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Writer's picturePeter K F Cheung SBS

Double Yang/Ninth Festival

  1. FADE IN.


  2. Act 1


  3. EXT. ROADS - 10:00


  4. Roadside. Waiting in his 8-seater car, PETER looks at the sky


  5. PETER (V.O.): I believe there's a window of opportunity for us to practise our traditional cultural expression.


  6. Peter's SON gets inside the car.


  7. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Like me., he's always punctual. We respect our commitments.


  8. Peter and his son chat on the way. Later, Peter parks the car near an estate and his MOM and BROTHERS#1 & 2 get in.


  9. BROTHER#1: I forgot to bring umbrellas.


  10. BROTHER#2: I've got one.


  11. PETER: I've got two...It's great that we don't need them now.


  12. Peter drives towards the Nipple Mountain.


  13. Act 2


  14. EXT. NIPPLE MOUNTAIN - 11:30


  15. Base. Beating the bush along their way, they climb uphill.


  16. BROTHER#2: Let me help Mom.


  17. PETER: I support at the back.


  18. Later, they arrive at their ancestors' tombs largely covered by shrubs.

  19. BROTHER#1: It isn't that bad this year. But if we didn't come, the situation can become very bad.


  20. PETER: Yes, it's good that we come here twice a year, hoping that the weather is always on the side of the dutiful ones.


  21. Later, BROTHER#3, his WIFE and their SON arrive with shrub-cutting tools. Soon the whole family is in action.


  22. PETER (V.O.): This has been the Cheung family's tradition since 1962 - the year when my Grand Dad died.


  23. As graveyards have been cleared, Peter goes to clear the undergrowth of a path.


  24. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I want to ensure that there's no problem on our way down.


  25. Having satisfied with his work, Peter takes a photo. Having had some refreshments, they leave. Peter takes the lead downhill.


  26. BROTHER#3: Let me take care of Mom.


  27. PETER (V.O.): My younger brothers are anxious to help. My Mom is 90 and I'm 67.


  28. Soon, they return to the car.


  29. SON: Dad, please turn on the air-conditioning.


  30. Peter does that right away.


  31. PETER (V.O.): The sun has been warming it. And we all have forgotten about possible rain!

  32. Before his family leave in another car, Brother#3 passes Peter an envelope with money inside.


  33. Brother#3: That was the money you paid for me for buying a flower bouquet for your wife's Mom earlier.


  34. PETER: Oh yes.


  35. PETER (V.O.): Another Chinese tradition is that such money must be settled by the principal and shouldn't be waived.


  36. Driving, Peter chats with those on board.


  37. PETER: Not too long ago, my wife and I met a Korean couple via Skype. They're the parents of our elder daughter's boyfriend.


  38. Pausing.


  39. PETER (Cont'd): Days later his father died because of terminal cancer.

  40. Pausing.


  41. PETER (Cont'd): When travel restrictions ease, my wife and I will pay a visit to his tomb.


  42. Arriving at a road junction, Peter prepares to make a turn.


  43. SON: The signal is red!


  44. Stopping the car, Peter checks the green light of the pedestrian crossing.


  45. PETER (V.O.): OMG!


  46. A light rail train soon crosses the junction speedily.


  47. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Fortunately, my son takes care of me. We've yet to pay respect to my late Dad and his Grandpa in another cemetery!


  48. EXT. MALL - 19:30 - 20:30


  49. Roadside. Peter waits at the end of a car queue.


  50. PETER (V.O.): The car park's full? Few customers are leaving?


  51. Later, Peter's is switches off the car engine and the lights


  52. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I take this as a re-training of my patience.


  53. Act 3


  54. INT. ROADS - 22:00


  55. Roadside. As his WIFE and KAJI, their pet, get off the car, Peter goes to the rear to offload a dog carrier cart.


  56. PETER (V.O.): It's a good day to have a good day for me and my family.


  57. Looking up, Peter sees the moon-lit sky.


  58. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Whereas Yang may symbolize light, activity and heaven, Ninth may symbolize the cumulation of wisdom, endings and beginnings...


  59. Pausing.


  60. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've had a happy Double Yang/Ninth Festival.


  61. FADE OUT


  62. THE END











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