Under 1940s American colonial rule, the Philippines’ complex upper class, embodied by a painter and his daughters, tries to hold on to its elite past in the face of war, and attempts to reconcile outdated traditions with modern values. The family has to make ends meet by relying on financial support provided by their relatives Manolo and Pepang, who are urging them to sell the house. Don Lorenzo, who refuses to sell, donate, or even exhibit his self-portrait in public, is only content in staying inside his room, a stubbornness that already took a period of one year. The painting attracts the attention and curiosity of journalists, such as family friend Bitoy Camacho, and other obnoxious visitors pretending to be art critics. The theme focuses on family conflict and the amalgamation of old Filipino identity and cultural character with the arrival of contemporary and Western ideals.