The Hungry Tide

As part of her work for a non-government organization, Maria Tiimon, who lives in Australia, promotes awareness of the consequences of climate change. "People experience the impacts of global warming but they don't know what causes it," she explains.It turns that global warming also affects Maria personally: she was born in Kiribati, which scientists believe will be one of the first countries to disappear beneath the waves as a result of global warming. Its population of 105,000 lives six feet above sea level, and scattered over 33 islands in the Pacific Ocean. Kiribati is steadily being swallowed up by the rising sea level; trees, roads, whole villages are disappearing beneath the waves. Mass migration seems to be the only long-term solution. In 2009, while preparing for the climate conferenceinCopenhagen, Maria receives some bad news from home: her father is gravely ill. Zubrycki follows Maria during a long period in which there is a lot at stake for her, both in personal and professional terms. The filmmaker watches Maria's transformation from a shy young woman into a powerful lady who doesn't hesitate to push her urgent cause in front of his camera. Through Maria's story, Zubrycki tackles a theme that in time will affect many people all over the world.