♪ ♪ [Pen writing] [Paper rustling] [Writing] [Children crying] [Whispering] Dora?

Dora?

What?

What?

[Whispering] Come on.

-OK. -Be quiet.

[Children crying] Shh.

[Whispering] Come on.

We gotta get Niizh.

Niizh, get up.

-Huh?

-We gotta go, Niizh.

-Uh-huh?

-We're gonna go see Mama.

OK. [Children crying] ♪ [Writing] [Paper rustling] [Writing] [Paper rustling] [Writing] ♪ Woman: Hey!

♪ [Sighs] [Phone ringing] [Ring] [Ring] Golda on recording: You have reached Golda and Esther Rosenblum.

We're not at home.

Please leave a message at the sound of the tone.

[Machine beeps] David: Esther, I'm so sorry about my mom.

I'm sorry.

She was wrong about all of it, and it doesn't really matter what she thinks because that's not how I feel.

[Continues, indistinct] To be truthful, I was like, "Mom is like that."

OK, I'm gonna go.

I spent a couple of hours last night telling her off.

Call me back when you're ready.

[Answering machine beeps] [Sniffling] [Applause and cheering] [Sighs] ♪ Mom?

♪ Kid: Bezhig!

♪ [Phone ringing] [Ring] [Ring] Golda on recording: You have reached Golda and Esther Rosenblum.

We're not at home.

Please leave your message at the sound of the tone.

[Answering machine beeps] David: Esther?

Can you please pick up the phone?

Esther, please.

Just call me at the hospital, please.

I love you.

[Machine clicks and beeps] ♪ [Country music playing on radio] Man: I am so proud of you.

What's Ma gonna do when I tell her?

She's gonna be really proud, really proud.

She...she's gonna cook.

♪ Lie down, Leo.

Now.

Don't move.

[Turns off radio] [Buzzing, airplane passes] [Indistinct chatter] [Indistinct announcement on P.A.]

[Coin drops in slot] [Dial tone] [Buttons clicking] [Line ringing] [Ring] [Ring] Golda on recording: You have reached Golda and-- [Exhales] [Woman whispers indistinctly] [Indistinct announcements on P.A.]

[Airplane departing] [Man speaking Indigenous language] ["Hey, Little Bird" by Buffy Sainte-Marie playing] ♪ Hey, little bird, I remember you ♪ ♪ You with your dreams up higher than you could fly ♪ ♪ Hey, I remember you ♪ ♪ Hey, 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 coming back ♪ ♪ The whole world is your habitat ♪ ♪ But more than that ♪ ♪ If we meet again, will you know me?

♪ ♪ So, little bird ♪ ♪ Flash your colors and I will sing ♪ ♪ Glide into time with the moon on your wing ♪ ♪ Little bird ♪ ♪ Little bird ♪ ♪ Little bird ♪ ♪ Like a gull of the sea ♪ ♪ Your resting place ♪ ♪ Could be heaven or countless oceans ♪ ♪ Far from me ♪ [Indistinct voices on recording] [Crickets chirping] Stay in the truck no matter what.

[Speaking Anishinaabemowin] -Yeah.

-They took the kids.

Patti is inside.

[Thunder] [Woman sobbing] What the fuck they do to you?

Morris?

Where are you going?

Morris: I'll be right back.

[Door closes] Patti: Morris.

Morris.

[Crying] Oh!

Oh!

[Crying] They're gone.

Oh, they're gone.

[Sobbing] They think you don't feed the kids because you don't have a fridge.

Stay here.

Please take those cuffs off her.

Did she calm down?

-Yeah, she is.

-She fought with us.

Morris: Hey, you think we don't feed our kids?

-That's the social workers.

-The kids aren't going hungry.

There's no fridge in the house because we keep it out back.

You want to take it up with the social workers, that's fine, if that's what you're saying.

I'm saying we don't need the fridge!

OK.

Step back.

I'm trying to tell you we're taking care of our kids, fuck!

That's my wife in there.

Why did you put those fucking handcuffs on her?

Policeman: She ran off on us, OK?

We had to chase her down.

Morris: How long were you gonna fucking leave her like that on the floor?

Policeman: ...are you just gonna keep yelling?

Morris: Where the fuck are my kids?!

[Thunder] Don't fucking come up on me!

OK.

Calm down.

Don't fucking touch me!

-Hey.

