into a marriage and lost her first two daughters. The relationship between Rose and Joe collapses, and the family once again returns to Bill's home, with Norma moving out. One afternoon when Tom is walking home with his classmate they encounter Rose in the front yard, and upon overhearing a conversation between two of his classmates bagging out Rose and her clothing, Tom blocks himself from his mother completely. Rose, in the meantime, has had her dream shattered, and is contemplating returning to Hong Kong when Tom abruptly tells her his apathy. The film culminates in the adult Tom narrating, "Of all the things I remember about my childhood, this is what I remember the most." The eight-year-old Tom wakes up early in the morning to see the light to the backyard shed on and enters to find that Rose has hanged herself. Although she does not die initially, Bill receives a phone call later on confirming her death. The epilogue to the film shows the adult Tom and his sister May with her family (who happen to be Ayres' real life family) returning to Bill's home. He narrates again, recalling how he never shed a tear for his mother, but instead, wrote the story fully to understand what has shaped him. The real Tom, Tony Ayres, and his sister stayed with Bill after their mother's death. May ends up marrying the teacher who became their guardian soon after Bill's death. Cast Festivals The Home Song Stories was selected to screen at the following film festivals: 2007 Berlin International Film Festival (8–18 February 2007) 2007 Adelaide Film Festival (22 February - 4 March 2007) 2007 Sydney Film Festival (8–24 June 2007) 2007 New Zealand International Film Festival (13 July - 28 November 2007) 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival (19–27 July 2007) 2007 Melbourne International Film Festival (25 July - 12 August 2007) 2007 Brisbane International Film Festival (2–12 August 2007) 2007 Edinburgh International Film Festival (15–26 August 2007) 2007 Toronto International Film Festival (9–15 September 2007)) 2007 Calgary International Film Festival (20–30 September 2007) 2007 Hawaii International Film Festival (18–28 October 2007) 2007 International Eurasia Film Festival (19–28 October 2007) 2007 Cairo International Film Festival (27 November - 7 December 2007) 2007 Torino Film Festival (23 November - 1 December 2007) 2007 Asia Pacific Film Festival (13 November 2007) 2008 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (13–23 March 2008)