In the idyllic town of Taiping, head of the family, Choo ruthlessly attempts to control the dreams and happiness of his three children. The only person who soothes the father’s and children’s friction is Choo’s wife, Aileen.
Against the backdrop of idyllic Taiping, Lantern maker Choo, the head of his household, unrelentingly wields control over his three adult children, Isaac, Alex and Ruby, disregarding their dreams and happiness, all in the pursuit of his own desires and pride. When Aileen, wife to Choo, is struck by a tragedy, the family drifts further apart, embroiling them in a heartbreaking conflict. As the children start to explore their life’s paths, they are stopped short from putting their dreams in motion by a father who thinks he knows best. Each reeling from the despair their father has inflicted upon them by imposing his iron-hand decisions on their plans, his children struggle to find a place of solace in their own world, sometimes resulting in a life-threatening downward spiral instead. With each decision forcefully made against their wishes, Choo slowly tears apart the delicate fabric of his family. What would it take to unite their differences, and restore heart matters that are beyond reconciliation? This is a poignant tale that explores the delicate balance of a parent’s ambition against the dreams of his children and the trauma from his own past that is causing history to repeat itself.
—Tunku Mona Riza
