Original subtitles

[electronic melody playing]

[droning music playing]

[muffled voice on radio]

[crickets buzzing]

[birds chirping]

[low rumbling sound]

[policeman] Go! Come on, go get 'em!

[muffled voice on radio]

[young Bezhig screaming] Let me go!

[sinister music playing]

[young Bezhig screaming] Let me go!

[young Bezhig] Leave me alone!

[muffled voice on radio]

[lighter clicking]

[music playing on radio]

[wind whooshing]

[girl crying]

[music playing on radio]

[crickets chirping]

[cars humming]

[muffled chatter]

[housekeeper] You need a refill on anything, honey?

- [Bezhig] I'm good. - You doing okay?

Is there someone I can call?

- I'm fine. - Oh, honey.

[housekeeper] Let me know if you need anything.

[policeman] Ma'am! No! Jesus Christ.

[Bezhig's mother] Let go. Let go!

Let go of my hand! Don't do that!

[young Bezhig] No, Mom! Mom!

[Bezhig's mother] No, no!

[policeman yelling]

[door shuts]

[Bezhig's mother] Just one, really quick. Smile!

[camera humming]

[muffled voice on radio]

[cars humming]

[Adele] Is there something that you would like to say

to Mr. and Mrs. Rosenblum, Bezhig?

[young Bezhig] Are you going to be my mom and dad?

[Bezhig sniffling]

[Bezhig] You're a criminal, mom!

You're a criminal!

[droning music playing]

[muffled chatter]

[office din]

[music fading]

[footsteps]

Miss Rosenblum.

The receptionist said you've been waiting a while to see me?

Yup.

[phone ringing]

How have you been?

Not good.

Is there something I can help you with, Miss Rosenblum?

- Yeah, maybe. - Look.

I'm going to talk to you, but don't...

[breathing shakily]

You're in my office.

[Bezhig] Well, you told me not to come to your house.

You need to lower your voice.

Please, sit.

[Adele] You don't seem well.

I'm not.

Look, Miss Rosenblum,

I appreciate you're upset.

Many adoptees are when they find out

they can't access their files,

but you cannot come in here and yell or be unpleasant.

[phone ringing in background]

I'm wondering.

Did you think it was funny?

To call my motel and give me, like,

little pieces of the information that I wanted?

Was that funny to you?

I'd like to know where is my twin brother?

Who I didn't even remember was my twin.

And where's my mother?

My whole family, both families, are fucked up.

And all the things I thought I knew

about my life are lies.

My family, back in Montreal...

I'm not talking to them.

And my family here in Regina, I don't know them.

Not really.

And I'll probably never really feel like

they're my real family.

[phone ringing in background]

[whispering] You can't tell anyone,

I mean anyone, that I'm talking to you.

You're not talking to me.

This is...

it's not legal.

I could lose my job.

Your job?

What?

What?

Look, the whole thing...

it was hard to know what to do.

How do you sleep at night?

[Adele sighing]

Niizh was adopted into a family in North Dakota.

I drove him down myself.

Where?

[Adele] It was near Williston.

It was a farming family. Thompson Dairy.

And your mother, I don't know.

I can't help you with that.

[Bezhig sighing]

I've applied for a job in public housing.

I'm hoping to move on from this department.

I am sorry.

If...

I am sorry if I... Esther.

Yeah, what?

Good luck in public housing.

[droning music playing]

[camera humming]

[Indigenous music playing]

♪ Hey, Little Bird, I remember you ♪

♪ You, with your dreams up higher than you could fly ♪

♪ Hey, I remember you ♪

♪ Hey, Little Bird ♪

♪ Lost in the summer sun ♪

♪ Those were the days when your feathers were new ♪

♪ And I remember you ♪

♪ Little Bird ♪

♪ Now it's all comin' back ♪

♪ The whole world is your habitat ♪

♪ But more than that, if we meet again ♪

♪ Will you know me? ♪

♪ So, Little Bird ♪

♪ Flash your colours and I will say ♪

♪ Glide into time with the moon on your wing ♪

♪ Little Bird ♪

♪ Little Bird ♪

♪ Little Bird ♪

♪ Like a gull on the sea ♪

♪ Your resting place could be Heaven ♪

♪ Or countless oceans far from me ♪

♪♪

[birds chirping]

[Bezhig sighing]

[phone line ringing]

[operator] Operator, how can I help you?

