Lai Gwan compares her love for Nichol with the pull of the cool mountain water.

Before dying, Ama tells Lai Gwan of her father, gives her a wedding dress, and urges her to go to North America to find her father - but always remember Chinese traditions.

Aboard a ship taking Chinese workers to British Columbia - they are hungry & thirsty. Ah Lum starts a fight with Lai Gwan, who is disguised as a young man, but they stop as the coast comes into view.

In Ottawa, Canadian politicians and moguls toast the launch of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. The Railway Foreman James Nichol encourages the workers until the impenetrable Rocky Mountains block their way. The Bookman comes to supply the cheap Chinese labour that will allow Nichol to conquer “The Great Divide.”

The Chinese workers are led in and a disguised Lai Gwan challenges Manli the Bookman’s authority. He seeks revenge by assigning Lai Gwan to the most dangerous work in the camp: planting dynamite on the mountain face while suspended in a basket.

While she is bathing in a stream, Nichol disovers Lai Gwan is a woman - she asks for his help to find her father and to keep her secret. Manli interrupts them before Nichol decides what to do.

The Chinese workers decide to strike, led by Lai Gwan, after another death with no proper funeral. The strike is put down and Nichol stops Lai Gwan from being hung by Manli. She discovers Manli is her father.

Lai Gwan dreams of the conflicting desires of her mother, father, Nichol and herself.

As Manli and Lai Gwan argue about their situation, Lai Gwan tells of Ama's death, which crushes Manli. He decides to set the next explosive charge himself. Nichol and Lai Gwan recognise their love and follow Manli into the tunnel.

In the explosion rubble, Lai Gwan and Nichol declare their love depsite Ama's warnings. Nichol dies as the workers rescue Lai Gwan and Manli, who declares his renewed love for his daughter.

Workers watch the train come to Eagle Pass - while the whites are happy, the Chinese realize there is no more work for them.

Whites celebrate the finishing of the railway and officially dismiss the Chinese, who blame Manli for abandoning them.

Manli and Lai Gwan decided to make a life together in Canada. As they collect and bury the bones of Chinese workers they remember all the dead, including Ama and Nichol.

In her prime. At a post-gala cocktail party, Jackie ironically confesses she has a terrible disease: glissando-itis.

Comparing herself to Samson, Jackie and her husband have a tangled night of love one rainy night.

In her prime, Jackie admits she finds the pace of touring life dizzying. The sycophants at parties are starting to get to her.

On a phone call with her mother, Jackie is admonished. She begs her mother to visit. She’s alone with fragments of memory.

Delirious, Jackie envisions running to the ocean again through the fields, this time with her sister, Hilary. She asks that Hilary not tell Daniel about the disease.

Jackie tells us how she can blur the lines between fantasy and reality at will. She can escape the confines of her chair by dreaming of bathing in the sea. She wonders where Daniel is, and who he’s seeing.

Jacqueline, the child, tells her cello they will play great concert halls and make records.

Jacqueline remembers playing in the fields with her sister in her childhood, and the fragrance of wildflowers.

Jacqueline experiences symptoms, but her physical illness is undiagnosed, and she is instead told it is hysterical or psychosomatic.

Jacqueline remembers happy times with her cello in childhood.

Angry and frustrated at her physical inability to play, Jacqueline cancels her remaining performances.

A mother with postpartum depression leaves her husband and son.

Simone describes her postpartum depression and wonders how it is that she cannot love her own child.

Lisa is devastated to get 9 out of 10 on her math test. She insists that she answered the question correctly, and pleads with Mr. Herwin to change her grade. Mr. Herwin says that her "45" looked like a "43", and that everyone makes mistakes.

"A perfect score is all that counts." Lisa fixates on the consequences of her test and predicts that Annie and Caroline will banish her from "the circle of three" because of her imperfect score. She blames Mr. Herwin.

Mr. Herwin tells Lisa he knows she killed her friends with poisoned lemonade. Lisa tells him she has told people he is a pedophile.

Two lovers discuss what love is.

