THEY WAI
Shanghai present day
Oh! I'm sorry. Did I scare you?
- No.
I think " Lights out " means technically
you have to have the lights out,
and you, under the covers.
Sweet dreams.
- Don't!
- Sammy, it's late.
- What wrong?
- Do you believe in ghosts?
- I like the ghosts stories.
- It is ghost's month now.
- Ghost what??
- Ghost's month.
Actually in Mandarin, it is called
Hungry Ghosts Month.
It is the time of the year when
the dead can eat you.
- You know you are too young to have this comics.
- It is not the comics,
- Suzy Chang told me.
- Well the ghosts don't eat you.
Suzy Chang says, if you don't give them sacrifices
they will eat you.
- Suzy Chang likes to scare you.
- Suzy Chang's grandmother did not give them sacrifices,
and they found her with half of the face missing.
They say that a demon bite it right off.
- Ok, that's too much, I am going to call Miss Chang.
- No!
That girl had got you scare half to death
I'll be fine,
please don't call.
- Do you want Reggie? He protects you.
- I am not scare.
Ok, Big guy.
Light, please.
Yes.
What?
When?
Of course, I'll come and tell
Aunt May that I'm coming .
- What is it?
- Uncle Raymond died.
- Oh, no.
- Yes, I need to. I need to go home.
- But, I have meetings all week.
- Jason,
- May raised you, you have to go.
- Yes, I know.
- I am.sorry babe, I'm just..
- We'll go with you.
- No, no.
- You're not going to handle this alone.
We 'll help you, Daddy.
come here.
Thanks Buddy.
Pacific Northwest
- Dad, are those sacrifices for the dead?
- Yeh, how did you know?
- The kids at school told me.
- What is she doing?
It is what they call hell money
for the spirits.
- It's supposed to be ghost money, t's all superstition.
- And what if it's real?
We should burn
money for the Uncle Raymond?
No, honey, I don't think that it is necessary.
Uncle Raymond loves monry so much,
that I don't think he likes to see it burn.
- Are all these people here for the Uncle?
- Yes, he did a lot for everyone.
From the beginning, he made jobs,
from the benevolence society,
it helped anyone who needed it.
He always give back.
That's why they still stuck with him
after all these years.
- I've no idea.
- Did you grow up in here?
Yes I sure did, you should seen
it when the factory was opened,
busiest place in Chinatown.
- My friends were all jealousies.
- Why?
You could play hide and seek all day
and never been found.
Let's go check it up , come on.
This is no place for children.
- Sammy? here you are .
- Oh, then this is Sam.
You must be Sarah.
How noce to finally to meet you.
- Hey, I'm sorry. I don't...
- Xiang Wu, Raymond's partner in crime.
You are even lovely than your wedding pictures.
Thank you.
Sammy, this is daddy's Uncle Xiang,
who worked with Uncle Raymond.
You are such a big boy.
- I think that I scared him.
- Uncle Xiang.
- Hei, Jason.
- Good to see.
- You have a lovely family.
- Thank you.
The bones'collector is dead.
- The end of an era.
- Yes, Uncle Raymond was a great man.
Jason, I'm going to take him for a walk,
he is strange.
- ok, See you a bit.
- Want to go for a squat?
- It was a nice to meet you.
- Goodbye.
- ok.excuses me
- I'm sorry .
- She is the lady of Shanghai.
- The man with the golden lens.
- You look great.
- Thank you.
This must be the heir of the throne.
This is Blake, mummy's friend.
who We used to work in the newspaper.
- Hello, nice to meet you young man.
- Hello. Thank you.
Are you back?
We are here for the
Jason's uncle funeral .
- What are you shooting?
- Spook month or what they call.
One day and a half and as always not at all...
- Can we go?
- Yeah.
He is right, we probably should go.
My head is splitting.
- Do you know where the drug store around here?
- Yes, right at that corner.
- It was you.
- And good to see you too.
- Take care.
- You too.
- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.
- Hello.
- Does it have Hemp Protein?
- Yes, right back that way at the corner.
- I'll be right back. ok?
" Ghosts and Demons "
- Do you like ghosts?
- Yes.
- Do you know waht season this is?
