After This Our Exile

The story unfolds in Malaysia, moving between urban settings like restaurants, hotel rooms, and a familiar neighbourhood. It paints a picture of a Chinese-Malaysian community facing financial pressure, loan sharks, and a fragile domestic situation. The locations shift as the family struggles to stay afloat, highlighting a social landscape shaped by economic stress.

💔 Family Breakdown

The film centers on a fractured family, where trust erodes under financial strain and volatile emotions. The relationship between Sheng and Lin deteriorates as they drift apart, while their son becomes collateral in a cycle of crisis. Abandonment, anger, and poor choices ripple through the household, revealing how personal turmoil can destabilize a family.

💰 Poverty & Crime

Debt and desperation drive the characters toward desperate acts. Sheng loses his job, falls into debt, and resorts to coercive schemes to survive, including exploiting others. The story shows how financial pressure can push a person into criminal or morally gray territory, affecting both adults and the child who imitates or suffers from these choices.

🧭 Abandonment & Longing

Lin’s decision to leave and start anew creates a lasting ache for Sheng and Boy. The boy’s longing for his mother shapes his perceptions of love and security, even as he witnesses the absence of stable parental support. The narrative tracks how absence can mold a child's sense of belonging and resilience.