SWEET 16: The Documentary  (Formats: 52 & 90 minute formats, HD)

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SWEET 16 is a feature documentary about a 17-yr old filmmaker Katia from Montreal, who has recently learned she has Type 1 diabetes. 

Though there is a veritable explosion of 'awareness' about diabetes in the current media landscape, there is perhaps just as much 'disinformation'.  What is Type 1, what is Type 2? How do you get it, can it be cured? Is it the result of unhealthy eating, or can it also be hereditary?

"Sweet 16" takes us on a rollercoaster ride thought the questions that a recently diagnosed Type 1 diabetic faces, in particular a teenager.  

The film begins in Montreal, Canada on the morning of November 14, 2007.  Katia, along with her father, also a professional filmmaker, make their way by plane to New York City, to participate in the inaugural World Diabetes Day, where United Nations declared Diabetes to be a world pandemic of the 21st century, and launching an annual awareness day on November 14 around the world.

Naturally Katia, is less than thrilled about her new condition, and is trying to get her bearings.  The NYC gathering is the first step in a long journey of self-discovery, a filmic diary of sorts, meant to inform as well as entertain. 

The film is slated to be released in late 2009 to limited run theatrical presentations, as well as through festivals and international television networks.  The team behind Sweet 16 has launched many documentaries in this fashion and you can be sure this story will cut to the core of the issues, and find its market.

Katia's story

The news came just a few weeks before her actual 16^th birthday, “…mom, I can’t see anything past 2 feet… "  was the call to her mother on the phone, before she was whisked to the hospital for a checkup.

-The diagnosis was quick. Diabetes type 1, also known as juvenile onset diabetes.

Though her vision has corrected since she started taking her insulin (4 injections per day), her life is now quite different from what she thought it would be at 16.  

A little background:

In December 2006, the United Nations in conjunction with the World Health Organization, declared diabetes to be an worldwide epidemic, rivaling even HIV/AIDS in Africa, and proposed an annual global campaign starting November 14, 2007, WORLD DIABETES DAY.

This is where our film begins. 

Though Sweet 16 is a film telling Katia's story, it is as much about the worldwide pandemic which diabetes represents.  She has teamed up with a director of photography and producer who has directed, shot and produced numerous documentaries for canadian and international broadcasters.

The film offers a uniquely youthful and fresh perspective on this issue worldwide.

Production Values:

Avoiding the dry ‘scientific’ or ‘social issue’ documentary formats, Sweet 16  draws upon Katia’s own musings, (like why don’t they make a pink glucometer that doesn’t ‘beep’ when its testing, so you don’t have to ‘tell all your friends’ every time you test yourself during lunch at school?)

Sweet 16 will explore the good the bad and the ugly as seen by Katia, from famous people who are diabetic like Hale Berry, to Canadian Olympic rowing champion Chris Jarvis, to what happens when you get diabetes in a third world country, where being type 1 diabetic is essentially a ‘kiss of death’ due to medical costs. 

As Katia has already made contact with Chris Jarvis, discussions are underway to have her follow him to China for the Bejing Olympics. Chris is from Vancouver, and will compete once again in Canada’s Olympic rowing team.  We will investigate how it’s possible for him to compete at that level with his glucose levels all over the map.

The public will be able to follow the characters of the film,  on  www.Sweet-16.tv during the production, where Katia will have a blog, and various audience building strategies will be put in place to challenge and involve Canadians to consider the issue of diabetes around them. 

We will also investigate the inner workings of the disease, the science of diabetes using 3D animation and 3D imaging, along with latest-breaking developments in diabetes research which is rife with short-term possible breakthroughs.

A few little known facts about diabetes:

• 6% of the world’s mortality rate today is caused by diabetes and diabetes complications.
• Over 2.25 million Canadians are estimated to have diabetes, with 60,000 new cases coming to light each year
• About a third of adults with diabetes are unaware that they have the condition
• Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in Canada
• Healthcare costs associated with Diabetes in Canada are about $9 billion per year
• In December 2006 the UN declared November 14 International Diabetes Day and several annual world events each November will signal WDD around the world and in NYC, growing in scale each year. In 2007, the first year, the campaign garnered 1 billion worldwide impressions in 48hrs. across all media
• In Katia’s home province (Québec), there are 25,000 type 1 diabetics and 250, 000 with type 2 diabetics
• There are currently over 500,000 searches for the Diabetes related terms on Google each month
• Montreal Canada, will host the next World Conference on Diabetes in Novemer 2009 (film launch?)

SWEET 16 will come packaged with a major website community for diabetes with games, quizzes and interactive elements to draw the  public in, while showcasing critical diabetes related information drawn from the film's research.  The  producer  launched  several  web-based educational  portals   capitalising on  available  funds from  the Bell  New Media Fund,  and  Telefilm Canada, to name  a few.