Vinny, a young boy, is born into poverty and faces tremendous difficulties in his early life. After a tough early childhood, he is estranged from his mother and fights for his survival. At the age of twelve, he begins working for a ‘sweetie van’ far away from his own village and travels down the path that changes the course of his life.   

When the ‘sweetie van’ that Vinnie is keeping watch over is stolen, he is left abandoned in the city zoo and is forced to live in his new surroundings. He befriends the lion, Moussa, and has a revealing dream in which he experiences the lion’s memory of Africa. This strange and powerful ability allows Vinny to learn from the animals throughout the zoo, slipping into distant lands and seeing things he’d never imagined. The dream world is magnificent, but when Vinnie is awake, his plight is all too real.

His vivid experiences transform him, but he refuses to let hardship define him. Struggling to get through his days, Vinny realises that he simply can’t escape into his dreams if he wants meaningful change in his life.

When the people around Vinny begin to recognise his extraordinary abilities, their acceptance finally provides hope for a better future.