Roots of a Cedar Tree

Far outside of their Tlingit tribal community in Alaska, Ruth, her daughter Lyn, and her granddaughter Ari, live together with conflicting ideas of their own heritage. Ruth has grown cynical and bitter about reconnecting with their indigenous culture, convinced that the pain she endured as a residential school survivor is not worth re-entering the tribe. Lyn, however, believes very differently, seeing reconnection as not only important for herself, but for her daughter to see what her identity as a Tlingit person means. This causes a lot of tension between Ruth and Lyn, which is continuously tested again and again on top of Ruth’s reliance on Lyn for her medical issues. Once Ruth starts taking her pain out on Ari’s artwork and imagination, Lyn finally reaches the breaking point with her mother. Ruth’s guilt for how she treats Ari grows and she tries to set it right, but when Ari goes missing under her watch, she feels like she is the only one who can find her and bring her home. The calls of a raven, mysterious notes, and a spirit in the forest all lead her to the one person capable of healing the bond not only between generations, but the past and the present, as well.