Sink or Swim: Learning the Crawl in the Maldives

This documentary shot in the island republic of Maldives is a bit of a head-scratcher. Part happy story about a bunch of third-grade kids and their burka-clad moms learning to swim in the ocean, and part sketchy overview of threats to the nation from climate change and rising oceans, filmmaker Jon Bowermaster's Sink or Swim never quite comes together logically. While viewers hear about concerns over the fishing industry, tourism, ocean pollution, and sea levels—all interesting, if also general—most of the film consists of smiling kids and (in separate lessons) their mothers working past their fears of swimming and becoming good enough in the water to go snorkeling. Wordless footage of these adventurous locals—while initially inspiring—wears out its welcome fairly quickly. And if the link between both parts of the swim lessons and the Maldives' survival is something along the lines of building confidence in the water makes one a better environmental steward, well…that's a bit of a stretch. Optional. Aud: H, C, P. (T. Keogh)