Destino Soundtrack (2009)
Synopsis
Luiza is a sharp journalist who writes critical reports. She works at the editorial office of a newspaper with Gisele, the newspapers photographer, who is also her best friend. She is married to Claudio who does not understand how she is not able to conciliate her love for her professional life with her personal life.Luiza makes a denouncement making a powerful drug dealer be kept in prison, and is therefore being watched by the bandits. Her Editor, Lelio, decides that she should stay away from the newspaper, assigning her to make a Brazil - China Business Guide. She tells it to her supportive husband who says it will be good for her. Luiza reacts because she does not feel tired. Claudio says that he is sure shell soon find something that interests her in her new task.In order to make the Business Guide she goes on a trip to a farm in the interior of São Paulo. There she runs across an abandoned village where formerly Chinese immigrant peasants used to live. Inside a small house she meets a young lady who reveals a premonition to her. She says that Luiza will go to China and will see the Great Buddha. Luiza feels bewildered after meeting this mysterious woman. She mentions about the meeting she had had with the young lady to the landlord, at the main house. The man says that this cannot be possible because there has not been any Chinese there for more than 30 years.Luiza is afflicted by her dreams with Ming, the Chinese lady. She then decides to go back to the farm. She finds out that it is an abandoned house. There is a strong sudden wind and a poster with an image of an artist of the circus falls at her feet. Later, by looking through old Farm books she discovers the following story about this Chinese lady. Ming was married to Zheng but was once raped by another young man of the village. She decides to keep this secret from everyone even from her husband whom she had been trying to have a baby with. In an intimate relationship between Ming and her husband, a birthmark is seen on one of his feet. Ming discovers that she is pregnant some months later. When the violator finds out about the newborn child he tries to take the child away from Ming. Zheng suddenly appeared, fighting and killing his rival. Zheng becomes stunned with the crime and in order to punish his wife he runs away with the child to China. Ming, in deep despair, throws herself in the river taking her own life away. The fact that Ming is a spirit messes with all Luizas beliefs.Back at home Luiza has a quarrel with Claudio who gets very disappointed with the fact that Luiza had disappeared for three days without having told him anything. He is willing to give the relationship a try, and even speaks about having a child. However, Luiza does not give it any importance.At the newspapers editorial office Luiza and Gisele are informed that the entrepreneurs have loved the Business guide. Things have calmed down by now and Luiza can go back to the newspaper. Contrary to what everyone had thought she would do though, she asks to go with Gisele to China for the publication of the Business Guide. Back at home Luiza argues with Claudio again who cannot stand the way her job interferes in their life anymore. In China Luiza shows the poster to her Chinese host. He explains that the poster mentions a far away city in the North of the country. She then leaves her appointments behind in Beijing for some days, and goes on a trip to the interior asking Gisele to cover up for her.She faces the cultural and language differences and difficulties on her way. Her obstinacy ends up guiding her to the city of the old poster. In a ferry-boat near the city, she runs across the Great Buddhas image reminding her of Mings premonition: The Great Buddha will receive you. She gets very touched and cries. Luiza visits a Circus School where she meets Tching who for her surprise speaks Portuguese. He then takes her to visit his house, introduces her to his cousin and tells her a little bit of his story. His father, Zheng, had lived in Brazil when Tching was a little baby. His mother was Brazilian but they went back to China after his mothers death.He recognizes his father on the poster that Luiza brought. Zheng then appears and contrary to his son though, becomes furious when he is brought face to face with his past. He then throws the poster on the floor expelling Luiza from his home.Luiza and Tching meet at the Hotel later and he apologizes for his fathers reaction. He shows her a picture of his Brazilian Mother. Luiza is surprised when she sees the picture and tells Tching that the woman he thinks is his mother is actually a famous Brazilian actress. She suggests him to speak to his father. Tching becomes perplexed and does not believe in Luizas revelation. Luiza then notices that Tching does not know the real truth about his familys history.Tching goes to the ferryboat to meet Luiza one last time. He is very confused and is not able to clarify the facts with his father who has disappeared. Luiza tells him to