William Eng, a Chinese-American boy, has lived at Seattle's Sacred Heart Orphanage for five long years. When during a trip to the movies, William glimpses an actress on the silver screen who he believes could be his mother, he becomes determined to find her and attempts to confront the mysteries of his past.

Twelve-year-old William Eng, a Chinese-American boy, has lived at Seattle's Sacred Heart Orphanage ever since his mother disappeared from his life five years ago. During a trip to the movie theatre, William glimpses an actress on the silver screen who goes by the name of Willow Frost. Struck by her features, William is convinced that the movie star is his mother. Determined to find Willow, William attempts to confront the mysteries of his past and his connection to the exotic film star. But the story of Willow Frost is far more complicated than the Hollywood fantasy on-screen ...