-Get the fuck off me!

[Grunting] [Grunting] [Punching continues, Morris groaning] -No!

-Get back!

Back in the house!

[Patti screams] [Women sobbing] [Punching continues] -No!

-Aah!

[Screaming and sobbing] [Thunder continues] Oh, Morris, no.

[Morris groaning] [Thunder] [Indistinct shouting] [Patti crying] Policeman: OK.

There you go.

Patti: No!

Oh, my.

Morris.

Please.

Dear God... What are they doing...

So, where are you taking him?

[Thunder rumbling] [Patti speaking Anishinaabemowin] No.

No, no, they're not gone.

I've heard they take 'em to that... that big building on Albert Street.

That's where they take them.

We're gonna go there.

You're gonna go there.

It's gonna be OK. Look at me.

It's gonna be OK, Patti.

I promise you.

Hey.

Hey.

Your boy needs you.

Leo needs you right now.

Come on.

Come on.

Let's go.

[Wind gusting] [Praying in Anishinaabemowin] [Thunder rumbling] [Patti whispering indistinctly] Woman on radio: ...morning in Regina, but things are looking up for the rest of the week and into the weekend.

Here's another hour of classical FM to soothe you more.

[Classical music playing on radio] ♪ [Sighs] ♪ [Clock ticking] ♪ [Phone ringing, indistinct chatter] Woman: Esther Rosenblum?

We're just this way.

You from around here, Esther?

No.

Montreal.

Ah.

Hope you like prairies.

So, you've come about your adoption?

[Paper rustling] This is me.

I'm looking for family members.

Well, the thing is your adoption file is sealed.

All adoption files are.

But why am I not allowed to be in contact with the siblings that I remember having?

I flew here from Montreal.

Well, you should have called first.

I did call.

This morning.

They told me to come in.

I am sorry about that.

But I must be able to access something.

I was advertised publicly in the newspaper.

I don't get the sense this department's overly concerned with privacy.

I'm sorry.

Well, were was I born?

The place of birth on my birth certificate is Montreal, but I wasn't born in Montreal.

I was advertised for adoption out of Regina.

That's a legal document that's been falsified.

Look, do you want a coffee?

I will go and I'll pull your file, and I'll double-check.

OK?

[Woman whispering indistinctly] So, Esther, I checked with legal, and your file is sealed.

But there is a note on your file that you have a sister, a Dora Mueller, who wishes to be contacted.

Would you like it?

Your sister's number?

Yeah.

I...yes.

I'm sorry this is all I can release.

[Brakes squeak] Hey!

Open the door!

Open the door!

I want my kids!

Madam, why are you yelling?

Are you drunk?

My kids.

I want my kids.

If you push your way past me, all that's gonna happen is I'm gonna call the police, and you still won't have your kids.

Is that what you want?

-I want my kids.

-Then stop.

Because all you'll get is jail.

I appreciate you're upset, but this is not how you go about things.

You should be going over to Child Protective Services over on Broad Street.

You go in there, tell 'em you'll do better from now on.

You might want to get yourself calmed down before you go on over there.

[Door shuts] You still got a fever.

Where is Mama?

At home probably.

You should eat some food.

Where is Mama?

At home, Dora.

-When is she coming?

-Come on.

You gotta eat up now.

She'll come when she can, OK?

Listen.

Listen to me, Niizh.

Everything's gonna be OK. Now, you should eat some food.

Woman: Sit up straight.

Sit up straight.

Don't play with that.

[Vehicle approaches, then recedes] [Dog barking] [Yells] [Car door closes] [Coin drops in slot] [Dial tone, buttons clicking] [3 high-pitched tones] Female voice: Your call cannot be completed as dialed.

Please check the number and dial again.

[Coin drops in slot, dial tone] [Buttons click] [Phone ringing] Man: Mueller residence.

Hi.

I'm looking for a Dora Mueller.

I'm sorry.

I think you got the wrong number.

OK.

Thank you.

[Coin drops into box] [Indistinct chatter] My children were taken yesterday, and I'm here because I want them back.

Well, OK.

Your name?

Patricia Little Bird.

Woman: How can we help?

Didn't know it would be you.

Well, we're the child case workers on your file, so who else would it be?

You took my kids yesterday.

Apprehended.

Your children were apprehended.

I want to see if I can get them back.

