In their feature directorial debut, Aberdeen, Ryan Cooper and Eva Thomas follow the turbulent life of their title character (Gail Maurice, Bones of Crows, TIFF ’22) as she finds herself fighting for the stability of her grandkids.

An idyllic childhood with her mooshum and kookum, or grandparents, in her community of Peguis First Nation dissipates as Aberdeen’s hard-partying and absentee parents distances her from that haven.

Now an adult, sleeping on public benches, Winnipeg-based Aberdeen is in survival mode. The last remaining stable parts of her life begin slipping away — her reliable brother Boyd (Ryan Black, Dance Me Outside, TIFF ’94) is ill and gives up Aberdeen’s grandkids to the foster care system. Then she loses her ID.

Houseless, and without proper identification, she is rebuffed time and again as she seeks out services meant to help her. It’s only when she hitches a ride back to her home community that she’s treated like a valued person and can see the potential to stop generational trauma.

Though elements of this story have been told before, Cooper and Thomas make Aberdeen a rich character, not a caricature. The film feels extremely personal and raw. Maurice’s performance, meanwhile, shows incredible emotional texture.

Aberdeen’s fantastic supporting cast includes Billy Merasty (Stellar, TIFF ’22 ) as Aberdeen’s friend Alfred, and Darla Contois (Little Bird) as her daughter. Jennifer Podemski (Akilla’s Escape, TIFF ’20) is exceptional as Grace, an old schoolmate, whose warmth smooths Aberdeen’s rough edges.

KELLY BOUTSALIS

Content advisory: sexual innuendo, coarse language