- hungry ghosts month.
That's right,
you even know the proper name for it.
- Do you want to hear a secret?
- Sure.
All those offerings, the fruit,
the cakes, the burning money...
- You know about that stuff, right?
- Yes.
It does count for much.
- Do you want to know what the ghosts really like to eat?
- What?
Children.
Do not worry, it's gone.
- Was that a ghost?
- A Yunguai, a demon.
Angry ghosts can become demons.
That's why we try
to make peace with the dead.
This time of the year, when the dead
walk in the world of living,
they who can see them,
they have to be most careful.
- why can't everyone see them?
- Most people just feel the fear,
but to see them it take a special kind,
A very sensitive soul.
Hello, do you have something
for the headache?
Your colleague said that it was
back there, but I could not find anything.
I see, the gift was passed from mother to son.
What gift?
For your headache, make tea of this,
boiled with fish head.
Thank you, I 'm not a tea person.
Do you have anything like aspirin or anything?
Take pills for what ill you
in this time of the year,
it like using straw
to build a skyscrapper.
We have to go.
Thank you for your help.
Wait!
You are here for the
bones' collector?
For Raymond Tsai's funeral.
How did you know that?
If it's get too much, come and see me.
My door is always open.
Thank you.
Do you like this?
- Thank you, Aunt.
- Tomorrow, I am going to the market.
I can get whatever you like,
they must be in to the Chinese food.
- Or are you already sick of it?
- No, this is great.
We are fine, do not worry about us.
Of course, I'm worry with your uncle...
if I did not worry
we would be living in the street.
- Do you like it? Want something else??
- Please Sammy tries.
You know the rule, you have
to at least try it once.
- She wants to know if you like duck.
- He loves duck.
You don't speak Chinese?
He speaks a few words.
All time time in Shanghai,
and he does not speak Chinese.
He goes to the international academy,
it is a excellent school,
and we wanted him to have good language
skill when were we return back home.
I see.
- This is delicious.
- The spice is delicious.
Are you well?
I am fine.
My head, I'll right back.
- Are you all right, mommy?
- I am fine, he just eat.
- What wrong with her?
- Sometimes, she has migraines.
I am going to check on her.
You mother is fine,
eats your food.
Do you want to know a secret?
There's ice cream for the dessert.
- God dame it, I can't get a signal here.
- This is bizzare,
I not just feel nausea,
it's the food...
it was moving.
- Get some sleep.
- This whole place feel weird.
It is creepy.
Can you feel it?
What's weird is being in my old room,
- with a girl in my bed.
- Your aunt may hasn't changed.
Itstill can't stand me.
- That is not true.
- Please, you heard that one.
All these years in Shanghai,
and he still cannot speak Chinese.
She kind got a point.
You said that we would be in
China for a year, two at most.
We agree that the English school made sense.
You did not want him coming back
with a lousy language skill.
Did you remember? Sarah
What's the God damn point,
you do noteven care if we come back.
Hey, easy.
Baby, I'm sorry.
I know that it has been tough, the
Shanghai's office is almost ready.
And we;ll come home soon, I promise.
Do you trust me?
Why do they callUncle Raymond
the bones'collector?
Back in the days, he was task to take the bones of
Chinese for re-bury.
Why?
Another old superstition.
They believe that unless you bones are
buried near the ancestors,
your spirit will rest.
Is it just the bones?
Yes.
After seven years he dig them up,
clean them,
doing the whole ceremony
together with the Uncle Xiang.
Why you never tell me any of this?
It happened before I was born.
They were never talking much about that.
something a history.
- we all have our skeletons.
- Yes, but yours are just real.
Good one.
Get the light.
It's ok.
I am here.
- What's happening, mother?
- I think that you are safe, rock and safe.
Comeo on, up to bed.
- I can't go, mother.
- Why not, sweety?
- I have to work, lot of work to do.
- I think that you are still sleeping, sweet heart.
- Just close you eyes.
- I cannot, lot of work to do,
Or else...
- How is Sam?
- Sleeping, poor thing.
I can't believe neither of you woke up,
he was sreaming his lungs out.
I'm sorry, I took my
sleeping pills.