What you're saying is you would like to be notified once the protection hearing is set?

Yes.

You coming in today so soon really shows how much you care.

The post-apprehension hearing will be in a few months.

A few months?

With court delays, even longer.

I can't see them for a few months?

Are they being looked after?

They are.

Mrs. Little Bird... were you looking after them?

Do you understand that they were removed from your care because we deemed you unfit?

Once we apprehended your children, you forfeit your right to know anything about their circumstances or their whereabouts.

They are temporary wards of the Crown.

Do you follow?

They are under the care and protection of the government now.

If it was your children-- I wouldn't neglect my children.

Adele, would you?

Would you neglect your children?

[Softly] I--I don't have...

I...I don't... -No.

-I don't think-- I didn't say it properly when you were in the house... but they are my children.

I look after them.

I feed them.

I am their mother.

I came today to say I will do better.

Please.

Jeannie: Mrs. Little Bird, don't you have a fourth child... named Leo?

-Yes.

-Yes.

If I were you, I would be trying to hold on to the one child that I have left.

Mrs. Little Bird, are you leaving?

What are you doing?!

[Scoffs] Well, I guess this meeting is over.

Ha!

[Phone ringing] Woman: Hello?

Patti: Where's Leo?

-Patti?

-Yeah.

Woman: He's outside.

Leo!

You gotta take him somewhere else.

Asin's house.

Take him there.

-OK. -I'm hanging up now.

Woman: Patti, don't hang up.

Are you there?

Hey.

-Yeah, yeah.

Woman: Morris is in the Indian hospital.

I got a call from Shannon, who has a cousin who works there.

Cops brought him in, and he's... he's not doing so good, Patti.

OK. OK. Take Leo now.

[Line ringing] Woman: Hello?

Hi.

I'm looking for a Dora Mueller.

Dora?

Yeah.

She doesn't live here anymore.

But this is where she lived?

Yes.

Do you know where I can reach her?

No.

I haven't seen her in...5 years now.

You don't have a phone number, a forwarding address?

She ran off.

And you're...her mother?

I was, yes.

I'm her sister.

I was adopted, too.

That's why I'm calling.

Do you have any sense of where I can find her?

No.

Well, I appreciate your time.

You're the first person I've talked to who knows her.

Um, do you maybe have a photograph of Dora?

Good luck finding her.

[Dial tone] [Receiver placed on cradle] [Inhaling and exhaling deeply] Woman: You should get yourself ready.

The cops brought him in late last night.

They said he kept slamming his head against the doors in holding.

[Sighs] The doctor hasn't been in this week yet, but...we got him all cleaned up.

Morris?

You have a visitor.

[Labored breathing] I'm sorry.

Shh, shh, shh, shh.

It's OK.

I'm so sorry.

They...they fucked me up and... You gotta get the kids back.

I will.

Don't worry about that.

You gotta do it now.

Shh, shh, shh, shh.

I'm gonna get them back.

[Instrumental music playing on radio] [Knock on door] [Door opens] Hi.

Hi.

I'm Esther.

We spoke on the phone about an hour ago.

I'm Dora's sister.

Uh, I...I...

[Laughs nervously] I didn't know she, um, had a sister.

Are you her brother?

-Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

-Well, I was thinking that if I came in person, you might want to talk to me a little more, maybe show me a photo of her.

-Yeah, well, I think there's a...whole pile of them up in the attic, actually.

Isn't there?

I doubt it.

Well, a photo would really mean a lot.

Why don't you, um... Why don't you leave a number.

Yeah, sure.

I'm staying at a motel in town.

[Tears off sheet from notepad] You said she ran away.

Why did she do that?

She was a good little girl.

And then she turned bad and...

There was no turning her back.

Mom, that's not-- that's not how it went.

Get inside.

Go back inside.

Well, what did the police say when she went missing?

What, you didn't report it to the police?

I did not, no.

Well, weren't you worried about her?

Wait.

Are you closing the door on me?

Well, hey, I'd really like that photo!

[Keys clinking] [Tapping on car window] I'm gonna call you, OK?

OK. [Car door closes] [Exhales] [Engine starts] [Camera's shutter clicks] Woman: Bezhig, come with me.

[Click] Stand up.

What's that?

We'll sew the inside.

[Click] It'll just take a minute.

[Click] A minute.

Take it off.

Man: Smile.

Woman: I know you don't want to come out.

