In her relentless pursuit of a memory that reinforces her sense of belonging, Areeb crosses paths with Ahmad; sparking a journey where conflicting aspirations intersect. Nostalgia meets with ambition, and the weight of a confined past meets with an unpredictable future.
Areeb's first encounter with the sea occurred in Gaza, a departure from the usual setting of her mother's exclusive smiles during their annual visits to their hometown in Nablus. On this particular day, however, the authenticity of her mother's smile found resonance with the sea of Gaza. This vivid memory resurfaces decades later, in 2012, through a video depicting young parkour players confronting bombings. Haunted by her desire to go back to that moment, Areeb reaches out to the team and ends up communicating with Ahmad.
Ahmad guides Areeb on a journey through Gaza, initially centred around parkour. Gradually, he reveals the vibrant Palestinian spirit, rekindling memories of the sea and the warm smiles. Areeb is confronted with conflicting emotions as she grapples with harsh realities she has never personally encountered. Beyond her own sense of confinement away from her hometown, Areeb becomes acutely aware of the insidious prison within which Ahmad is trapped.
Ahmad eventually escapes for success and comfort in Sweden, but the void of leaving that big soul behind lingers and resonates with Areeb’s own story of leaving her little self along with her mother’s true smile by the sea. Unable to return, Ahmad virtually connects with Gaza while Areeb watches with tender eyes, having been there in Ahmad’s shoes before; experiencing the solitude and the distance.
Six years later, Ahmad, now a Swedish citizen, visits Gaza, vowing to revisit it annually. His commitment resonates with the promise Areeb once made to herself. Ahmad’s timing couldn't have been more crucial, as he arrives just before the outbreak of the latest crisis in Gaza. Amidst these turbulent events, while Areeb's memory becomes more distant, Ahmad’s promise deviates towards uncertainty.