Adam Beach grows up

Unfurling the real storyIn bringing Hayes' torment to the screen, Beach says he's found his own possibility. He's also beginning to receive the sort of praise that can mess with one's equilibrium. But he's ready, and not just for his impending close-ups.

"After this film I found the courage and strength that I've never seen," he says.

A couple of months ago, Beach ran for chief of his tribe, the Saulteaux, a subtribe of the Ojibwa. He didn't win, but sees the possibilities.

"I have a sense of my responsibilities," he says. "But now I see my leadership qualities. I know what I'm supposed to do. My spirit name is Leading Bear Man." He repeats the name in Anishinaabe. "And I found it, I found my true spirit."