In the wake of an inquest into the mysterious deaths of seven First Nations high school students in Thunder Bay, Ont., Tanya Talaga examines what - if anything - has changed since the youths died. The film shows that each of the students had a family and community that loved them. Each death was an opportunity lost. The film also illustrates how colonial oppression has caused deep systemic inequities to exist for First Nations people. The students came from communities without the basics: high schools, medical clinics staffed with doctors or nurses, and in some cases, clean running water. At its heart, Mashkawi-Manidoo Bimaadiziwin Spirit to Soar is about the strength and bravery First Nations youth have every day, when they walk out their door and head to high school in a country that has tried to erase them.

From the Curio.ca streaming audio-visual collection.