The Grizzlies, movie about Kugluktuk lacrosse team, holds workshops in Iqaluit

The producers of a movie abouthowsport transformed a community in Nunavut were in Iqaluit last week holding a performing artsworkshopfor youth.

The Grizzliestells aninspiring true story about a lacrosse team in Kugluktuk.

The 34 youth who participated in the Iqaluitworkshopwere selected through an audition process. They will also have the chanceto audition for one of seven roles in the film.

The Grizzliestellshow the lacrosse program positively influenced school attendance and helpedreduce therate of teen suicide in the community.

"They [the students] did not know how they were feeling inside," said Emerald Macdonald, one of theyouthat the workshop."Basically everybody hides their emotions. They hide it behind their smile."

Miranda de Pencier, whostarted her career as an actress,playingJosie Pye in the Anne of Green Gables TV series, is the movie's producer and director.

"Whatever they [the youth] tap into this week, whatever performing arts sessions they get excited about, they can jump on that and take it to the limit and start building theirown stories," she said.

"Having spent some time in the North, I'm feeling a responsibilityand I'm really aware that we are doing a lot more than just making a movie and entertaining people and inspiring them through a true story of hope."

The movie will be shot this spring in the North and Toronto.

De Penciersaid shehopes to have as many Nunavutyouth as possible work on the production.