video script

SEQ 01 EXT STREET IN FRONT OF JADE'S HOUSE MORNING
Jade and Ernest transfer pots from the doorstep to their minivan for delivery

JADE:
You'd think people had better things to gossip about. Three more sightings of the so-called private army police and things are getting more and more out of hand. My god.

Ernest drops a vase and it shatters. He walks away to get a broom. He arrives back with a broom and a dustpan. He starts sweeping the fine parts and picking up the bigger parts.

JADE:
Our clay gets more and more brittle every year. I hope Ray still gets to go on with the family enterprise in this situation.

ERNEST:
I think I want something else for him. I don't want him stuck here like me. Especially with the one-kid policy, it wouldn't be easy for him to manage this alone, with no brothers or sisters to help him.




SEQ 02 INT RAY'S BEDROOM SIMULTANEOUSLY
Grace fingers the pregnancy test kit. CU of the PT kit showing a positive. She sobs and the baby sobs with her. Grace hushes up, rocks the baby until he stops sobbing. She takes a brown bottle from a cabinet and examines it.




SEQ 03 INT MUSIC ROOM 14 YEARS LATER, AFTERNOON
May practices for her piano recital. She commits a mistake, stops right there and tries that specific measure again. CU of her keyboard attack.

SIR DICK:
There is a sharp on the third note there. And it's not supposed to be very heavily accented.

MAY:
Right, Sir thank you.




SEQ 04 INT ERNEST & GRACE'S LIVING ROOM AFTERNOON - FLASHBACK
Grace is seated on the living room with May. May sobs, and looks down on the floor. She looks up to her mother, tears glistening in her eyes.

MAY:
(sobbing)
Why can't I be loved like Ray is loved? I cant feel loved here! I FEEL LIKE A DISEASE!!! It's not anybody's fault I don't have my both of my legs! It's me who should get even more attention! Why do you neglect me?!

GRACE:
(indifferently)
Somebody wanted this, of course. It wouldn't happen without somebody wanting it. Well, for your information, it was me. I never wanted you. YOU WERE A MISTAKE! Now you stay in the house and not go anywhere, OR YOU LEAVE PERMANENTLY!




SEQ 05 INT MUSIC ROOM AFTERNOON - BACK TO THE PRESENT
May pounds the piano seat. She makes the same mistake again.

MAY:
(sighing)
Urgh.

SIR DICK:
Take it easy, May; you still have four weeks before the recital. You'll be fine. I know it. Relax.




SEQ 06 INT MAY'S ROOM MORNING - FLASHBACK
May is locked in her room. She pounds on the door.

MAY:
(sobbing)
Why can't I go to school?! MOTHER! Please let me out, I want to go to school! Please! HAVE MERCY!!!




SEQ 07 INT MUSIC ROOM AFTERNOON - BACK TO THE PRESENT
May is already alone in the room. She continues practicing, skips the part she misses and goes on until she commits another mistake.




SEQ 08 INT LIVING ROOM MORNING - FLASHBACK
Tha family sits around. May's bags are packed and are beside her seat. She sobs.

GRACE:
You want to do what you want to do, huh? You wanna follow your dreams? You dare go against what we wanted? Then leave - YOU UNGRATEFUL CHILD!!!




SEQ 09 EXT AIRPORT MORNING - FLASHBACK
May, on her wheelchair, waits for boarding. Ray arrives with food. He hands them over.

RAY:
If you ever get hungry on the trip. Take extra care, sis. Here's the business card of the boarding school. They're waiting for you there. Grandma took care of everything.

MAY:
Tell her I'm grateful, and that I love her. I love you too, brother.

RAY:
Till we meet again, sis. Take care of yourself. I love you. Keep the faith.

V.O.: PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCING BOARDING




SEQ 10 INT MUSIC ROOM AFTERNOON - BACK TO THE PRESENT
May smiles; she gets it correctly the second time. She proceeds with the song.




SEQ 11 INT FUNCTION HALL NIGHT - FLASHBACK
May, in her wheelchair, moves to the stage with other foreign students. People come forward and shake their hands.




SEQ 12 INT CLASSROOM AFTERNOON - FLASHBACK
May answers to the instructor's question.

MAY:
...With that in mind, Sir, we can absolutely say that the incident brought some fruit to the family. They may never have the money back, but the situation brought them closer together as a family and strengthened their bond. It also brought them closer to God - and that, I think, is far more important than the money they lost.

INSTRUCTOR:
Thank you, May, that was well said.




SEQ 13 INT AUDITORIUM NIGHT - FLASHBACK
May, in her graduation gown, moves to Sir Dick and offers her hand. Sir Dick accepts and shakes it vigorously.

SIR DICK:
Congratulations May, you made it. But don't forget about our piano recital next month, OK? I count on you to show them all the our music department rocks.

MAY:
Of course, Sir, after everything you did for me, you have my word that I'd do my best for that night.




SEQ 14 INT MUSIC ROOM AFTERNOON - PRESENT
May finishes practicing, tidies up and moves out, smiling.

MAY:
(to herself)
There still is time. Four weeks to go.




SEQ 15 INT FUNCTION HALL NIGHT - ONE MONTH LATER
May plays fantasie impromptu on the piano. She nears the end and happiness radiates on her face. She finishes with a powerful accent in the last few notes. She closes her eyes and smiles.

(applause)