Paris professes his love to Helen.

A child walks on a beach, in search of their parents.

Dahlia's father encourages her to seduce Jason, and promises her she can have anything she wants.

On the eve of their departure, M'dea and Chase play a gruesome game imagining ways to kill Dahlia the demoness.

Jason, M'dea, and the soldiers return from war to a celebratory crowd. Some do not trust the new foreigner, M'dea.

At a party, the Corporal mocks Jason for needing M'dea to help him win and for bringing her home.

M'dea and Jason commit to loving each other and helping each other recover from the war and memories that haunt them.

Jason and M'dea are expecting a baby. Citizens gossip about the couple.

At the President's office, Jason and the President discuss family, how to be a good father, and a possible future for Jason in politics.

A family outing to the beach turns into a photo op for the paparazzi.

In a dream state, M'dea recalls all she has done to survive.

The President invites Jason to be his running mate, and begins to remake him. This process sidelines M'dea and Chase. Dahlia and Jason are attracted to one other.

Dahlia's father encourages her to seduce Jason, and promises her she can have anything she wants.

The party is about to announce Jason's candidacy. Jason and Dahlia dance together, oblivious to all the others. Enraged, M'dea smashes a glass wall, showering fragments over the party guests.

Jason and Dahlia are getting married. The citizens gossip.

The President threatens M'dea with prison or the loss of her son if she doesn't do as he wants. He warns her not to cause trouble for Jason.

M'dea has a breakdown and brings Chase to the fountain at Jason and Dahlia's, where she sees the ghost of her mother. She is discovered by Jason and Dahlia, and a fight ensues.

Dahlia convinces Jason to send M'dea away.

M'dea tries once more to get Jason to stay with her, but he believes he will never forget his war crimes if she is in his life. M'dea eventually agrees to go back to her country.

On the eve of their departure, M'dea and Chase play a gruesome game imagining ways to kill Dahlia the demoness.

The President gives an election victory speech.

Just before the wedding, Jason discovers Dahlia and the President murdered.

The citizens gossip about the murder.

After the murders, M'dea almost kills herself but is interrupted by Chase. They escape to the beach.

Pursued by Jason and the guards, M'dea and Chase climb a cliff by the ocean. When they reach the top, they play a version of their make-believe game, and jump off.

Sitting by the fire, Merk tries to discover what his mentally disabled daughter will remember when he is no longer with her.

A couple is trying to come to terms with the loss of their daughter. They grieve, and fight with one another.

The couple continues to mourn.

Duet between the woman and a violin, symbolizing her daughter.

In a series of micro-vignettes, we witness a love affair from meeting to first date, falling in love to falling out of love, and into old age.

Jackie realizes that her sherpa has died.

Westerner Jackie and sherpa Pasang summit Everest without using oxygen cannisters. Soon their victory turns into a culture clash as they argue about their affair and the mountain, and slowly die of hypoxia.

The 1947 Partition of India forces two children to say goodbye. One departs for Pakistan, leaving her pet rabbit and childhood treasures with her friend.

Ray, a jaded neurosurgeon, muses on the loss of his childhood wonder and innocence.

Alone in his hotel room, Ray worries that he hit someone with his car on the road. After fearing it might have been a child, he convinces himself it was only a raccoon.

As Sophie runs a bath in the distance, Ray reflects on how uncomfortable bathing makes him feel.

Ray sings of the ambivalence his parents felt towards him as a child.

Ray frantically tries to calm himself by reciting scientific jargon, while a being claiming to be his own child self tries to open the door.

Sophie, the manifestation of Ray's soul sings an extended aria explaining how she has been locked away from Ray since he was a child.

Sophie, the manifestation of Ray's soul sings an extended aria explaining how she has been locked away from Ray since he was a child.

Ray and Sophie sing an intimate duet as they reconnect and reconcile.

Jaan, who is dying, asks her sister Noor to secretely take her place on her wedding day. Noor reluctantly agrees.

The wedding ceremony. Noor hesitates, then marries Rafique.

