The Sweet Hereafter (1997)

Based on Russell Banks' 1991 novel, The Sweet Hereafter depicts the fictional events surrounding a school bus accident that claimed the lives of 14 children in a small town in British Columbia. The narrative follows the families whose lives are forever altered and a big-city lawyer, Mitchell Stephens (Ian Holm), who aims to rally them for a class-action lawsuit. Amidst an atmosphere of suspicion, guilt, and doubt, a surviving teenager named Nicole (Sarah Polley), who lost the use of her legs in the tragedy, finds her strength and dignity. Through a pivotal lie, she ultimately helps to reunite the fractured community.