Beans is a coming-of-age drama film that centers around the life of 12-year-old Beans, a young Mohawk girl living in Quebec, Canada. Set during the Oka Crisis, an Indigenous uprising that shook Quebec and Canada in 1990, Beans is torn between her innocence as a child and the need to become a tough warrior to survive in a world that has become harsh and uncertain.
The film follows Beans as she navigates the turbulent political climate of the Oka Crisis, which saw hundreds of Mohawk protestors take a stand against the Canadian government and the expansion of a golf course on their ancestral land. Beans struggles to cope with the violence and racism that she witnesses firsthand, and must find the strength and courage to stand up for herself, her family, and her community.
The film offers a raw and powerful perspective on the Oka Crisis, capturing both the pain and resilience of Indigenous peoples in the face of oppression and violence. Through the eyes of Beans, viewers are invited to bear witness to a pivotal moment in Canadian history and to reflect on the ongoing struggles of Indigenous peoples around the world.