The Grizzlies 2018

In Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Russ Sheppard takes up a job as a history teacher to pay off his college debt to the Canadian government while waiting for an offer from St. Andrews, a prestigious prep school. His colleague Mike Johnston picks him up and almost hits a black dog.

In his first class, he meets Inuit students Miranda [Emerald MacDonald], Zach [Paul Nutarariaq], Spring [Anna Lambe], Roger [Fred Bailey], and Kyle [BooBoo Stewart]. The day ends with absentees, cultural miscommunication, and a fistfight with Zach. Russ complains to principal Janace [Tantoo Cardinal], but she is reluctant to punish him as their struggles are a result of their culture putting family first and unnecessary education last.

They witness a funeral procession for a teen suicide, which underscores the town’s struggles. That night, Russ hears an argument in the house across from him and sees Kyle running away. The next night, an injured Spring goes to his house, pursued by an inebriated Roger. Russ confronts him the next day and dismisses his heartbreak over his girlfriend. Roger commits suicide, a tragedy that weighs heavily on the community.

Russ practices lacrosse at an abandoned cargo container and discovers Kyle sleeping there. He gives him a key to the school so he can sleep inside.

Russ decides to form a school lacrosse team in hopes that it might give the students a sense of belonging and purpose, but fails to recruit any students. Miranda advises him to get Zach and Adam [Ricky Marty-Pahtaykan], the latter an absentee student who hunts with his elders. Russ visits Zach’s house and realizes his parents are alcoholics. He pays Zach twenty dollars to join lacrosse practice once and bring his fellow students. The practice is a success, and continues.

Russ adopts a black dog, Maggie. Kyle observes lacrosse training and saves Maggie from a truck, later joining the team. Kyle sees his father arrested for domestic abuse, and tells Russ that his father is a Residential School survivor. Adam’s grandparents refuse to let him attend school due to their trauma and distrust relating to residential schools. Adam attends school and lacrosse practice behind their back.

Russ makes plans for the team to play in the lacrosse nationals in Toronto. Miranda organizes fundraising efforts through festivals and lacrosse tournaments. Adam’s grandparents see him playing, and he stops coming to school or practice, and so does Zach as the latter has to hunt for his family who is starving.

Russ goes to visit Adam and his grandparents who are hunting seals, inadvertently scaring off their prey. Russ asks Adam’s grandparents to let him return, and gifts Adam his lacrosse stick. The elders tell him the story of Sedna. Russ receives a letter of admission to teach at St. Andrews.

Miranda’s sister berates her and burns her books for choosing lacrosse and school over her family. Kyle continues to be beaten by his father, and Adam eventually returns to school. The fundraising falls short after a sponsor pulls funding at the last minute, and Miranda decides to petition at the town council for funding. Russ is rebuked and the council decides not to fund the team. Adam’s grandmother arrives and speaks in support of them, changing the council’s mind.

Zach is arrested for stealing money from a cash register for his brother to fly to Toronto in his plan for them to escape his alcoholic parents. Russ visits him, and Zach tells him he will be sent to juvenile detention and will be unable to care for his younger brother, Johnny. He hangs himself in his cell that night. Miranda confronts Russ as he is packing to leave and shows him the team mourning together in the empty gymnasium. Russ joins the team for nationals in Toronto, but the team is outplayed by their opponents and fail to score a goal. Dejected, Russ tells the team that playing despite the loss of Zach is a victory. Kyle rejects this and motivates his teammates to successfully score a goal for Zach. Russ decides to stay in Kugluktuk.