This is a press release from the Resilient Earth Radio & Podcast:
The award-winning documentary Abalone Stories: Loss, Connection, Renewal (directed by Petaluma filmmaker Cynthia Abbott) will make its North Coast Premiere on Saturday, September 12, from 3:00–5:00 p.m. at Del Mar Hall, 40600 Leeward Road, The Sea Ranch, along with local ocean advocates and partners. Abalone Stories premiered at the Sonoma International Film Festival in March 2026 where it was the winner of the McNeely Audience Award for Best Short Documentary and recipient of a Special Jury Mention for Cultural, Environmental, and Community Impact. The 29 minute film explores the dramatic decline of California’s iconic red abalone and the people working to restore hope for our coastal ecosystems. Registration requested at AbaloneStories.com.
More than a film screening, the event brings together storytelling, science, and Indigenous perspectives. Following the film, audiences are invited to a Q&A and panel discussion as well as visit Community Partner Tables to meet organizations working to restore kelp forests, protect marine ecosystems, monitor sea life, and preserve California’s coastal heritage. Community participants include Julieta Gómez, Kelp Restoration Coordinator with the Greater Farallones Association, in partnership with the Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries; Eric Wilder Kashia / Pomo Cultural Consultant – Graphic Designer, Scott and Tree Mercer of the Mendonoma Whale & Seal Study, and The Redwood Coast Land Conservancy whose efforts on the Gualala River (along with other organizations) have a positive impact on our coastal ecosystems.
Assisting with community screenings and outreach, as well as sponsorship development (for this and future events in other communities) is Sea Rancher Leigh Anne Lindsey Producer & Host of Resilient Earth Radio & Podcast…