The Sweet Hereafter

The story concerns the cultural aftershocks which tear apart a small British Columbia town in the wake of a school-bus accident which leaves a number of local children dead. Ian Holm stars as Mitchell Stephens, a big-city lawyer who arrives in the interest of uniting the survivors to initiate a lawsuit; his maneuvering only drives the community further apart, reopening old wounds and jeopardizing any hopes of emotional recovery. In the ensuing atmosphere of suspicion and doubt, a teenage girl, left in a wheelchair after the accident, manages to regain her dignity and reunite the community. Through her courage, the townspeople are led to the "sweet hereafter," a realm reserved for those who are at peace with their fate. (official distributor synopsis)