In director Sam Miro's latest doc short Little Warriors, a group of youth in the city of Indianapolis successfully inspire their City-County Council to adopt a youth-driven Climate Recovery Resolution and ultimately to establish a remarkable standard for school-based efforts to impact climate change. 

Little Warriors is currently screening at the 2017 Heartland Film Festival as part of the festival's Indiana Spotlight Program Shorts 1, the latest of several festival appearances including Indy Film Fest. It seems like every year brings us one or two films that manage to play both of Indy's largest film fests and Little Warriors really is a terrific choice for slots in both festival's Indiana-themed programs. 

It's worth noting that Little Warriors looks like it has been tightened up a bit since its Indy Film Fest screening, a little bit of editing weaking that has helped the film's pacing and given the film a more energized feeling. Little Warriors is a reminder that it's not always the adults who have the answers, though it also doesn't hurt to have a mentor and guide such as Jim Poyser helping you along the way. The film presents this cooperative effort, essentially a partnership between Earth Charter Indiana and Youth Power Indiana, in such a way that you can't help but have a deep respect and appreciation for these youths and the time, energy, research and plain ole' passion that they put into their project. 

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic