The Rocket 2014

Twin birth and the blessing/curse prophecy

During the birth, Taitok declares that one twin is cursed and must die. Mali refuses to kill the surviving child, believing him blessed. The truth is kept secret from Toma.

Revelation of the curse and the secret

Seven years later, Ahlo learns that a dam project will flood his valley. Taitok reveals to Toma that Ahlo is a twin and that 'he should have died', confirming the curse. The family keeps this truth hidden from Toma.

Displacement plan and relocation

The dam project is announced and villagers will be relocated as the valley floods. They begin moving through the woods with their boat, but the ropes snap and the boat crashes into Mali, killing her.

Mali's death and Ahlo's status

Mali dies in the boating accident that marks the family's first great tragedy. Taitok then reveals that Ahlo is a twin and that he should have died, labeling him cursed.

Burial and new journey to the next village

After Mali's burial, the family boards a bus toward a new village where they hope to start anew. Taitok despises the new village's running water and electricity, which she sees as erasing their traditions.

Meeting Kia and Purple

Ahlo meets Kia, a girl who has lost her entire family to malaria, and Purple, her uncle who loves James Brown. Kia offers Ahlo a place to grow mangoes, a gesture he hopes will honor his mother.

Destruction of the model house and growing tension

Ahlo's anger leads him to destroy Toma's model house, symbolizing his family's tension and broken dreams. He bonds with Kia and Purple and learns that the hydro bosses control the village's promised electricity.

Electricity attempt and blackout

That night, Ahlo sneaks out to hook up electricity for the people, hoping to relieve their hardship. The plan backfires and causes a blackout for most of the village, sparing Kia and Purple's home.

Sacred shrine desecration and fire

In a moment of defiance, Ahlo desecrates a sacred shrine. In retaliation, the village burns their house and belongings.

Escape with UXO toward Paradise

The family, Kia, and Purple flee in a cart loaded with undetonated bombs from the war, traveling for days through dangerous terrain. They join a parade of travelers as they seek a new home.

Arrival at Paradise and new hope

They reach Purple's village, which they call Paradise, and find it seems empty. Ahlo and Kia sneak into the woods to play; a near mishap with a bomb underscores the danger surrounding them.

Rocket contest and Ahlo's resolve

A parade of travelers mentions a rocket competition with a cash prize. Believing it could end their displacement, Ahlo decides to build a rocket despite his family’s skepticism.

The Bat and the cave omen

Purple helps Ahlo collect bat droppings in a cave to fuel the rocket, and Ahlo encounters a wary woman who fears he is evil. The exploration adds peril to the rocket-building journey.

Festival day begins; rival rockets launched

The rocket festival begins and others launch their rockets, and Ahlo's family is skeptical about The Bat's chances. Toma launches his own rocket, Lucky, while the rival rocket The Million wins by reaching the clouds.