The Grizzlies
Based on an inspiring true story, The Grizzlies is a powerful film about the determination and resilience of a group of Inuit youth struggling with the legacy of colonization.
When Russ Sheppard (Schnetzer) moves to Kugluktuk, NU, to be a teacher, he is shocked by the challenges facing the community, most especially the ongoing epidemic of teen suicide. Russ introduces a lacrosse programme and gradually wins the trust of his students. Together, the youth find a sense of pride and purpose in themselves and their community.
The Grizzlies was called “transcendently moving” by The Hollywood Reporter and has won multiple awards and been screened to acclaim at film festivals around the world. Cast members Paul Nutarariaq and Anna Lambe earned Canadian Screen Award nominations for their performances.
* Please note that this film has Indigenous producers, but not an Indigenous director. imagineNATIVE defines an Indigenous-made film as one directed or co-directed by an Indigenous person.
Director
Miranda de Pencier
De Pencier is a director and producer whose first short film, Throat Song, won four awards, including the Canadian Screen Award for Best Live Action Short. Her feature directorial debut, The Grizzlies, earned the DGC’s Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Feature Film. As a producer, she has worked on several films, including Cake, Beginners, and Thanks for Sharing, as well as episodes of Anne with an E, Black Life: Untold Stories, and North of North.
Writers
Graham Yost, Moira Walley-Beckett
Cast
Emerald MacDonald (Inuk), Paul Nutarariaq (Inuk), Anna Lambe (Inuk), Ben Schnetzer, Ricky Martin-Pahtaykan (Plains Cree/Stoney Nakoda)
Producers
Stacey Aglok MacDonald (Inuk), Alethea Arnaquq-Baril (Inuk), Damon D'Oliveira, Miranda de Pencier, Zanne Devine
Genre
Drama
Interests
BIPOC Stories, Bullying, Discrimination, ESL, Family Relationships, Female Filmmaker, Social Justice & Politics, Sports
Original Language
English