Land of Smiles

Ethan Torrini always knew where his life would lead, but doesn’t know if he wants to end up there. Needing an escape from a stagnant year before re-applying to law schools, Ethan follows his lifelong friend Ken to the small town of Chanthaburi, Thailand, to assist with his online gem selling business and find freedom from the inevitable march to forever. An artist at heart, Ethan is drawn to Chanthaburi’s many beauties, from the river that meanders through town to the glimmering gemstones in the nearby market and to a local woman with coconut-scented hair. For the first time, anything feels possible. Yet as a farang in a town of few foreigners, Ethan can’t comprehend the impact of his every action. A drive through town, a friendly drink with a rival seller, a dinner with a visiting English tutor, a simple pencil sketch … all have consequences that reach beyond Ethan and into the cultural, familial, traditional and financial obligations that dictate the lives around him. Even halfway around the world, there is no such thing as escape.