Growing up a Chinese Canadian, Charlayne Thornton-Joe felt she was unpopular, especially with boys. She wanted to fit in, so she separated herself from everything she considered to be Chinese. Edna Chow, who was raised in a Christian Church, tells how her minister accused her of idol worship because she had Chinese-style ornaments in her home.

Why did Charlayne want to abandon her Chinese heritage?

Traditional Chinese belief says that the soul of a person who dies in a foreign place wanders lost until their bones are returned home. For Chinese pioneers who died in Canada, Victoria's Chinese Cemetery at Harling Point was a temporary resting place until their bones could be returned home.

In this beautifully expressive film, director Ling Chiu traces the rich history of the Vancouver Island cemetery, from controversy and neglect, to its revival as a National Historic Site. Archival materials are delicately woven with interviews with two women from different generations. While the cemetery's story reflects how early migrants saw China as home, the vibrant voices of Edna Chow and Charlayne Thornton-Joe chart the emergence of a contemporary Chinese Canadian identity.

From the experiences of Chinese pioneers in an unwelcoming land to the efforts of subsequent generations to establish roots in Canada, From Harling Point is an eloquent exploration of tradition, belonging and the notion of home. Told by those closest to it, the story of Harling Point is a metaphor for Canada, a country still working on making a home for all who live within its borders.