Caterpillar

Synopsis

CATERPILLAR follows the journey of young KEIKO (8, Japanese-Caucasian), whose life is uprooted when her family moves from Los Angeles to a small, rundown house in a small town, USA. Her mother (30s, a Japanese war bride) struggles to mask her disappointment over their new circumstances, while her father (30s, white) is determined to provide a better life eventually. As tensions simmer between her parents, Keiko and her older sister are left to adjust to their new surroundings. While her sister quickly adapts, Keiko faces isolation and bullying from the local children who call her “Gecko baby.” Keiko uses her imagination to escape into a Ghilbli-esque, fantasy world.

Despite being warned to stay away from the orchard behind her home, a local bully chases and terrifies Keiko with a branch of tent caterpillars. He taunts her further with stories about Frankenstein lurking in the orchard. During the chase, Keiko falls and is knocked unconscious, only to awaken and meet the “monster,” who turns out to be a gentle but troubled war veteran named FRANKIE (30s). An unexpected friendship blossoms between the two, offering Keiko an escape from her loneliness and Frankie a reprieve from his inner demons.

Frankie, haunted by his experiences in World War II, struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts. Keiko’s visits bring him a sense of hope, and he helps her to conquer her fear of caterpillars and confront bullies. Simultaneously, Keiko’s mother is dealing with her isolation and the micro-aggressive behaviors of her neighbors and townspeople.

When the local bully assaults Keiko’s sister, Keiko runs to Frankie for help. He intervenes and rescues the sister, but this act only complicates things. Keiko’s dad confronts Frankie, grateful for his help but wary of their relationship. Despite Keiko's pleas, her parents insist she no longer sees Frankie. Their bond, now broken, sends him into a deep emotional spiral. His memories of using a flamethrower in the war, accidentally killing Japanese women and children, drive him to the brink. In a drunken stupor, he accidentally sets his shed on fire. Seeing the flames from her home, Keiko rushes with her family to save him, but they arrive too late. Frankie is gravely burned.

At the V.A. hospital, Keiko is allowed to say her final goodbye. She finds Frankie wrapped in bandages, resembling a caterpillar in a cocoon. In her innocent mind, she believes Frankie is transforming, like the caterpillars in the orchard, and will soon emerge as a beautiful luna moth—free from his pain.

Through her friendship with Frankie, Keiko grows in strength and maturity, gaining a deeper understanding of life and loss. The fire and her resilience help to heal the fractures in her family as they begin to reconnect and move forward together. They build a caterpillar sanctuary together in Frankie’s memory.

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