I don;t care what the contract say,
we are responsible for the whole amount.
I know that it is easier in person,
but I am on a funeral, for christ sake.
I'll call you back.
- They can't manage a week without you?
- apparently, not.
- You can go, I am ok.
- No Aunt, it too soon.
- We are not going anywhere.
- Business come first.
Raymond always said that.
No, I need to see the sun, I'll be right back.
We are screwed,
timing could be worse.
- Just go, we'll stay and help her out.
- I can't leave you alone with Sam sick.
He is not sick,
He was sleep walking.
- He never sleep walk before.
- He never had jet lag before,
or see a dead person.
he got lots in his mind.
- Are you sure?
- We'll be fine.
You are the best.
I am going to pack, Yeah.
- Sorry, I did not see you there.
- Still sleeping?
I think that he is running with a fever.
Is there trick to openning the window?
It got stuck and it getting a bit stuffy.
- I will do it .
- No, it is not necessary.
Why don;t you go and lie down?
You were out all night.
I watch over him.
Maybe, I'll go and take a shower.
Thank you.
Get away from me, witch!
You do speak Chinese!
- You lie to me.
- I am not a liar , you are !
What kind of boy's fool an old lady?
What kind of old lady fool yourself?
Mummy, I don't feel so good .
Oh, my god!
What happened to your arms?
May,May,May, call 911.
And his arms ... I do not know,
he was down in the basement.
There used to be a factory,
it might have got something bite.
- He was the fine, he was sleepwalking.
- can i get some space, please?
How is he?
- He's still not responsing.
- Why? He was a perfectly healthy child.
It is still tooo ealry to tell, Mdm.
We are running a series of test.
And what about his arms?
He said that he was
playing in a industry site.
Could there be any inks or dyes?
He was in my basement,
there have been no dyes there for over 40 years.
When is he going to wake up?
In cases like this, it is impossible to predict.
- We will have some preliminary results tomorrow.
- When can I see it?
The nurse will come to get yo in a little while.
We are going to get you and son through this
Thank you.
Come Sarah, let's go.
Jason, Jason, hold on.
Jason, my god, you got to come back.
Something terrible happens...
Jason, hello.
hello.
Help! Help
- What is the problem?
- The problem?
I am not making this up.
It is a sight. You might want to get some rest.
- It can't stay here every night.
- Something is wrong.
Something very wrong is happening here.
- Of course, Something is wrong,little boy is sick.
- I know that he is sick!
Why can't you people tell me what wrong with him?
What is happening to my son?
- We are doing everything that we can.
- we are really are...
I'm sorry
It's ok. YOu got to let it out.
Sometimes, it is too much.
I am going to go for a walk.
Any change,
any change, any change, you call me.
- Please.
- Of course.
I love you.
You said,
You said if it got
too much that I could come here.
- Where did it get this?
- I found it in front of my son.
- He was the sleep walking.
- It is a grave box.
a what?
The bones of the deceasede were shipped back
toe China in this.
-One person to a box.
- Is this made from lead?
Or something toxic?
Here, her name was Chen Lu
from Kuandung province.
She was 17 years old when she died.
The girl.
Did you already seen her?
I have been having these...
walking nightmares.
Those of us who we see when we dream,
are more awake than ever.
Leave me shows something.
I record my dreams.
I try to learn what
world beyond this world is telling me.
Here,
when I first saw your boy,
I recognized him.
I had that dream to a year ago
- What had you done to my son?
- I am not your enemy.
What had you done to him?
from what you described to me
I fear that the spirits have it.
His soul.
I'm sorry.
I can'tt believe that I did this.
You are confused, frightened.
A mother desperate for her child.
It is natural.
Even that I'm going to believe in this,
what am I supposed to do?
Find out what the spirits want of you.
This girl,Chen Lu, if this is the her box,
where are her bones?
It was said that if the bones were not
buried near to the ancestors
the spirit cannot rest.
- Then do I have to find her bones?
- Perhaps.
Ask the Raymond's housewife.
In old days, many young girls came
to work for your factory.
ok
You should hurry.
The soul of a child is very fragile.
Thank you.
- I'm so sorry about your boy.
