Smoke & Ash

A sudden, devastating piece of news drags Liu Xiaoyuan—a university student preparing for his Master's entrance exam far away in the city—back to his damp and oppressive hometown. Inside the mourning hall, amidst the mingling scents of incense and paper ash, lies the man he has hated his entire life beneath a white sheet: his father. To Xiaoyuan, his father is the root of all his suffering. He was an alcoholic, a deadbeat, and the very demon who personally slipped the noose of nicotine addiction around his neck. He had intended to simply go through the motions in this circus act of playing the "filial son" and flee as soon as possible. Yet, bound by his duty as the eldest son, he is forcibly tethered to the fire basin, beginning a long and grueling night of keeping vigil. In this interminable night, rediscover a familiar stranger.