We were dreamers: an immigrant superhero origin story. Simu Liu. 2022.

Our story begins in the city of Harbin, where Simu’s parents have left him in the care of his yeye and nainai while they seek to build a future for themselves in America, and then Canada. One day, a mysterious stranger shows up at the door; it is Simu’s father, who whisks him away from the only home he has ever known to Canada. Life in this world, however, is not all that it’s cracked up to be; Simu discovers that his new guardians  lack the gentle touch of his grandparents. His parents, on the other hand, find their new son emotionally distant and difficult to relate to. Although they are bound by blood, they are separated by culture, language and values.

As Simu grows up, he plays the part of the pious child flawlessly - he gets straight A’s and makes his parents proud. But as time passes, he grows increasingly disillusioned with the expectations placed on his shoulders, and it becomes hard to keep up the charade. After university, he is fired from his first job as an accountant. With nothing to lose, Simu embarks on a journey that will take him into the mysterious world of show business.

Through rejections and comical mishaps, it is ultimately Simu’s determination to carve out a path for himself that leads him to not only succeed as an actor but also open the door to reconciling with his parents.

We were Dreamers is a story about growing up between cultures, finding your family, and becoming the master of your own extraordinary circumstances.