Samy, a young Franco-Algerian, hits a policeman at a roadblock and must flee France. He takes refuge with his grandfather in Algeria. But he does not speak the local language, and everything is strange to him, even members of his family: Nadia his cousin, a pregnant widow; and Qu'Issam another cousin, who was expelled from France, and hates everything French. Samy's grandfather lives in the memory of a piece of land that no longer produces any wealth. Samy will never give the reason for his presence, but the chaotic climate of the country will revive the chaos that is in him.