Kayla

Running time: 96 mins

The Quebec winters can be harsh, but even harsher is the torment 12-year-old Sam has to endure from his schoolmates. Years earlier, Sam's father, a famous Arctic explorer, was lost during an expedition. Only he remains hopeful that his father will return. His mother, however, has long since lost hope and has started a new life with a new husband, country doctor, Asa (acclaimed actor Henry Czerny). Asa is more than willing to be the father that Sam needs, but Sam refuses to let the newcomer get close and is angry at his mother for losing faith. What keeps Sam going is two other newcomers to his life: Kayla, a wild dog, and Jaynie, a classmate who has suffered a loss of her own. The bonds he develops with Jaynie are sweet and touching, and, in overcoming the fears of the wild dog, Sam learns something about his own fears about allowing Asa into his world. --Jeffrey Vargas