Shark Gathering

Kalele Bookstore hosts first film screening.

By Melissa Kelsey

Shark attacks are rare on Molokai, but their mysterious nature may have been one thing that allured residents to Kaunakakai last Tuesday to watch a film about great white shark facts and myths. As popcorn was passed around in a plastic bucket to seated viewers, Kalele Bookstore & Divine Expressions was packed full with guests attending its first film screening. The 24-minute film, entitled “White Shark Café,” was created by The Molokai Dispatch Staff Writer Sean Aronson during his time as a graduate student studying film at Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism in California.

The film challenged the traditional image the media has portrayed of great white sharks as mindless, ferocious killers. Contary to common depiction of shark attacks, sharks usually just bite humans once, mistaking them for seals, and can test the fat content of their prey from that one bite, according to Aronson. The movie’s title, “White Shark Café,” describes a region of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California that is a seasonal gathering place for great white sharks.

“All I have to say is, respect the ocean,” said community film viewer Mervin Dudoit. “If we get more things like this, we will understand the situation better.”

The event was attended by more than 30 viewers, and included pupus and a discussion after the film. Kalele Bookstore & Divine Expressions plans to host more films and presentations in the future to bring people in the community together in the store’s space, according to store owner Teri Waros.