16-year old Alcides Soares, like hundreds of thousands of kids in Mozambique, lost his parents to AIDS. Alcides is living apart from his sister and searching for a little brother he hasn't seen in 10 years. While he found shelter with a neighbor, many of Alcides' friends are living on their own, hoping for a better situation. Mentored by filmmakers Neal Baer and Chris Zalla, Alcides conveys his inspiring story about finding family and how he and his young friends face hardship with dignity and resilience.
India is home to tens of thousands of Tibetan refugees. But only one-17-year old Namgyal Wangchuk Trichen Lhagyari-was crowned King of Tibet by the Dalai Lama. The only living descendent of Songtsen Gampo, the first Dharma King of Tibet (617-698 AD), this young exiled king doesn't live in a palace; he lives in a settlement and does chores. It's unclear whether he will ever be able to return to his homeland and assume the responsibilities of king. Mentored by filmmaker Dirk Simon, Namgyal shows how he and other young exiles preserve their traditional culture while hoping to return to an independent Tibet.
Like most girls from rural India, 16-year-old Jayshree Janu Kharpade never expected to get an education. Instead, she had to work to help support her family. But union organizers were determined that girls from poor tribal villages have a better future and built a school. Film mentor, Joyce Chopra, a pioneer of documentary film, helped Jayshree share her journey from illiterate laborer, to scholar and young activist - in this powerful story that illuminates the social and economic potential of educating girls in the developing world.
For decades, civil war has raged in Colombia. Violence has displaced millions of people, like 16-year old Maria Ceballos, who fled her home when guerrillas killed her father. Moving from gang-infested settlements to over-crowded rooms, Maria's family finds comfort among fellow displaced families and moments of joy in creative endeavors. Through her lens and mentored by filmmaker Susan Hoenig, Maria puts a human face on displacement.
Moving to a new country was challenging for Faiza Almontaser, a 17-year-old from New York City, who immigrated with her family to the US from Yemen when she was in middle school. She faced vicious bullying because of her Islamic identity and lost close friends to hate crimes. Through it all, her family still embraced their new home, and Faiza found a creative outlet for self-expression. Mentored by the legendary pioneer of direct cinema, Albert Maysles, Faiza's film documents her courageous and inspiring journey from victim to activist.
17-year-old Tymur Tsapliienko loves playing basketball and dreams of becoming a pilot. But those dreams are on hold because Tymur is also a refugee who escaped Ukraine when the Russian army invaded his country. Now, he longs for his friends, his family, his school, and his home. Tymur embarks on a journey from Germany through Poland to see his father, a war journalist who was injured during a Russian offensive. With guidance from film mentor Rom Barnea, Tymur interviews fellow refugees, examining the devastation of war and displacement, the connection between war and fossil fuel dependence, and the ways in which people find solidarity and hope during times of crisis.
Diya Payal is a 14-year-old from India who loves science, nature, and spending time with her family. While assisting her grandparents on their rural farm in the foothills of the Himalayas during summer holidays, she learned and grew passionate about plants and the importance of plant biodiversity. With camera in hand and mentored by filmmaker Camilla Becket, Diya interviews farmers, visits a community seed bank, and celebrates Hindu traditions with her family. Along the way, she explores how climate change and industrial agriculture are threatening plant species, shines light on sustainable farming, and examines the ways in which food, family, and farming are connected to her ?spiritual and cultural? relationship ?with ?the natural world.
15-year-old Keith Griffith III developed an interest in beekeeping at age 11 when both of his parents were incarcerated. To help Keith cope with stress, his uncle taught him how to care for a bee colony, how to harvest honey, and the importance of pollinators for food production and the environment. Now, Keith has become a mental health and environmental advocate, who gives workshops and talks in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Guided by filmmaker Evan Mascagni, Keith shines a light on the ways in which bees have taught him about cooperation, community, and emotional well-being.
20-year-old Helena Marschall is one of Germany's most prominent youth climate activists, having co-created Fridays for Future Germany. Fridays for Future is a global youth-led climate awareness movement inspired by Greta Thunberg and other young activists after they sat in front of the Swedish parliament to protest the lack of action on the climate crisis. Mentored by filmmaker Anja Baron, Helena documents how she and fellow activists protest a mining company's plan to bulldoze a German village and shares her passion for climate justice and the power of youth activism.
Like most girls from rural India, 16-year-old Jayshree Janu Kharpade never expected to get an education. Instead, she had to work to help support her family. But union organizers were determined that girls from poor tribal villages have a better future and built a school. Film mentor, Joyce Chopra, a pioneer of documentary film, helped Jayshree share her journey from illiterate laborer, to scholar and young activist - in this powerful story that illuminates the social and economic potential of educating girls in the developing world.
Like most girls from rural India, 16-year-old Jayshree Janu Kharpade never expected to get an education. Instead, she had to work to help support her family. But union organizers were determined that girls from poor tribal villages have a better future and built a school. Film mentor, Joyce Chopra, a pioneer of documentary film, helped Jayshree share her journey from illiterate laborer, to scholar and young activist - in this powerful story that illuminates the social and economic potential of educating girls in the developing world.
Like most girls from rural India, 16-year-old Jayshree Janu Kharpade never expected to get an education. Instead, she had to work to help support her family. But union organizers were determined that girls from poor tribal villages have a better future and built a school. Film mentor, Joyce Chopra, a pioneer of documentary film, helped Jayshree share her journey from illiterate laborer, to scholar and young activist - in this powerful story that illuminates the social and economic potential of educating girls in the developing world.
Like most girls from rural India, 16-year-old Jayshree Janu Kharpade never expected to get an education. Instead, she had to work to help support her family. But union organizers were determined that girls from poor tribal villages have a better future and built a school. Film mentor, Joyce Chopra, a pioneer of documentary film, helped Jayshree share her journey from illiterate laborer, to scholar and young activist - in this powerful story that illuminates the social and economic potential of educating girls in the developing world.
Like most girls from rural India, 16-year-old Jayshree Janu Kharpade never expected to get an education. Instead, she had to work to help support her family. But union organizers were determined that girls from poor tribal villages have a better future and built a school. Film mentor, Joyce Chopra, a pioneer of documentary film, helped Jayshree share her journey from illiterate laborer, to scholar and young activist - in this powerful story that illuminates the social and economic potential of educating girls in the developing world.
Like most girls from rural India, 16-year-old Jayshree Janu Kharpade never expected to get an education. Instead, she had to work to help support her family. But union organizers were determined that girls from poor tribal villages have a better future and built a school. Film mentor, Joyce Chopra, a pioneer of documentary film, helped Jayshree share her journey from illiterate laborer, to scholar and young activist - in this powerful story that illuminates the social and economic potential of educating girls in the developing world.
Like most girls from rural India, 16-year-old Jayshree Janu Kharpade never expected to get an education. Instead, she had to work to help support her family. But union organizers were determined that girls from poor tribal villages have a better future and built a school. Film mentor, Joyce Chopra, a pioneer of documentary film, helped Jayshree share her journey from illiterate laborer, to scholar and young activist - in this powerful story that illuminates the social and economic potential of educating girls in the developing world.
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