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This sound film explores the existential question of whether a true sense of belonging exists for everyone, reflecting on the roots and origins that shape our identities. Throughout life, we are constantly confronted with inquiries about our nationality and backgrounds. Our cultural and geographical origins are vital components of who we are. However, for those who have fled from their hometowns due to hardship, immigration, or the turmoil of war and national conflict, the loss of their roots transforms them into souls forever wandering, grappling with their identities and the void left by their lost homelands.

The film captures the essence of this longing for an unattainable hometown, likening it to a Neverland—an imaginary place from which one has escaped but can never return. Through a narrative steeped in anxiety and a sense of exile, the film illustrates the struggles of those who, despite leaving their origins, yearn to return.

In this project, I blend three languages: Italian, Bulgarian, and Korean. The voice of the poet Baekseok reading his poem "Hometown" is transformed into a vocoder sound, creating a harmonic expression. I recorded conversations between a Bulgarian man, who immigrated to Italy as a child and embodies its emotional landscape, and his cousin, whose voice adds depth to the background soundscape. These cousins have also moved, with one residing in Barcelona, communicating in Catalan, while their children, being Italian, speak Italian.

This setup creates a multicultural microcosm within the confined space of a car, showcasing interactions among individuals with a shared ancestry yet raised in different linguistic environments. Despite their common roots, communication in Bulgarian is limited, reflecting the complexities of contemporary identity as they navigate their divergent social realities.

A voiceover from a visiting Korean individual recites the poem, using vocoder sound to express the poignant yearning and emptiness associated with the desire to return to a "hometown" that may no longer be accessible or even desirable. This layered narrative encapsulates the bittersweet nature of nostalgia, loss, and the ongoing search for belonging in a fractured world.