A woman from the end of the 19th century visits modern day Philippines and observes three interwoven stories: that of a prostitute, a group of criminals and a musician.

One of the most crucial aspects of the cinema of Filipino director Lav Diaz is a desire—or, most likely, a need—to connect the Philippines of the colonial past with the Philippines of the present. This film vividly does exactly that: a portrait of today seen through the eyes of a country’s history.