The Hanging Garden

In present-day rural Nova Scotia, adult Sweet William returns to the family home to attend his sister Rosemary's wedding. The visit unsettles him as memories surface and the house feels inhabited by parts of his past. The setting hints at a merged reality where time overlaps between then and now.

William discovers he can still see his younger selves roaming the hallways, as if his teenage years never completely left the home. The house becomes a stage where memory and reality collide, blurring boundaries between what happened and what could be remembered. This magical realism signals the film's non-linear approach to time.

William encounters a new pre-teen sister, Violet, who was born after he left. Her existence adds a new layer to the family history and suggests time has layered itself within the house. The revelation deepens the sense that the past remains very much alive in the present.

In the past segment, William's teenage years reveal a close bond with Rosemary. Their mother Iris struggles to shield her children from Whiskey Mac's abuse, creating a fragile family balance. The strong sibling connection becomes a counterpoint to the looming danger in their home.

Iris fights to protect William and Rosemary from Whiskey Mac's abusive behavior, balancing tenderness with fear. The mother's efforts underscore the precarious stability of the household and foreshadow the tragedy to come. The dynamics within the home reveal how love struggles to endure amid violence.

The origins of Violet are explained: she is William's younger sister born after he left. This revelation reshapes the family history and adds emotional complexity to the present-day family dynamics. It demonstrates how time's revelations echo across generations.

Grandmother catches William attempting to have sex with his bisexual friend Fletcher, outing him to the family. The discovery shatters his sense of belonging and triggers harsh rejection from Whiskey Mac and others. This moment becomes a decisive rupture that pushes William toward leaving home.

William faces a stark choice: run away to a distant city or take his own life by hanging from a tree in the family garden. The film frames both options as possible outcomes that mirror each other, highlighting the fragility of the family’s support system. The tension around this decision drives the narrative toward its tragic turning point.

The teenage William completes the act he considers the ultimate escape, hanging himself from the family garden tree. The tragedy marks the end of the past segment and casts a long shadow into the present. The garden becomes a permanent reminder of what was lost.

Back in the present, both the living adult William and the dead teenage version inhabit the same merged reality. The dead boy's body remains visible, so the family cannot dismiss the impression as mere memory. The scene reinforces the film’s magical realism and the persistence of unresolved trauma.

As the wedding draws near, the family confronts whether William's return is a memory haunting them or a real, ongoing presence. The two-meaning interpretation echoes Fitzgerald's commentary on events having dual meanings. The ceremony becomes a stage for confronting painful history while staying connected to the living.

The narrative culminates in the theme that seemingly divergent choices can lead to similar outcomes. Through magic realism, the film shows memories and present moments coexisting, leaving the audience with an unresolved sense of certainty. The final image lingers on the mingled paths of William’s life and death.