A material science expert is blackmailed to steal designs from a brilliant team of scientists who are building the world's first space elevator.

'Barely Breathing' is a dark comedy about Sai, who is guilted into moving in with his father and stepmother after an embarrassing autoerotic asphyxiation (AEA) accident. In order to get his dad off his back, Sai begins "hanging" with an AEA support group filled with lovable misfits - but humor can only hide so much. As Sai begins to get comfortable, the distance between him and his father grows deeper, forcing the family to cope with the loss of Sai's mother ten years prior.