The 8. Continent

After a huge fight with her family, Lena (16) leaves home cutting all family ties. Five years later, Lena receives a visit from her father that will change her life forever. Her mother has died in a car crash. Lena (22) now studying architecture and training in Kungfu, accepts her father's invitation to visit their home. Lena returns to the place she once called home, surrounded by the many little sculptures her mother made. She receives a case filled with letters written to Lena by her mother for every single one of her birthdays since she was born. Lena's mother had always intended to give these to Lena on her 18th birthday, but their falling out left her mother holding onto them until they made amends. In reading the letters Lena learns of the big dreams her mother had had, and how she could never realize them as she found herself pregnant with Lena. She always wanted to do a world trip, but with a small child and no money this was never possible. As Lena reads more of her mothers letters she learns of the regret her mother felt at Lena's decision to cut ties with her family. She calls Lena the '8th continent' so far away that she can never locate it on any map. Reading this Lena is left completely destroyed, deeply saddened by the fact she can never reconcile with her mother. The only thing she can do is make her mother's life long dream come true. Lena steals money from her student project and decides to take one of her mother's sculptures to each continent on an around the world trip. Together with the letters and an inflatable globe to tick off all the places, Lena sets off on a trip starting in Europe (Rome) and continues traveling to North America (New York), South America (Rio), Antarctica, Australia (Sydney), Asia (Hong Kong) and Africa (Cape Town), by plane, bus, train, hitchhiking and ship. She is faced with many adversities, however it is the wonderful landscapes and people she meets along the way that change her life forever. In moments of calm she reads her mother's letters, loosing herself to her mother's thoughts. In traveling so far, Lena discovers the true meaning of family, reconnecting with her father. It is only after her whirlwind trip when Lena finds herself in front of her mother's urn - unpacking the many souvenirs she has collected along the way - that she cuts a strand of her hair and says 'And something from the 8th continent'.