“It Comes in Waves” follows Akai Uwimana, a young Rwandan refugee shouldering the weight of his fractured family in Canada. Nine years after fleeing their homeland, the Uwimanas carry invisible scars. When Akai’s abusive father commits suicide and his mother Sonia spirals into addiction, teenage Akai becomes the sole guardian of his younger sister Zera while juggling school, work, and athletics. After Sonia’s overdose death, child services threatens to separate the siblings. Desperate to keep Zera, Akai turns to his troubled friend Terrell for help in a dangerous scheme to get quick money. When their plan goes catastrophically wrong, Akai flees with Zera, hiding out in motels as their resources dwindle. As the weight of responsibility crushes him and a crisis forces him to confront reality, Akai faces a devastating truth: he cannot provide the care Zera needs while drowning in his own unprocessed trauma. In an act of profound love, he makes the agonizing decision to surrender her to child services. Under the guardianship of his track coach, Akai finally seeks help to heal from generational trauma, holding onto hope of reuniting with Zera once he’s whole enough to give her the life she deserves.