In a new Canadian film that is inspired by true events, a group of Inuit youth’s story is followed as they “gain a sense of pride and purpose through the sport of lacrosse,” according to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
The Grizzlies was premiered at the Yellowknife Film Festival on September 30 of this year, with the real events the film was based off of happening in 2001.
According to the CBC, Kyle Aviak was one of the original members of this Inuit lacrosse team, and said it was a “surreal” experience seeing a young actor play him on the movie screen.
The Grizzlies recreates a Inuit youth lacrosse team founded by teacher Russ Shepard. Aviak said the “team originally had no idea what lacrosse was or how to play it” until Shepard introduced the sport to them.
The film shows how at first the youth are reluctant to embrace the sport, but as they do, it becomes a big part of their community.
“Lacrosse played a significant role in my life, it brought out a lot of positives for my character and it brought out a lot of challenges that allowed me to address these challenges,” Aviak said.
According to the CBC, “The Grizzlies is about more than just the sport. It takes a hard hitting look at some of the impacts of colonization and residential schools like suicide, domestic violence, and substance misuse.”
Many of the former teammates still keep in touch. Aviak said to the CBC that traveling across Canada and the U.S. to play lacrosse helped the team to form close bonds as they overcame the daily obstacles facing Northern Indigenous youth.
To view the trailer of the Grizzlies, please click here. For a Q&A with the cast and crew of the film, click here. For the IMDb profile, click here. Enjoy the film!