I'm gonna... Just for a second.

OK?

I don't want to come out.

I know you don't want to come out, but it's just gonna take one second.

I don't want to come out.

I don't want to.

OK. My goodness me.

What's the matter with you?

Come here.

Now, stop it, OK?

All we want to do is take your photo.

We just want to make you look your very, very best, so that people will see your photo and say, "Oh, my!

What a handsome little guy that is.

"I'd like to take him home with me and look after him and make him happy."

OK?

[Camera shutter clicks] Photographer: There we go.

Well, are you gonna quit?

Girls who are gonna quit all have that same look on their face-- melodramatic.

My brother, he has a car wash, and he said that I could work the till.

Jesus, Adele.

You're gonna let all that education just go to waste?

I'm just finding it-- What?

Difficult.

[Jeannie sighs] Adele: All of the crying.

[Jeannie sighs] Jeannie: You're not gonna be able to do this job unless you can go beyond...

Smile.

being nice.

You have to think to yourself, "I'm saving these children... [Camera's shutter clicks] from a life of poverty.

Hmm?

You know, the best thing to do at the end of a long day is do what men do.

Go home, kiss that handsome husband of yours, or better still, wrap your legs around him, pour yourself a drink, kick your feet up, and watch something on television.

Not the news.

You know, something funny.

[Chuckles] Mm!

[Jeannie exhales] And try not to think about the office too much, OK?

Jeannie: OK, you're all done here, so, we're gonna go sit over here, OK?

You did really, really well.

Good boy.

Don't move.

Woman: Was that fun getting all dolled up?

Young Bezhig: We're back, Dora!

Having your photos taken like movie stars?

Where is my sister?

Oh.

She's gone to a foster home, sweetheart.

-She's gone home?

-What's a foster home?

Um, a foster home?

Um, to a nice new family.

But she's my sister.

I know.

I know.

But, look, your brother, you still have him.

But she's my sister!

Oh, sweetheart!

We didn't want to interrupt you in the middle of your photo shoot.

-But she's mine!

-Shh, shh, shh!

You're next.

Don't worry.

I need her!

Go get her!

She's mine!

Don't push me.

Don't push me.

Hey.

Don't hit me.

Go get her!

You better watch out, young lady.

You better calm down.

Stop it, stop it right now.

-She's mine!

-Stop it.

She's not yours.

She's mine!

[Echoing] mine!

[Exhales slowly] [Buttons clicking] [Line ringing] [Ring] Man: Hello?

David?

[Sighs] I'm sorry about my mother.

That's OK.

I know she probably-- She didn't mean well.

You haven't been home.

No one knows where you are.

I am in Regina.

-Regina?

-Mm-hmm.

You're not in Montreal?

Why?

I've been thinking a lot about my real family.

Yeah?

OK.

I have memories of them that...come.

I can remember that I have this whole other family, and I want to know what happened to them.

But you're in Regina?

-Yeah.

-Like, in a...in a...

In a motel.

Your mother's been calling me every 10 minutes.

And you walked out of our engagement party and then you flew to Regina.

You know, I've been losing my mind.

Look, I know it doesn't make a ton of sense.

I don't know what I'm doing, David.

But I felt like I really needed to go, and I haven't gone looking for them until now because the last time I brought it up with my mom on my 16th birthday, she was... very upset.

So, you wanna find your family?

-Yeah.

-That's... [Exhales] That...

I mean, of course you do.

I want that for you.

It's just you don't... you didn't once think to yourself, like, "Maybe I'll give David a call, let him know I'm flying to Regina"?

Fine!

I'm sorry.

I knew you'd get all pissed off.

-Yeah!

-Look, I didn't tell you because I was pretty sure you'd say, "That's crazy," and, "Why don't you wait a little and see how you feel in a week?"

And I wanted to go before you or anybody else could talk me out of it.

And I felt like, if I don't do it now before we get married, then I won't do it at all, and I'll get all caught up in...us and having kids-- Are you planning on coming home at all?

Of course I'm coming home!

I'm going to look for them, and then...yes.

David: What?

So, what, in a week?

Two weeks?

That meeting we have with the rabbi, I'll be home for that.

And your mom?

[Sniffles] Can you tell her I'm in Regina and I'm safe and I'll call her soon?

Yeah, OK. OK.

Wait.

In the meantime... just don't forget you love me.

