Dr. Syed A.A. Javaz

November 14th 2007, the UN declares diabetes a worldwide epidemic, launching an annual global awareness event, World Diabetes Day. On that day, 16-year-old filmmaker Katia from Montreal began a journey now called "Sweet 16", chronicling Katia's highs and lows; as she and her father/filmmaker turn the lens on a disease that currently touches over 300 million people globally. Sweet 16 offers a fresh perspective into a silent killer, with a focus on teen issues of body image, peer pressure, in the context of this increasingly prevalent disease. But Sweet is not a medical documentary. Part road movie, part filmed diary, Sweet 16 is a frank human portrayal of what it takes to challenge health issues during critical rites of passage into adulthood.