The Sign of the Beaver

Academy Award winner Keith Carradine (Nashville) and Annette O'Toole (Bridge to Terabithia) head an outstanding cast in this gripping coming of age survival saga in the tradition of My Side of the Mountain. A colonial family seeks a new life in the uncharted Maine wilderness in 1768. Their hopes, dreams, and survival as a family are put to the supreme test when Will, the father, is forced to leave his 13-year-old son, Matt (Brendan Fletcher), alone to protect their claim while Will returns home to retrieve the rest of his family and belongings. Matt is eager to prove he is not "just a boy," but loneliness, the threat of Indians, a menacing frontiersman (Maury Chaykin) and harsh conditions mark his dangerous vigil. He meets a young Penobscot Indian. Their distrust and hatred slowly turns into a friendship that teaches Matt about survival, trust, understanding, and loyalty. The weeks pass into months, and winter approaches with no sign of Matt's family, who have been hit by hardships and tragedy on their way to Maine. Matt must decide whether to wait for them as promised or take shelter with his new Indian friends.