The Contest

It's Vancouver, 1975. Yuko, a 25-year-old Japanese immigrant woman, is trapped in an empty, stilted marriage; she can't speak the language well; and she lives much of her new life in isolation. Her stagnant life is shaken up when she encounters a group of boys playing street hockey. They present her with the hockey card of her soon to be talisman -- a card of the Montreal Canadiens' star winger, Guy Lafleur. Yuko learns of a contest at a local store where the winner gets to meet the hockey star. She befriends Gord, the store manager, who coincidentally worships Lafleur. Determined to win the contest, Yuko gets a job at the store and begins a journey to find her way to Lafleur, and ultimately, herself.