At his Grandmother's house in Penang, Wing Sun is seated at a table in the dining room, with the kitchen in view. Grandmother is sitting at the table telling Wing Sun a story from the Bible. The house is cozy, and it's raining outside. There is an air of suspense, but Wing Sun feels safe and secure.
At his Grandmother's house in Penang, Wing Sun is lying down on a futon in his bedroom, covered up with a beautiful lightweight quilt Grandma made. Outside his room the rain is coming down. In Penang, every corner of the old town—every whisper of the wind through ancient trees—seems to echo with promises of renewal and love. And as the rain softens outside, Wing-Sun closes his eyes with the comforting knowledge that every detour, every farewell, is simply a step toward a new beginning. A lantern gives soft light to the room, and all is quiet.
At a private school in Kuala Lumpur, 10 year old Wing Sun and his friends play a game of soccer in the schoolyard. The school's main building is visible and some teachers are looking on. Some schoolgirls are standing nearby.
Mr. Chen has arranged for the little family to cross secretly into Hong Kong—a place known for its bright skyline and bustling streets. Under the cover of darkness and with careful planning, Siu Zi, her father and Grandmother, along with Mr. Chen have boarded a small boat that carries them silently across the water. The sea is calm, its surface reflecting a tapestry of starlight, as if the heavens themselves are guiding them. Siu-Zi lies nestled between her father and grandmother, wrapped up in blankets, in the forward part of an open boat with quiet motors propelling them along. Their is an air of mystery and tension.
Father and Grandmother with Siu Zi leaving their home in a Guangzhou street in the dark of night. There is an air of secrecy. Siu Zi clutches her small bag, its contents little more than a few treasured keepsakes and faded photographs. Her father’s reassuring hand on her shoulder, and the soft presence of her grandmother at his side, give her the courage to move forward. A taxi waits down the street to take them to the train.
Siu Zi is a 10 year old Chinese girl in Guangzhou. Late one humid evening, Siu Zi's father meets with a discreet man known simply as Mr. Chen. In a quiet corner of a small teahouse near the back alleys of Guangzhou, Mr. Chen explains, in careful whispers, how he can help the family obtain the documents they needed to leave the country safely. Other patrons are in the teahouse, and a waiter stands nearby, but nobody can hear what Mr. Chen is saying. It's safe to talk here.
In Penang, Malaysia. Wing Sun's Grandmother is elderly and lives in Penang, on the island. Grandma's house is in a quieter part of the island, closer to the coastline where the sea breeze can be felt through the wooden windows. It's near the ocean, in Tanjung Bungah where there are old-style homes and a slower pace of life. There are many resort "homestay" hotels, and also some high-rise condos, but Grandmother's house has been there many years. Wing-Sun's mother grew up in that house, near the beach, with the ocean breeze. We see the house from down the street with Grandma standing in the doorway greeting us.
Inside a home in Petaling Jaya, Wing-Sun, a 10 year old Chinese boy sits cross-legged on the cool tile floor, watching the delicate tendrils of smoke rise from the joss sticks his father has just placed in the family altar’s bronze urn. The flickering candlelight casts shifting shadows over the framed portraits of the ancestors, their solemn faces gazing out from another time. Wing-Sun's father, dressed in crisp slacks and a neatly pressed white shirt, murmurs a quiet prayer, his voice low and rhythmic. Beside him, Wing-Sun’s mother clasps her hands together in a quiet moment of respect before adjusting the jade bangle on her wrist. Their morning ritual is a quiet, practiced thing; one they perform, and Wing-Sun observes, every day.
Wing Sun is a 10 year old Malaysian boy. We see him from the back as he stands, looking down the street in the evening. The scent of mooncakes and burning lantern oil fills the air in the street in Petaling Jaya where Wing Sun lives. Everything is aglow with the soft light of lanterns, their colors reflected in the puddles left by the afternoon rain. At least 6 vendors have pulled their carts up onto the sidewalks on both sides of the street, selling moon pies and other special treats. Several of Wing-Sun's neighborhood friends, some younger than he and some a little older, were standing around in a circle, waiting for him to come outside.
Morning inside the classroom at a private school in Kuala Lumpur before class begins. Students stand next to their desks as the teacher, standing in front, leads them in the usual morning recitations of the five national principles, their voices blending into one: "Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan." (Belief in God.) "Kesetiaan kepada Raja dan Negara." (Loyalty to the King and Country.) "Keluhuran Perlembagaan." (Supremacy of the Constitution.) "Kedaulatan Undang-Undang." (Rule of Law.) "Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan." (Courtesy and Morality.) Wing-Sun repeats the words automatically, his eyes drift across the classroom, catching a glimpse of Siu-Zi, the new girl, standing in her usual spot near the window.
Morning city scene in Petaling Jaya. A 10 year old chinese boy and his grandmother. As they weave through the narrow sidewalk, taxis zip by, buses screech to a halt at stoplights, motorbikes wend their way through the stopped traffic, trying to get a head start when the light turns green. People in the informal businesses set up along the sidewalks call out greetings in a mix of Cantonese, Malay, and English. The sky, still soft with the remnants of dawn, and yet already heavy with humid heat, hinted at another sweltering afternoon ahead.
Morning scene. A 10 year old chinese boy enters a train car at the platform on the MRT in Kuala Lumpur. We see him from the back. Other passengers are inside the train car and also waiting on the platform.
Morning scene. A 10 year old chinese girl and boy stand together talking in the schoolyard at a private school in Kerinchi neighborhood, Kuala Lumpur. Several teachers are also there. A circle of other children are standing off to the side playing games and comparing Pokemon cards, etc.
Looking from the street. A 10 year old chinese girl watches as children crowd through the entrance gate at a private school in Kerinchi neighborhood, Kuala Lumpur. Several teachers are also there.
A 10 year old asian boy with his grandmother standing in front of the subway station in Kuala Lumpur. Getting ready to ride the train to school.
a collage of different types of street signs
a painting of a man riding a bike on a beach
a painting of a group of people on a beach
a painting of a sunset over a wheat field
a painting of a group of people and a horse
a painting of a group of people standing in front of a doorway
a painting of a group of people standing around a horse
a painting of a castle on top of a hill
a painting of a castle on a hill
a painting of a group of people standing in front of a stone arch
a painting of a market scene with a man selling fruit
a painting of a group of people walking up a hill
a painting of a dirt road in a field
a painting of a man holding a sword next to another man
a painting of a man holding a sword and a shield
a statue of a man with a fist up
a drawing of a man holding a sword
a man with a knife standing in the dark
a painting of a man holding a sword
a painting of a man holding a sword
a painting of a man with a sword in his hand
a statue of a man holding a sword
a statue of a man with a sword
a painting of a man holding a sword
a painting of a shirtless man in a dark room
a man with a tattooed arm standing in front of a window
a man leaning against a wall with his hands behind his head