This heartbreaking documentary puts a face on the sad statistics of global warming--and though it's not a human face it's the perhaps even more effective face of an adorable polar bear cub Nanu along with her mother her brother and her natural enemy the equally heart-melting Seela the walrus. With breathtaking footage of life on the arctic tundra the directors spin a highly emotional tale of the melting ice caps and the effect of their disappearance on every species in the ecosystem.Since the film is essentially aimed at children the cuteness factor is off the charts aided by the slightly grating use of sound effects a slangy voiceover by Queen Latifah and a kid-friendly pop/folk soundtrack. And as in a National Geographic special viewers learn some interesting and neutral facts about polar bears walruses narwhals foxes and other northern creatures. The narrative however returns repeatedly to the grim conditions that are killing off our planet's wildlife one family at a time. The directors take pains to create a hopeful ending with a sweet pair of life-goes-on epilogues and a closing credit sequence featuring conservation tips but the message of the film is sobering and hits its mark with kids and adults alike.

In a National Geographic special event The Human Footprint reveals the extraordinary impact that each of our lives has on the world around us. In a playful surprising and thought-provoking portrait of our time on earth National Geographic demonstrates in a series of remarkable visuals what makes up an average human life today and how everything we do has impact on the world around us. In this unique journey through life it shows all the people you will ever know how much waste you will produce the amount of fuel youll consume and how much youve got to pack in during your 2475526000 seconds on Earth.