hawaii firefighter Evan Moon. Battle Scar empowers veterans, first responders, and vulnerable communities to transform adversity into resilience, developing coastal flood warning systems, connecting families with emergency support, and supporting cleanup and recovery on the ground.
Digital Aqua LLC and the documentary film "The Line Where Water Meets Land" are proud partners in supporting the Battle Scar Initiative.
Visit BattleScar.org →Coastal communities are facing accelerating environmental change. Indigenous knowledge, scientific innovation, and community action are urgently needed.
With half the film already completed, The Line Where Water Meets Land is positioned to deliver a powerful global message on resilience, culture, and the future of our coastlines, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Coming 2027 · Digital Aqua Films
Douglas Kaplan is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and certified environmental scientist with over a decade of experience leading international nonfiction productions. He has produced five feature-length documentaries from inception to completion.
His current focus is water security, marine biodiversity, climate resilience, and environmental governance. As founder of Digital Aqua, Douglas translates environmental science into scalable conservation solutions, uniting storytelling, technology, and impact finance to address global water and sustainability challenges.
Dave Audé is one of the most influential producers and remix artists of the past 25 years, known for reshaping the sound of modern pop and dance music. A GRAMMY‑winning creator with more than 135 #1 Billboard Dance tracks, Audé has collaborated with the world’s biggest artists — including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Madonna, U2, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, and Coldplay.
His remixes are celebrated for transforming songs into global anthems, earning him a GRAMMY Award for “Uptown Funk” and multiple nominations, most recently for Demi Lovato & Ariana Grande’s “Met Him Last Night.”
A master of emotional, high‑impact sound design, Audé continues to push boundaries across genres. His work on The Line Where Water Meets Land blends original composition with his signature cinematic remix style, bringing a powerful new dimension to the film’s score.
Join us in bringing this story to global audiences and supporting the communities at the heart of it.