- Thank you.
This is Ben Lee, an old associate.
Sit down, please.
What is that?
This may sound strange, but
but is there a girl who worked here
in the old factiry called Chen Lu?
I can't remember, we had so many
girls working for us.
- It was 40 or 50 years ago.
- Were her bones left behind?
What?
Uncle Raymond, the Benevolence society,
they were shipping the bones of back to China,
were any bones left behind?
The Chinese Benevolence society
it stopped the shipping of bones many years ago.
The communists took it
power and they closed the borders,
even for the deceased ones.
- Many people bones were left behind.
- What happened to them?
They stayed buried.
We stop exhuming the bodies.
Thank you.
What do the doctors say about Sam?
It still no change.
Would there any file kept on record of the workers?
I remember see some filing cabinets downstairs.
- We filled them up years ago.
- Do you mind if I go and poke around?
- No!
- No!
Why is there a new
padlock in the door of the factory?
Because of what happened to Sam.
I am worry there is still
dangerous chemicals down there.
What does the truck do outside?
If you don't wany anybody there
- what are they unloading?
- They work for me.
Mrs Tsai is allowing me
to put supplies in the warehouse.
I sorry, ladies,
we have to go.
What are you hiding from me?
I understand the stress
you must be under.
For your son sake
you should get some rest.
Why are you insulting my guests?
What's wrong with you
Can I please go down and check the records?
There are no records!
Who keeps the records for over 50 years?
I got your message.
In coma? I should never left.
I love you, hanging there, ok.
I'm getting a plane now
and we see each other soon.
lets me guess, you changed your mind
and you want to return to the work.
I can use your strength.
- I need your help.
- I'm your man.
Where I can get the records of
immigrants
who worked in the factory back in the 40s?
Are you working on a story?
I just need the information.
Please.
Ok, I am going to try.
Which the name of the company?
Jason's unlce used to own a garment factory
in Chinatown, Tsai Fabrics or something so.
a garment factory?
- I don't think that they kept reocords of that.
- what do you means?
It had to have payrolls,
immigration's papers or something so?
Sarah thinks about that, a chinese garment factory in the 40's or 50's,
bringing girls from China,
Definitely not going to have any records.
- You mean, sweatshop?
- I do not want to malign your relatives, but
hold on, they had a shipping company
to...
- Tsai factory, right?
- Yes.
Swore to god that I am going blind.
Here we go,
you complain to the labour board,
but the workers did not testify.
That was in 1949.
There was another investigation in the 70's.
Allegations of smuggling.
Insufficient evidences.
All charges were dropped.
- Were there drugs?
- Parts of animals.
- Parts of animals?
- Yes, in this zone it must be bears.
I did a piece of that a few years ago.
Bear's parts are huge
delicies in the Chinese.
- They make into soup.
- That is disgusting.
It used to be worse,
they use the bear's bile
in the traditional medicine.
They stick a catheter in the gall bladder of the bear
and withdraws bile.
The bear suffers very much.
That is awlful, whu did Jason's uncle be involved in anything like that?
It is illegal and it worth a fortune if
you can get it back to China.
Yes, she is Sam's mother.
Oh my God, I'll be right there.
- What happened?
- We had to get him to surgery.
- His heart is failing.
- What?
Dr. Kent is with him.
we are going to get him through this.
Let me get you some water.
Mrs Tsai, Are you okay?
You really should sit down.
- Yo need to take care of yourself.
- I am fine.
I am going to check on his progress.
This is not real,
this is a nightmare.
Your boy is getting worse, yes?
Then it makes sense, the ghost month
ends tomorrow at dawn.
Arrive already!
When the sun rises, the tie between ours and theirs
will be broken.
- and your son will be lost.
- Stop it!
- I cannot let a child perish.
- Then do something!
There is something you can try,
but it is very dangerous.
- What?
- Come with me.
Stand in here waiting,
does it help your boy?
The sacrifices that we make in
streets are mere decorations.
They allow the livings the illusion of security.
When do we want something from the spirits,
we have to sacrifice something precious.
This time of the year,
the worlds of the livings and
the dead intersect,
and the world is thrown into madness.
