Taiwan Docs

Yang San-eii has never owned a home, nor does he plan to join the debt game now. At the age of 50, he decides instead to construct one with his own energy and time, and opts for traditional Japanese-style carpentry that omits the need for nails.

In his mind, the Yang family house will stand tall for a century, but during the decades-long construction, his family’s livelihood is solely dependent on his wife, who is propping up the restaurant alone. The Yangs and their daughters are now the focus of community gossip.

Chatter aside, the sorest point of stress is economical. With no end in sight, the project’s limbo status has led the two daughters to leave home for work and love. These structural changes, as well as other interpretations of belonging, challenge Yang’s sense of mission.

A man with a broken childhood, will Yang be able to complete his dream home and secure a future for his family?