The film chronicles Jean Michel Cousteau’s 2013 visit to a remote atoll and island in American Samoa. PHOTO BY CARRIE VONDERHAAR, OCEAN FUTURES SOCIETY.

KIHEI – The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), Pacific Islands Region will present the Maui premiere of Jean Michel Cousteau’s new film, “Swains Island: One of the Last Jewels of the Planet.”

The screening will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary at 726 S. K?hei Road.

The film chronicles Cousteau’s 2013 visit led by ONMS leaders and scientists to this remote atoll and island in American Samoa.

Owned by the Jennings family for generations, the small island shows signs of habitation for the past 1,000 years. The waters around Swains Island are now part of the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa.

The public is invited to this free event. No reservations are accepted. For more information, contact Nancy Daschbach or Ka’au Abraham at 879-2818.

The ONMS Pacific Islands Region’s mission is to conserve, protect and enhance the natural and cultural ocean heritage of the Pacific. Visit sanctuaries.noaa.gov or sanctuaries.noaa.gov/about/pacific.html for information.