Yeah, hi, I'm looking for a number in North Dakota.

[operator] Okay, what's the name please?

For Thompson Dairy?

[operator] Do you have a city?

Near Williston.

[operator] I only have an address

for Thompson Farm and Dairy, do you want that?

Yeah, sure.

[operator] It's 27911, fifty-third,

Williston, North Dakota.

[radio scratching]

["Spirit Child" by Willie Thrasher playing]

[Bezhig] Thank you.

♪ Spirit child, where you going to? ♪

♪ Spirit child, can I go with you? ♪

♪ In the end, stroll through the end of life ♪

♪ In the end, stroll through the end of life ♪

♪ Hey yanga, yanga ♪

♪ Yanga ♪

- Hi. - [woman] Hi.

I'm looking for the Thompsons.

[woman] Well, you found 'em.

Is there a Niizh Thompson here?

He was a boy.

Adopted by the Thompson family.

Oh, Henry. Right, yeah, Niizh.

Are you his family member?

[woman] Well, officially speakin', I'd be his sister.

Oh. So am I.

Of course y'are.

- Is he here? - [woman] No, 'fraid not.

Well, he took off on us, as soon as he turned 16.

Haven't seen him since.

If there's anything you can give me,

uh, to help me find him,

it would be really great to have it.

I know he's in a band.

He is?

[woman] He sent us his cassette.

I can give it to ya.

Okay.

I can show you where he slept.

- Yeah. - [woman] Ye... oh, no.

No, hun.

Not in the house.

[dog barking]

[birds chirping]

Come on. I'll show ya.

And your mom and dad adopted him?

Mm-hmm, well, they didn't really

think of it like adopting a son.

He was more of a hired hand.

He had to have been about eight or nine

by the time he came to us.

You know, I didn't really think about it much at the time.

Seemed normal, but...

I look back on it now and I think...

it must've been very lonely for that boy.

[dog barking]

[woman] You know, I gotta admit to ya,

I didn't really pay much attention to him at all.

I hardly talked to him.

[birds chirping]

This is it?

[engine rumbling]

[knocking rhythm]

[Indigenous-sounding male vocals]

[upbeat indie music playing]

♪ When the wind cries in the night ♪

♪ And darkness fills the sky ♪

♪ I'm always here with you ♪

♪ A river flowin' strong ♪

♪ I'm always here with you ♪

♪ And waves will crash, and trees will shake ♪

♪ And hold on until morning breaks ♪

[Indigenous-sounding male vocals]

[music gets quieter]

That part Mom used to sing to us.

[Bezhig] There's a number here. Maybe I could call his manager.

Phone's right there.

♪♪

[Becky] Hello?

[Bezhig] Hi, I'm looking for one of your artists.

Uh, Niizh Thompson?

[Becky] Is this for a gig?

Well, how do... how do I reach him?

[Becky] I don't like it when girls call here for him.

[Bezhig chuckling]

Uh, no, I'm a family member of his.

[Becky] From North Dakota?

No. Canada.

- You're his real family? - Yeah.

[Becky] Uh, I don't know where he is,

but we're comin' to Canada in a few weeks.

Selkirk?

[Bezhig] You're coming to Selkirk?

- In a few weeks? - [Becky] Yeah.

That's not too far.

[Becky] We're playing at a bar called the Windsor Hotel.

You should come.

Well, I'm here with his brother,

- we can go together. - No, I can't.

[Becky] Well, I'll track him down

and let him know you called.

[Bezhig] Uh, okay. Thanks.

[Dora] This is important, Leo.

Go meet your brother.

[Becky] You still there?

[Bezhig] I'll call you back in a few days.

- Thank you. - [Becky] Sounds good.

[Dora] Leo, we're gonna be fine here.

You gotta go.

Please, Leo.

[Dora] He hasn't left since we had the kids.

[Leo] I'll call you from the hotel.

When I arrive tomorrow.

- Oh, come on. - Bye, Daddy! Bye, Auntie!

- [Leo] Bye. - [child 1] Bye!

- [Leo] I'll see you. - [child 1] Bring us presents!

[child 2] I'm gonna miss you!

[Leo] I'm gonna miss you, too! I love you!

Bye, Auntie! Bye, Daddy!

[Leo sighing]

[crickets chirping]

[Dora] You're gonna be okay.

[acoustic music playing]

♪ Light my heart ♪

♪ And pull me in tight ♪

♪ And board this train ♪

♪ And sit by my side ♪

♪ With you ♪

♪ I'm home ♪

♪ It doesn't matter the road ♪

♪ It doesn't matter the route ♪

♪ The unknown ♪

♪ With you ♪

♪ I'm home ♪

[audience cheering]

♪ When the shade's drawn ♪

♪ On a magic hour sun ♪

♪ I'll still love you ♪

♪ Till my day is done ♪

♪ I'll still love you ♪

♪ Till my day is done ♪

[crowd cheering]

[crowd whistling]

[Becky] We're gonna take a 15-minute break

and we'll be back with our latest single, "All I Want."

[crowd cheering]

[club music playing in the background]

- [Niizh] This is fuckin' crazy. - [Bezhig] Hi.

[Niizh chuckling]

Hi.

This is our older brother, Leo.

- Hi, Niizh. - [Niizh] Leo.

Hi. It's been a while.

Wow, this is...

This whole show I was tryin' to figure out which ones were you.

[Bezhig chuckling]

Would you like a beer?

No, I'm okay, thank you.

And you, would you like to drink

with your long-lost brother?

Yeah.

[Niizh] Great.

Guys! Guys! This is my sister!

- [man] No way! - [Becky] Hi, I'm Becky!

We talked on the phone!

Is that your brother over there?

- [man] What's his problem? - [Bezhig] Oh, he's fine.

He just doesn't drink.

[Niizh] Let's do a shot, sister.

- Yeah. - You probably need it.

- [Bezhig] I guess I do. - [man] Let's fuckin' party.

[whistling]

- [Niizh] Cheers. - [man] Cheers.

♪♪

♪ The children's eyes are filled with red and blue ♪

♪ In the field of memory from that place ♪

♪ And all I want is a home tonight ♪

♪ All I need is a place of light ♪

♪ Home tonight ♪

♪ In arms so tight ♪

♪ And all I want is a home tonight ♪

♪♪

- [crowd cheering] - [crowd applauding]

[Niizh] You want another beer?

Yeah. Sure.

[Niizh] Come on.

[woman] He's spending all this time with her.

[woman] Hey. You gonna smoke that?

Gimme one.

[woman] Niizh, over here!

[chuckles]

[indistinct]

[indistinct]

♪♪

[indistinct chatter]

No, no. I don't wanna go.

[person whistling]

[Leo] I got you.

[engine revving]

Nope, this way, this way.

[engine roars]

[Bezhig] I wanna stay.

[Leo] Well, you'll see him in the morning, okay?

[Bezhig] I don't wanna wait till...

[puking]

[Leo] Fuck.

[knocking]

Hello?

We wanted to say goodbye.

We're driving back, so...

Sure, yeah.

Maybe we should come back later?

This doesn't seem like a good time.

Why wouldn't this be a good time?

It's my fuckin' life.

Uh, I just meant that we shouldn't have come so early.

That's all.

[Niizh] Uh, that's not what you meant.

You think I'm a fuck up.

Okay, cool it.

No. I'm sorry, we'll just come back later.

You don't even fuckin' know me.

All right, let's go.

- [Bezhig] No, Leo, I'm fine. - [Niizh] Oh, big fuckin'

- protector now, huh? - Let's go.

Look at me when I'm fuckin' talkin' to you!

[Bezhig] Leo! Leo! [screams]

Leo! What did you do that for?

[Leo] Fuck, okay, Niizh, listen...

just wait, wait, wait, wait... [grunting]

- [Leo] Niizh! - [Niizh grunting]

- [yelling] - [Bezhig screaming]

- [Leo] Stop! - [Niizh] Fuck you!

[Leo] Just stop, okay?

[Leo] Stop! Wait! Wait, Niizh!

[Niizh] Fuck you, fuck you, fuck...

- [Leo grunting] - [Niizh yelling]

- [Leo grunts] - [bottle smashing]

[men grunting]

[Bezhig] Stop! Leo! Niizh!

- [Leo] Wait! - [Niizh] Fuck you!

[both growling]

[Niizh] Fuck you!

Niizh, Stop!

[men grunting]

Leo!

[Niizh panting]

[Leo] Let's go, come on.

[Niizh grunts]

[car rumbling]

[Bezhig] You wanna go to the hospital?

No.

I've spent my whole life...

protecting my family from that shit.

Leo...

I wanna go back.

He doesn't want anyone. He made that clear.

What the fuck do you think is gonna happen?

I don't know.

[exhales]

[engine roars]

[muffled voices]

[Niizh] What?

Who is it?

[sighing]

[Bezhig] It's just me. I'm so sorry.

Say sorry and you'll get your way?

Sorry.

[Niizh] Is that what they teach you in private school?

Fuck it, come in.

[Niizh groaning]

Actually...

I don't know what to say.

I didn't know what to do.

Niizh.

[Niizh sighs]

[Niizh sighing]

[bottle clinking]

[sighing]

[sighing]

Wanna go bowlin'?

[chuckling] What?

- Can I get two beers? - [man] Yeah, for sure.

[Niizh] Want one?

No, I'm sure.

- Hmm, I'm okay. - [Niizh] Come on.

[Niizh] Hold it like a soft ball.

And you gotta, like, you know, have the positioning there.

You know, feet shoulder-length, like this.

Watch.

Ah, yes!

[Niizh] Your turn.

I'm gonna try it like this.

Ah!

[Niizh] Yeah!

[singing] Go, Niizh, it's your birthday.

Ah! Oh, oh, oh.

Game point right here.

[Bezhig] Whoo!

[Bezhig laughing]

[Niizh] Have you bowled before?

Or you have bowled before and you're just shit at it?

[Bezhig] I used to bowl with my youth group,

but the balls were much bigger.

What the fuck is a youth group?

[laughing]

I have that smile.

What?

I... I just noticed that, yeah.

We do have the same smile.

Almost like we're twins.

[chuckling]

[Niizh] I'm gonna go grab more beers. You want one?

I don't normally drink that much.

Neither do I.

[chuckling]

♪♪

[chuckling]

So, how come you're not famous?

[chuckling]

What? Your music's so good.

Pfft.

How many famous Indians do you know?

I'm fine with where I'm at.

Road life.

Touring.

Girls.

Could I come with you?

On tour?

[Bezhig] I'm serious. I can be your assistant.

[Niizh] You're not really road material.

Really?

Could I come with you? Just for a few days.

- No. - [Bezhig] But you and I,

we could spend more time together.

- We could... - What the fuck is it with you?

How come you're all over me?

You were always like this.

Like, when we were kids.

Weren't you?

All bossy and shit. [chuckling]

[truck rumbling]

[birds chirping]

[chuckles]

I'm a shithead. I know.

That's the one thing I kind of remember about you.

[laughing]

[chuckling]

[crickets chirping]

[Niizh] What time is your bus?

[Bezhig] Five.

I guess I should get a room.

Why?

To sleep in it?

Just stay up.

[Bezhig chuckling]

[Niizh] I'll stay up with you.

[crickets chirping]

[train whistle blowing]

I went to North Dakota.

Saw the farm.

Met your sister.

Shit.

[Bezhig] She showed me where you slept.

[chuckling]

[Bezhig] You didn't deserve that.

- [sighs] - [crickets chirping]

[sighing]

It was fine.

It's better than all the other places.

I don't know.

I try not to think about all that.

All what?

[sighing]

A bunch of foster homes.

There was this one lady who used to like to hit me, and...

I was six.

She just... [exhaling]

fuckin'...

what the fuck, man.

[exhaling]

What the... what the fuck.

[sniffling]

[stuttered breathing]

[sobbing]

[sighing]

[dog barking]

I'm fucked up.

I'm fucked up, too.

[chuckling]

No, you're not. [laughing]

[bottle clinking]

[sighing]

[sighing]

[dog barking]

[tap running]

[object clunking]

Bye.

I could catch a different bus.

Go catch your bus.

I got a show in North Dakota tonight.

And you can't come.

But I love you.

[Niizh] Just go.

[birds chirping]

[door clicks open]

- [door creaks] - [door clicks closed]

[sighing]

[exhales]

[sobbing]

[low rumbling sound]

- [glass shattering] - [tires screeching]

[policeman] Hey, stop!

You did that to our car? You think that's funny?

[young Bezhig] Leave my brother alone!

[young Bezhig] Let me go!

[low rumbling sound]

["Mommy's Little Guy" by Fawn Wood plays]

♪♪

♪ Do you know ♪

♪ I love you so ♪

♪ And mommy will ♪

♪ Never let you go ♪

♪ To the stars ♪

♪ And the sky ♪

♪ You'll always be ♪

♪ Mommy's little guy ♪

♪♪

♪ Do you know ♪

♪ I love you so ♪

♪ And mommy will ♪

♪ Never let you go ♪

[rain pattering]

[bus rumbling]

- [child 1] Auntie! - [child 2] Auntie!

[Bezhig] Hey. Hi.

I'm so happy to be back. I got you something.

This is for you, and this is for you.

- [children] Thank you. - [Bezhig] You're welcome.

[birds chirping]

[Bezhig] Hello? I'm back.

I should've called to let you know I was staying.

I'm sorry.

Me and Niizh stayed up all night, we spent the day,

we went bowling, and...

[Bezhig] What?

[Bezhig] What's wrong?

[birds chirping]

[Leo] Becky called.

Okay.

[birds chirping]

He's dead.

[birds chirping]

She got him to the hospital, but...

She found him in his motel.

No, wait, how?

Drugs.

[birds chirping]

[sobbing] But I was just with him this morning.

[sobbing] Was it an accident?

[Leo] Hey, hey, hey, hey.

[weeping]

[crying]

♪ There we are in a ♪

♪ A sacred place ♪

♪ It's all around ♪

♪ Written on your face ♪

♪ And no one knows what you ♪

Can you come? Please?

♪ You mean to me ♪

I need you to come.

♪ Like fallen worlds on a dead-end street ♪

♪ Of all the world that we'll ♪

♪ We'll never see ♪

♪ They say there's better things ♪

♪ And I would have to disagree ♪

♪ Just stay (Stay) ♪

♪ Please stay ♪

♪ Lay with me ♪

♪ Stay with me now ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ And all the world around me changed ♪

♪ Fill the space inside ♪

♪ That's killing me ♪

♪ It's casting shadows on my ♪

♪ My sanity ♪

♪ And set aside your worry ♪

♪ I need to be in certainty ♪

♪ Won't you stay ♪ ♪ (Stay) ♪

♪ Please stay ♪

♪ (Please stay) ♪

♪ Won't you lay with me ♪

♪ And stay with me now ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

♪ And all the world around me changed ♪

♪ And I still miss you all the time ♪

♪ You're grown, but you're still mine ♪

♪ I'll be ready when they come ♪

♪ Ready ♪

♪ When they come ♪

♪ Won't you stay ♪ ♪ (Stay) ♪

♪ Please stay ♪