The Grizzlies

When they are introduced to the sport of lacrosse, a group of Inuit students gains a new perspective on life and a powerful sense of pride and purpose that seemed lost in their small Arctic town struggling with the highest suicide rate in North America.

The Arctic North, 1998. Russ moves to Kugluktuk, a town with one of the highest suicide rates in North America, to work as a teacher at the local school. He has no idea of the local culture and dire economic circumstances, and is stunned when he arrives to a half-empty class of disillusioned highschoolers – the struggles they face are the result of centuries of colonization. To motivate his students, Russ introduces a lacrosse program in the school and although he is first met with skepticism and ridicule, Russ' commitment begins to win their trust. Together, they become The Grizzlies. Russ' naiveté might have started a spark, but ultimately, the kids take charge of their own fate – and might win more than a trophy…