Troubled times: In 60s Canada, Iris, a 10 year-old girl, lives together with her parents and Miss Rose, a less liked tenant, in an ocean front house. With great affection, the little girl educates the adults in the midst of whom she lives, goes to catholic school – but considers herself to be a Buddhist – and loves her goldfish, until one day when it disappears from the already joyless home, just like all ephemeral things. On the same day her mother decides to leave her family, but fate seems to thwart her intentions. Shortly afterwards, Iris brings home a …