The Communist victories in Cambodia and Vietnam in 1975 end a long and devastating war, but for some, the new era is one of persecution. Quan, a boy, and his family are sent by the Khmer Rouge to a collective farm along the Thai border. Minh Chau, a young girl, is imprisoned with her mother and older sister. When Quan and Minh Chau later meet in a refugee camp in Malaysia, Quan becomes the young girl's protector. When he must use violence to save her from an attack, he loses his chance to come with her to Canada. In Quebec City, Mathieu Hibou, a university student, helps Minh Chau and her family integrate into Canadian society before leaving to work as a development worker in Africa. Several years later, Mathieu suffers an unimaginable loss during the Rwandan genocide, a loss that Minh Chau will help to heal. Quan finds his way illegally to Canada and meets Minh Chau again. Through friendship and love, all three help one another overcome the pain of their pasts and live life to its fullest.