Globalization is bringing the world together--and not always in ways we find comfortable. Whether it's the credit crunch, civil conflicts, soaring food prices or climate change, millions today are living Life on the Edge. Life films their stories as they face up to the dangers, disasters and dilemmas of 21st century Planet Earth.

The titles in this series are:

1. Moments of Truth - Charles Stewart, whose 1984 film alerted the world to the Ethiopian famine, returns to check whether the people he filmed then are now free from danger.

2. Reclaim the Condom - Trained advice columnist Sheila launches a campaign in Mozambique to promote condoms as sexy contraceptives - not weapons in the fight against HIV and disease.

3. The President's Dilemma - In the face of rising sea levels due to climate change, Kiribati President Anote Tong must decide the fate of his people. Should he plan for an orderly evacuation of the islands?

4. Grace Under Fire - Dr. Grace Kodindo explores what help is available for the people, particularly women, affected by the ongoing and bloody conflict in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.

5. Darkness on the Edge of Town - Hungarian filmmaker Arpád Bogdan sets out to discover what's behind the new wave of anti-Roma sentiment in Hungary today.

6. Silk Ceiling, Part 1 - Ritu Bhardawaj is an Indian TV reporter who has broken through the silk ceiling which narrows the prospects for so many women in the Asia Pacific region.

7. Silk Ceiling, Part 2 - Indian TV journalist Ritu Bhardawaj goes to Bihar to investigate the invisible barrier that confronts so many Asian women.

8. How to Become a President - Former World Soccer Player of the Year, George Weah, is running for president again his native Liberia. Is he out of his depth?

9. The Elephants' Dream of Peace - In Ivory Coast the national soccer team, the Elephants, helped stop a civil war in 2005. Can the efforts of their top players avert disaster this time?

10. Sorie K and the MDGs - Blind musician, Sorie Kondi, from Sierra Leone looks at what's happening with girls' education in his country 10 years after civil war.

11. Trawler Girl - A female trawler captain in Namibia exemplifies goals set forth for women in the Millennium Development Goals.

12. Biker Boys of the Dirt Island - In Nairobi's Korogocho slum, a group of former thieves trying to go straight now provide an informal motorcycle taxi service.

13. Hassan and The Graduates - As Egyptian industry is undermined by Chinese imports, Hassan, a university graduate, takes up the government's offer of free land to farm.

14. Scent of the Streets - Nigeria has had some success in getting more women into government and business. But what about in the crowded and often violent slums of Lagos?

15. Nottingham Lace - With unemployment figures rising across Europe, is there still a place for the niche craft skills of Cluny Lace in the U.K.'s East Midlands?

16. Looting The Seas - Investigates the looming collapse of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna stocks and the role EU policies have played in the crisis.



Grade Level: 10-12, College, Adult
US Release Date: 2011     Copyright Date: 2009
DVD ISBN: 1-59458-980-1

Reviews "There is a continuous challenge of trying to strike a balance in the film[s]...[The films] can be used successfully in stimulating a discussion amongst the youth about the negative aspects of such a life as well as an exploration of alternatives." Teboho Moja, Clinical Professor of Higher Education, New York University "Silk Ceiling is another fine addition to the Life series...Eminently useable in the classroom as well as for the public. The episode conveys the critical message that the struggle for women's rights, like all cultural struggles, is a 'contestation of values'--a contestation that women must win and that, with history on their side, they will win. Perhaps if more men had to walk in women's shoes, quite literally like the hijras/aravanis in the film, the ceilings would be easily shattered. Suitable for college courses in cultural anthropology, anthropology of women/gender, anthropology of Islam, and South Asian studies, as well as general audiences." Jack David Eller, Community College of Denver, Anthropology Review Database "Grace Under Fire is a stunning film, mixing the beauty of the Congo with the tragedy of war. Dr. Grace Kodindo is our experienced guide to the many reproductive health problems faced by women in conflict zones. But even Dr. Kodindo is moved and shocked by what she sees and hears from the women, men and health workers. This half hour film is a condensed course in reproductive health and rights, and makes a convincing case for improving services for women in such situations. Moments of Truth is an unusual film, showing not only the lives of people in drought-affected regions of Ethiopia, but their complicated relationship with the journalist who has chronicled their lives for decades. Complicated and affecting." Dr. Deborah Maine, Professor of International Health, Boston University "[Moments of Truth] raises questions about sustainable development. While emergency aid is needed in times of famine, only projects emphasizing sustainable development can prevent famine from happening again. The film also touches on the problematic issue that the film maker - representing many who work in international development - benefits from what he documents but the livelihood of the documented is not improved. Witnessing the suffering and dying of thousands did not leave him unscarred but pays his bills, allowing him to live a secure life in England, while those whose lives and suffering he documented are either dead or continue to suffer. The film is valuable for introducing a discussion on the realities and the impact of international aid. [Moments of Truth] highlights the need for emergency aid to be followed up by long-term sustainable development programs. [Grace under Fire] challenges us to think about global healthcare disparities and how to address them. One argument of Dr. Kodindo is that certain healthcare interventions, such as delivery kits, are low-cost but highly effective in saving lives. Focusing on low-cost simple medical technology may be the answer to some global health threats." Dr. Alexander Rodlach, Assistant professor, Sociology and Anthropology, Creighton University