So much that you want to marry me even.

I do love you.

[Exhales, sniffles] You got a phone in that motel room?

Sunset Motel.

Let me get a pen.

Room 17.

306-555-0806.

Call me again soon.

Bye, David.

[Hangs up] [Dial tone] [Phone beeps] [Exhales slowly] [Car door opens] Hi.

Hi.

It's...whatever I could grab.

Thank you.

My mom's at work, so... Do you have any sense of where Dora might be?

I...I don't.

Well, could she have stayed with a friend?

No.

We would have heard about that.

What was she like?

She... She was... just a really cheerful kid.

and really pretty and popular [Chuckles] and... Dora... she didn't run away from home.

She was...kicked out.

Why?

You know, um... My mom and dad--dad, they're really strict.

You know, like, "Don't talk back.

Don't...kiss boys."

There was a, uh, bad...bad fight.

If you find her... would you be able to tell her that I...

I still think about her all the time?

-Yeah.

-I miss her, for sure.

I can do that, yeah.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Good luck.

[Car door closes] Wow.

[Wind blowing] [Woman humming] ♪ [Whispering] Please don't go.

[Woman whispering indistinctly] Stay with me.

[Woman whispering indistinctly] ♪ [Phone ringing] Woman: Esther Rosenblum?

I'm Adele Halpern.

Please.

Thank you for agreeing to meet me.

Happy to.

So, Esther, tell me, do you work?

Study?

I am in law school.

That's wonderful.

And you look... so put together.

[Chuckles] Huh.

I realize this is out of the ordinary.

I was adopted in 1968, and I got this from my sister's adoptive family.

And there's your name on it, so I was hoping you might remember something about us.

Dora and I have two brothers, and me, I was Bezhig then.

I, uh... Hmm... 1968.

I would have just been starting out.

I'm sorry.

I've seen so many children.

Well, I was hoping for something small, even a sense of... where I might have been born.

Even if I did remember, it wouldn't be legal for me to tell you.

But I wish you luck.

Thank you for your time, Mrs. Halpern.

I'm happy to see you're doing so well.

Woman: Now, just one signature.

Certainly you...

Your family crest?

I love it.

We're gonna take you home.

We're gonna take you on an airplane.

Man: Oh, we got a great place that you'll love.

Woman: You're gonna love it.

Man: You're gonna love it.

[Overlapping indistinct voices] Man: Let me ask you something.

You like ice cream?

Jeannie: Is there something that you would like to say to Mr. and Mrs. Rosenblum, Bezhig?

Bezhig: Are you going to be my mom and dad?

Golda: Of course.

Of course.

We're so happy.

[Indistinct chatter] [Phone ringing] ♪ [Wolf howls on recording] ♪ Man: ♪ Wolves don't live by the rules ♪ ♪ Wolves don't live by the rules ♪ ♪ Valleys to hills ♪ ♪ You can hear the cry ♪ ♪ They have to fight ♪ ♪ To stay alive ♪ ♪ No one can change it ♪ ♪ Mother Nature knows ♪ ♪ The reason why ♪ ♪ Oh, wolves don't live by the rules ♪ ♪ Wolves don't live by the rules ♪ ♪ They're born to kill ♪ ♪ And to be free ♪ ♪ Their life is hard ♪ ♪ But they're meant to be ♪ ♪ The cry of the wild is the only way ♪ ♪ They can see ♪ ♪ Oh, wolves ♪ ♪ Don't live by the rules ♪ ♪ Wolves don't live by the rules ♪ ♪ ♪ Wolves don't live by the rules ♪ ♪ Wolves don't live by the rules ♪ ♪ Valleys through hills ♪ ♪ You can hear the cry ♪ ♪ They have to fight to stay ♪ ♪ Alive ♪ ♪ No one can change it ♪ ♪ Mother Nature knows ♪ ♪ The reason why ♪ ♪ Oh, wolves ♪ ♪ Don't live by the rules ♪ ♪ Wolves don't live ♪ ♪ By the rules ♪ ♪ They're born to kill ♪ ♪ And to be free ♪ ♪ Their lives are hard ♪ ♪ But they're meant ♪ ♪ To be ♪ ♪ The cry of the wild is the only way ♪ ♪ They can see ♪ ♪ Oh, wolves ♪ ♪ Don't live by the rules ♪ ♪