Malaysian-born, Taiwan-based filmmaker LAU Kek-Huat became interested in his grandfather’s life as he tried to get to know more about his long-absent father. After his grandfather died young, his name and past became a family taboo. It turns out that he was involved with the Malaysian Communist Party (MCP), a group synonymous with terrorism in Malaysia’s history. But what remains of this historical taboo reveals the flickering pasts of those who once sacrificed themselves for their beliefs.

Through tracing the MCP’s history and interviewing former members, LAU saw a group of nostalgic comrades who, though in their later years, still brimmed with ideals. From the fight against the Japanese army during WWII and the resistance to British rule, to the country’s independence, Malaysia was in a constant state of change owing to its complicated ethnic and national demographic. The director incorporates many popular love songs into the film, each using similar melodies to Malaysia’s national anthem, to evoke continual evolution of Malaysian identity.