I am so happy to be working with the Planet in Focus 16th Annual Environmental Film Festival. The film festival will take place in Toronto October 21-25, 2015. Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing my reviews for a selection of films that I have been given the opportunity to screen in advance. The first movie review I did was Return to Ryan’s Well, which was amazing. Next up! The Little Things, by filmmaker Darcy Turenne.
This film follows several people sharing their personal stories and they are affected by climate change and what they are doing to effect climate change. What I really loved is that the stories were about people and their passion, snowboarding, and how they are using it to make a difference.
There are 2 main themes that I recognized throughout The Little Things that I talk a lot about and have in common with many of the people profiled:
- The documentary’s name is Little Things – which already explains a lot. The people in the film and I believe that we all play a part in making a difference and stopping climate change. They believe that one small act and just one person can make a difference. This is true.
- Issue + Gift = Change. Some snowboarders are using their winter sport to help the envionmental crisis. Their issue and is climate change and their gift is snowboarding. It is awesome that they are using this to make a difference.
How? Well, I can’t give it all away. What I can tell you, is that it’s really cool.
Some of people that are featured in The Little Things are professional snowboarders and they are very aware that their sport is in jeopardy because of climate change. The glaciers are melting and the conditions that they need for snowboarding are changing. They are seeing and feeling the effects of climate change first hand. They know that if things continue on the current path, their kids may not have the opportunity to snowboard at all.
“I am not an environmental saint, but I have a voice in this world and I can make a difference.” – Jeremy Jones, Professional Snowboarder
I think that they might say that if an organization like the WWF was tracking the effects of climate change on snowboarding, they would classify it as an endangered sport that is on track to extinction. Some of the snowboards who have recognized and acknoledged the impacts of climate change have started organizations like Protect Our Winters.
“The reality is, you only fight to protect something you love. If the movement matters, you want to hope that there are millions and millions of people who care as you do and that together we can become something.” – David Suzuki
I reccomend this film to anyone that loves winter sports or is passionate about climate change. Watching these talented people fight to save their sport will inspire anyone to step up and take action.
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