Cross My Heart

Manon steps into the breach, taking over much of the caregiving for her younger brother Mimi as her father battles cancer and her mother experiences a nervous breakdown. The family leans on her strength while they spend time with their aunt and uncle Simone and Gaston, and with cousins Martin and Denis. The mounting strain of poverty and illness sets the stage for Manon's later decisions.

News of the FLQ fills the household, and Manon struggles to understand whether the group is 'good' or 'bad.' The political turmoil leaves her feeling neglected and unheard. In response, she writes her own short 'manifesto' on children's rights as a way to claim her voice.

With talk of a foster home looming, Manon concludes that kidnapping a hostage might force adults to listen to her. She enlists Martin and they begin to plot a plan to seize an elderly woman, drafting a ransom letter signed by the 'Family Cell.' They deliberately keep the idea of the foster home out of the first communique to maintain the façade of a simple gesture.

Martin and Manon prepare the ransom plan and recruit Mimi's involvement by presenting the promise of a new 'grandmother.' They sign the note as the 'Family Cell' and map out a scheme to approach Mrs. Robinson's house in disguise. They deliberately withhold mention of the foster home in the first communique to keep the plan focused on care.

Mimi is persuaded by the idea of finally having a grandmother and agrees to participate in the plan. Manon and Martin emphasize the comfort Mimi would gain from a grandmother, and the children rally behind the scheme.

Disguised in Halloween costumes, Manon, Martin, Denis, and Mimi confront Mrs. Robinson, seize her, and drug her to prevent resistance. They transport her to an unused cabin in Saint-Zénon, Quebec, where she will be held hostage. The kids begin to settle into their grim arrangement as the plan unfolds.

At the cabin, the English-speaking Mrs. Robinson cannot communicate with the French-speaking children, creating tension and miscommunication. Her heart issues begin to complicate their plan, and they realize she needs medication. They attempt to obtain pills from a pharmacy, but the Montreal prescription cannot be filled.

The group visits a nearby pharmacy in hopes of obtaining the needed medication, but the pharmacist refuses a Montreal subscription. A newspaper article about the missing children surfaces, and the pharmacist recognizes Manon and Martin from the coverage. He alerts authorities, drawing the investigation closer to Saint-Zénon.

Following the tip, police descend on Saint-Zénon to locate Paul, but he is not there. In the ensuing confusion, the authorities detain the four children and arrange for Mrs. Robinson to be transported by ambulance after she suffers a heart attack.

Paul is located and arrested in connection with the kidnapping, as the federal government invokes the War Measures Act. The crackdown marks a turning point in the crisis and expands the scope of the investigation beyond Saint-Zénon.

Manon and Mimi's father dies, adding to the family’s grief and upheaval. Mrs. Robinson attends the funeral, bridging a strange sense of closure with the people she was once held against. The family tries to cope with fresh losses as the crisis recedes from the headlines.

Mimi is transferred to a foster home, while Manon is placed in a centre for juvenile delinquents. The siblings experience the weight of state care and separation, facing an uncertain future apart from each other. The emotional toll of the crisis lingers in their lives.

A social worker accidentally leaves Mimi's new address and the centre keys in front of Manon, creating a daring opportunity. Manon seizes the moment to escape with Mimi, using the keys to breach their confinement. They slip away at night, united by a promise to find a new path together.

Under cover of darkness, Manon and Mimi flee toward a distant possibility of Disneyland, keeping their bond intact despite the chaos around them. They walk through the night, clinging to the belief that a brighter future awaits beyond the foster system. The escape marks a new, uncertain chapter for the siblings.