To die-hard fans of NBA franchise, the Vancouver Grizzlies, like filmmaker Kat Jayme, the team’s abrupt move to Memphis in 2001 is much more than a sore spot, it’s an unsolved mystery and possibly a criminal conspiracy. What begins as a superfan’s investigation into her hometown team’s disappearance, becomes a love letter to the worst professional sports franchise in history, and an exploration of the deep roots of fandom.

The Grizzlie Truth

On June 15, 2011, the Canucks’ Game 7 Stanley Cup Finals loss to the Boston Bruins sparked a massive riot in downtown Vancouver. Police cars were overturned and burned, windows were shattered, stores were looted, and waves of young people were caught up in the mayhem. From directors Asia Youngman and Kathleen Jayme, “I’m Just Here For The Riot” chronicles the aftermath of the event captured on hundreds of cell phone cameras, with the rioters outed, shamed, and their lives altered forever. From the mob mentality in the streets to similar vengeance in the online hunting of those responsible, it was a dark moment in the city’s history – one that raised deeper questions about fandom, violence, and the shocking power of an angry crowd.