Jaan meets group of tribal women in the desert who convince her to stay with them while she dies. Noor takes Jaan's place in the circle.

Noor tells the lie Jaan asked of her to Rafique. Rafique sends her away and tries to figure out what he should do.

Jaan remains alive. The tribal women suggest she should write to Noor to know what has happen and ease her mind.

In bed, Rafique and Noor separately wonder how to get out of their situation.

In a letter, Jaan asks if Noor still loves her.

Receiving Jaan's letter, Noor forgives her sister. Noor and Rafique decide they will try to remain friends.

Sofiya and Yuri take their infant daughter Oksana to have her horoscope read by Asa, who predicts that "freedom invades her future."

Though others are at first suspicious, Russian Konstantin convinces Ukranian teenagers Nataliya and Oksana to come work for him at a hotel in Romania for the summer.

In a forest in Romania, Oksana discovers she has been tricked and is now in danger. Konstantin and his partners rape Oksana & Natalyia.

Sofiya goes to Asa to have her cards read for news of Oksana. The police will not treat Oksana's disappearance as crime, as she went with the men willingly. The cards say Oksana has been robbed of her soul.

In Greece at a bar, three women are held captive: Konstantin sends Lyubia with a businessman, Natalyia with the Immigration officer who cuts her, and Oksana is bought by Konstantin at auction. Konstantin then offers to the crowd a gang rape just as the police arrive to raid the bar. Instead, he escapes with Oksana and Natalyia.

Pavlo checks in with Sofyia and Yuri for news; Sofiya and Yuri argue & blame each other for letting Oksana go.

On the Albanian coast the women captives wait for the boat to Italy. Oksana is still defiant, trying to figure out an escape for herself and others. The boat and Konstantin arrive, and Oksana fails to convince him to free her and Natalyia.

Brindisi refugee shelter: Father Alexander and social worker Clara work with the refugees. An injured Oksana arrives and asks for help; Lyubia, who escaped when the boat docked, is among the refugees and recognizes Oksana.

Asa and Sofiya are checking the cards. Pavlo arrives with the news that a priest called from Italy to say that Oksana is alive, but there is no sign of Natalyia.

Screaming, Oksana awakens from a nightmare; Father Alexander comes to her and she admits she may have let Natalyia drown to save herself. The Father counsels forgiveness of herself and others, but Oksana is not convinced that is possible.

Dima has found Oksana at the refuge, and shows Konstantin a photograph of her as proof.

Father Alexander and Oksana realize they share an attraction for each other, but Oksana is determined to go home and tell her parents what has happened. Konstantin phones the refuge to get Oksana back.

Refugees are trying on clothes, when Dima and Konstantin enter looking for Oksana. Konstantin offers Father Alexander money for Oksana and Clara calls the police; Konstantin and Dima leave before the police arrive.

Pavlo reads Oksana's letter to her parents telling them she'll be home on November 8, her birthday. They are thrilled, and get carried away planning a party for her.

On the eve of Oksana's departure, Father Alexander has to go to pick up another woman in distress. He leaves his knife with Oksana because she is afraid Konstantin will show up. Lyuba and Oksana say their goodbyes.

Father Alexander discovers the distress call was a set by Konstantin, but Dima decides he can't beat up a priest and lets Father Alexander go back to Brindisi where Konstantin is.

Konstantin breaks into Oksana's room and tries to convince her to leave with him. When this fails, he tries to rape her again but she stabs him. He gets the knife and stabs her before he dies. Father Alexander returns and Oksana dies of her wound, dreaming of home.

Sofiya and Yuri consult Asa when Oksana has not arrived as her lettered promised. They are interrupted by Pavlo with news that the priest from Italy is on the phone, and wants to talk to Oksana's parents.

A man coerces a woman to have sex with him in exchange for saving the one remaining temple bell from being melted down for the war metal supply.

A woman makes an appeal that the metal of her bell shouldn't be used for a war machine.

A couple argue: Keith is trying to interrupt Erica's rant.