For around ten years, natural disasters have been occurring more frequently, causing widespread destruction; yet industrialized countries still refuse to implement or persist in doubting the actions they must take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and fail to revise their policies for economic growth. Decisions taken high up directly affect the way of life of thousands of people, in Canada and elsewhere. In 2003, the United Nations indicated that for the first time in history, environmental refugees (25 million) outnumbered those fleeing from war or political persecution (23 million). And their numbers keep on increasing.

The Refugees of the Blue Planet

Fists of Pride follows Little Tiger and his fellow fighters as their Thai coaches prepare them for the annual Water Festival competition. In a boxing camp on the Thai-Burmese border the children of mostly illegal migrant workers fleeing Burma live and train for prize fights. In a region where combat sports have always been a matter of honor and money, the film reveals their daily struggles. Bets are open and as the hope of prize money rizes, the young boxers contemplate what it could mean for them and their families

Fists of Pride

The documentary Little Big Girls by director Hélène Choquette sheds light on the phenomenon of early-onset puberty. Today, it isn’t unusual to see the earliest signs of puberty in girls younger than the age of 9, though this was not the case a few decades ago. The result, inevitably, is a disconnect between the girls’ physical and emotional maturity. Far from being a marginal issue, early-onset puberty is fast becoming a worldwide public health concern. A number of causes are suspected: Could obesity and exposure to environmental contaminants, for instance, be to blame? While the causes may still be misunderstood, the physical, psychological and psychosocial repercussions on young girls going through this change so early are all too visible. Little Big Girls alerts us to the need to adapt, as a society, so as to minimize the impact of this phenomenon on our children.