Acountrythatcouldbeanywhere,notpreciselylocalizedandyeteverywhere.It’sabeautifulsummer’sdaywhenthelifeofsiblingsKyonaandAdrielchangesforever.Theirvillageisraided,destroyedandsetonfire.Thewholefamilyisforcedtofleeandexperiencesmanyrealandsurrealsituationsontheirtracksacrossawholecontinenttofinallyarrive,perhaps,atamorepeacefulplace. Atthestartofthefilm,Kyonaleafsthroughasketchbook,takesstockofherlifeandtalksabouttheendofherchildhood.Itisonlylaterthatthesiblingsevenrealizethattheyarerefugees,thatlikemanyotherstheyaremakingtheirwaytotheborderforavarietyofreasons:naturaldisasters,theconsequencesofclimatechange,war,persecution.Thetwochildrencomeacrossdangerousandhelpfulpeople,areseparatedandfindeachotheragain.Thisfeature-lengthanimation,realizedinoilonglass,reliesontherapidinterplaybetweenfantasyandreality,takingus,ontheonehand,intoafictitious,non-realworld.Butontheotherhand,theplaces,names,situationsremindusoffamiliarthings.Theyshowfleeing,exile,settingoutasauniversalexperience.