look for her in case he needs her. Back to Brazil, Luiza goes back to her daily life, trying to forget all that had happened to her in China. She is engaged in saving her marriage. She then gets a telephone call from Tching telling her that he will be coming to Brazil to find out all about his past. Claudio feels jealous about the Chinese man and they have another quarrel. Claudio then anticipates his trip to Brasilia, in order not to get more involved in this story.Luiza takes Tching to the farm where he gets to know the truth about his parents history. He does not stand the pressure of this revelation, and asks to leave. It is a stormy night, they are driving on a road when they have to stop suddenly due to an impressing apparition. Mings image appears to her son. Tching is bewildered when he sees his real mother. He finally believes in Luiza´s version.When Luiza and Tching return to her house she notices that her husband has taken his things away. She feels very disappointed. On the following day Luiza and Tching go for a walk on the beach and kiss each other. Claudio arrives in the evening while Luiza and Tching are having dinner together. Feeling very jealous, he says good-bye to her and puts an end on their marriage once and for all.Tching decides to go to the Buddhist temple called the GOMPA in the South of Brazil, looking for a friends guidance, who has become a Monk. As Luiza is in need of being away from town for a while, she decides to go with him. Delighted by the spiritual energy sensed at that place, she suggests Tching to stay there to coordinate the Circus School that his friend is planning to open. However, he needs to go back to China to meet his father. Back to Rio, Luiza and Tching give in to their feelings and make love. Tching goes back to China, but he and his father still do not come to an agreement. Zheng denies Tching as a bastard son, and leaves not telling anyone his whereabouts.Luiza finds out that she is pregnant a couple of months later and decides to meet Tching in China. He tells her that his life is collapsing: the Circus is over and his father has left to an unknown place. Luiza reveals to him the great news about the baby. Tching decides to live with her in the Buddhist community in Brazil. There they would build a Circus School for the children of the community. They make this school a place for loving life and loving the other. Luiza's pregnancy is haunted by her nightmares. She has a complicated delivery. Tching is apprehensive about the life of his wife and of his son. At the climax of a complicated surgery Luiza´s vital signals suddenly cease, scaring the doctors. Bare footsteps are seen strolling along the Hospitals hall, Mings ghost appears beside the operation table staring and smiling at Luiza. She then faints, while a movie of her life passes through her mind in a flash. Suddenly all is dark. It is a Buddhist ceremony, the music is mysterious. It is not clear whether it is a funeral or a celebration. Fortunately Luiza is noticed among the participants without the baby, though. Has she lost him? The baby is suddenly given to her. It is a celebration of a newborn child. Luiza hugs and kisses her son next to his father. Eighteen years later, Luiza´s son is preparing himself for the Monastery life in China. Luiza is now involved in a cultural approach between Brazil and China. She takes advantage of one of her business trips to go to a small Chinese town, called E-Mei-Shan, to meet her son, the young Tao, in the Buddhist Monastery. Ming makes an apparition to Luiza again, and by following the mysterious ghost she finds a mysterious card. Bothered by Mings apparition after so many years she decides to look for a China store indicated in the card.There, Luiza sees Huang, the owner of the store, shouting with his wife Liu. She feels a little embarrassed. Liu is the one who paints the vases. This is the way she extravagates her difficult relationship with her husband. The journalist buys some pieces and asks them to be delivered at the Hotel. Zheng, Tching´s father who had disappeared is coincidently working at the back of this shop. Zheng and Luiza do not meet each other though.Tao tells his master that he has been afflicted by nightmares with his grandfather whom he had never even met. The master suggests him to keep meditating in order to escape from these torments. His anxiety has dominated him.Luiza receives a visit from Tao in her bedroom exactly at the same time that Huang arrives with the vases she had bought. Tao recognizes the mysterious drawings he used to do when he was a kid and often appear in his nightmares. He furiously gets one of these cards and decides to go to the shop too. There he sees an accident: Liu´s clothes catch fire in the vases oven. Tao winds up taking care of the young Chinese lady. He later buys some pieces.In the afternoon Tao and his Mother walk along the river, close to a Forbidden Love Hut, the site of a tragic love story that happened in the past. Luiza finds out about her sons nightmares. The following