Block Eight

Two women, associated through addiction are spiraling downwards. In a rare moment of clarity, nearing the end of their salvageable lives, Emma remembers a long-forgotten ‘secret stash’ of money she and her grandmother kept for an emergency. Embarking on a quest for this treasure – this perceived salvation – they find instead an offer of redemption. Strength can be discovered in the face of overwhelming adversity. We have the capacity to adapt and endure when confronted with life-or-death situations. Emma embodies this journey, this struggle, and ultimately, this choice.

A funeral home employee must put her own personal struggles aside to help a grieving woman who just lost her daughter.

Madison, an ambitious University of Toronto student, is sexually assaulted by a predatory policeman while visiting her hometown. Childhood friend Nika, who still lives on the reserve, intervenes to save her, but the violent encounter leaves the officer critically injured. Fearing they won’t be believed, the two young Indigenous women go on the run. First seeking refuge on the reserve and then deep within the Canadian wilderness, until they’re chased back to downtown Toronto. Two sharp-eyed detectives begin to uncover the truth and see the women were likely acting in self-defense. However, when the case involves one of their own, the justice system reveals its deeply ingrained biases, blurring the lines between right and wrong. This tense and emotionally charged story examines themes of resilience, loyalty, and the unbreakable bond of shared roots.