Angry spirits, driven by vengeance
are at the height of their power.
But you have no choice,
if you want to save your son,
you must face them now.
This will protect you.
as will this.
- What is that?
- You'll take it with you.
where am I going?
The sad spirits are
trapped where they suffered most.
hurries,
You only has it until sunrise.
You will see with the eyes of the dead,
but don't let them touch you.
they cannot touch you unless you allows it.
Don't allow it,
Or they will trapped you in their world
as they did it to your son.
The angry spirits become demons.
They are devious and come in any form.
The orange is for the guardian demons,
to buy yourself entrance.
The drum will call the dead.
Tap it only once.
And the final step...
the needle holds a poison
thay will bring you to the brink of death.
To see as the dead do,
you must join them.
I can't do it.
- Sarah
- Jason, thank goodness that you are here.
- What are you doing?
- I am trying to save Sammy.
- Is Sam here?
- No.
- Come on, I'll help you.
Let's go, we got to go to the hospital.
You are very smart for a woman.
I come to you tonight.
Uncle Raymond.
- Raymond. I think that this one is done.
- Good, they're expecting the shipment tomorrow.
Are you spying on us?
You never sent the bones,
instead you sent the bears'parts instead.
I knew that this one was going to bring trouble.
How can they do this?
The bones must go home.
Let's send your bones home!
No.
- No, please, I don't tell.
- Raymond.
Did we trust her?
- Raymond, please.
- Shut up!
For Mr Tsai, to you.
She's not going to talk.
Look at her.
If you say one word,
I'll cut you tongue out and made you eat it.
Do you understand?
Get back to work!
We can't trust her.
She would have talked.
- We have to move her?
- We can't move her now, wait till it get dark.
She can help, since she made the mess.
She can clean it.
Mummy?
Come here, let's go.
Sarah, relax, Sarah.
relax, relax.
- Get them off me! Get them...
- They are for your protection.
The doctors want to be sure
that you are not going to try to hurt yourself again, ok.
You don't understand,
we have to save Sam.
Seetheart, the doctors said that they are
doing everything that they can.
- ok
- What time is it?
It's like 3:30 in the morning.
you need to rest.
We still have time, still have time, we have up till sunrise.
Who said that?
Shall we call a doctor?
Let's asks her.
- Ask her about the bones.
- What bones?
Where did you hide the bones?
You did not send any of them back to China. Did you?
- I am upsetting her.
- You worked them to death,
and you did not even have
the decency to put them to rest.
- I am going to ceck on Sam.
- Stay away from him!
Don't let her near him.
Listen, listen to me
Your uncle and your aunt, they ran a
a sweatshop.
- and they killed a girl.
- What are you talking about?
Her name was Chen Lu.
She saw what they were
doing and they killed it.
- Sarah, hears what you are saying...
- The spirit of the girl has Sam.
We have up to the sunrise
to find her bones
otherwise we will never get
our boy back.
Sarah, I love you.
I am going to check on Sam, check it by myself
Is it ok?
- I will be right back.
- Don't leave me.
Takes me with you.
It may be a matter of hours.
I am very sorry.
- Who was Chen Lu?
- What did you say?
Chen Lu,
- did she work for you?
- Many people worked for us.
What do we pay to the persons
what worked for us?
- Why will you ask such a thing?
- Because I want to know.
I want to know if any of them move on,
went to school, started their own businesses...
Enough!
Those people worship us.
They did what they were told
and they w ere grateful for it.
Really?
So, you did run a sweatshop.
And what about Sarah, my wife?
What else did she say is true?
- I do not know what to do.
- I need you to trust me.
Please.
They are still doing it.
Shouldn't you be in the hospital?
What the hell is going on here?
Do not be an idot, it's just a business.
Yes, but that's my company.
You've been using me.
They walled it up.
There was there a room back there where
they dumped the bones.
- Your woman is crazy.
- Easy.
Hey, what are you doing?
- Tell me how to get in there.
- It has nothing to see.
What have you done?
Sarah, no!
You have your bones.
Will this save your son?
We'll send you home.
Please,
Can we have our son back?
Let's go.
I don't know what to say,
It's a m iracle.
Can we go home now?