day, Tao drops by the shop to know if Liu is fine and a feeling of affection is born between them.Later in his cell, he breaks one of the vases and returns to the shop with the excuse of trying to fix it. He then invites Liu for a ride. Zheng tries to make her change her mind, concerned about Huang, her violent husband. The young lady asks him to cover her up.Liu takes advantage to speak about her relationship with Huang. They had a marriage arranged by the parents. Young Tao talks about his childhood and of his vocation for the Monastery.Luiza goes back to Shanghai on a business trip of a Brazilian export products show, and takes the opportunity to meet Tao once again. She senses something between him and Liu. The Buddhist Master confesses that he is also worried about Tao. Not knowing exactly what to do, Luiza calls her husband Tching, who is in Brazil taking care of the Circus School. He needs to go to China to help her solve the problem with their son.The Master goes up to Tao´s cell and finds him immersed in his thoughts, among his drawings that are hung on the wall. Hes distressed and he has doubts about his vocation and his choices.Later, Tao goes to the Hotel to meet his mother and finds out that his father Tching is on his way to China. Tao quarrels with Luiza because he wants to take care of his life on his own.Tao appears at the shop and asks Liu to meet him in the Forbidden Love Hut where he reveals to her that the images she has painted are the same as the ones in his drawings and are constantly in his dreams. Both are very confused but do not believe in coincidences.At home Huang is suspicious and is waiting for Liu. When she is back she lies to him about where she had been and leaves before he asks any further questions.Luiza is very concerned. Knowing about the Chinese traditions she goes to the shop to ask Liu to stay away from her son. Zheng who was hidden finds out that young Tao is Luiza´s son with Tching, his son, who he judges as a bastard. Finally Zheng and Luiza get face to face when he goes to the Hotel to tell her that Tao is running risks. Luiza reveals to him that his son Tching is coming to China. Zheng does not give importance and dramatically affirms that Tching is not his son.At night Tao looks for Liu at the shop to tell her that they need to stay away from each other. Right then Huang appears and a fight begins. Zheng and Liu try to hold him back, while Tao runs away, but Huang is out of control and pushes both of them.The following day Luiza looks for her son, who has disappeared since the confusion, together with Tching who has just arrived from Brazil. They go to the Monastery but the Master does not know where Tao is.He shows them the cell and his drawings that are spread out. Luiza notices that Tao´s drawings are the same drawings of Liu´s vases. She cries.Huang completely drunk looks for Tao at the Hotel and in the Monastery but does not find him.Luiza and Tching look for their son. In a touching moment in the china shop, Zheng reaffirms to Tching that he is not his father. After Luiza and Tching leave, Liu tells Zheng where Tao is. Zheng who was about to leave the city hurries to meet Tao.Desperately Tao gives in his body to the river that flows near the Forbidden Love hut.Zheng however arrives in time to save him. By the riverside, he hugs Tao who had fainted. Suddenly, he notices that Tao´s birthmark is the same as his. He then notices the mistake he has committed of having denied his legitimate son and of having accused Ming of betrayal. Zheng gives him a strong kind hug and cries desperately.Days later Tao meets Liu at the hut once again. Huang arrives at the shop drunk, not finding Liu, discovers their whereabouts through her drawings: The Forbidden Love Hut.Zheng goes to the hotel and tells Luiza and Tching that Tao needs their help and asks them to follow him quickly. In this meeting Zheng and Tching glance at each other and Zheng recognizes him as his son. Carrying a knife, Huang goes to the hut. Tao is lying down on Liu´s lap. The quarrel begins. Tching, Luiza and Zheng appear and everyone gets involves in the quarrel. While trying to defend his grandson Zheng winds up being stabbed. Even though he is hurt hes able to counter attack and kills Huang.Tao and Liu get together to say good-bye. She has no one to stay with. He suggests that she go live in Brazil with her parents. And Tao definitely gives in for the Life in the Monastery.Liu is now in Brazil working on her paintings while Tching continues with his circus lessons. Luiza makes her last trip to the farm where the Chinese colony used to live and where the entire saga began.She prepares an altar for Ming inside the abandoned house, lights up a candle next to Ming´s and Zheng´s picture and prays for her. It brings an end her mission of cleaning the honor of the young Chinese lady. Outside, Ming´s ghost is sitting by the river. As soon as Luiza´s prayer is over Ming´s apparition disappears. Once Truth and Justice have been established Young Ming can finally rest in peace.
