Rhymes for Young Ghouls (2013)

In the year 1976, on the Red Crow Mi'kmaq reservation, the narrative of Rhymes for Young Ghouls unfolds. Our protagonist, fifteen-year-old Aila, a Mi'kmaq Indian, navigates a life shaped by tragedy. Since 1969, Aila is forced to grow up swiftly, following her mother's suicide, a consequence of a devastating incident, and her father Joseph's imprisonment. Despite the tumultuous past, Aila maintains a spiritual bond with her departed mother, while her feelings for her father are mired in complexity. She acknowledges his good intentions tainted by wrongdoings, and vice versa. By government decree, all indigenous children under sixteen are mandated to attend the oppressive residential school, St. Dymphna's. Here, they fall under the mercy of the tyrannical truant officer, "Popper," who runs the school with a sadistic fervour. However, Aila, the weed princess of Red Crow, artfully dodges this fate. With her Uncle Burner, they operate a lucrative drug business, the proceeds of which are used to pay off Popper's 'truancy tax', thereby sparing Aila from the torturous confines of St. D's. But, the precarious equilibrium of Aila's world is shattered when her drug money mysteriously disappears, and her father returns from jail. Aila is cornered, as she is aware that falling short on her truancy tax payments to Popper will render her life perilously unsafe. She suspects Popper is behind the theft, and in a daring move, decides to recover her funds from him, risking severe repercussions if caught. However, her father's return introduces another wildcard into her plans. Joseph, bearing his own grudge against Popper, carries a past that could further complicate Aila's already chaotic life. Aila is faced with a stark choice - to flee or to fight. But as a proud Mi'kmaq, running is not an option. The question remains, will she triumph in this battle against the forces determined to break her spirit?

Rhymes for Young Ghouls is a crime movie featuring Roseanne Supernault and directed by Jeff Barnaby.

Rhymes for Young Ghouls is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy and Tubi TV and it's also available on Fandor Amazon Channel.

It is also possible to buy Rhymes for Young Ghouls on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, Vudu and YouTube.