This drama set in 1950s North Africa centers on Wanis (Patrick Bruel), a young man who's grown up not knowing his father, Paul (Ben Gazzara). Wanis befriends and falls in love with an older woman, a local songbird named Betty (Julie Christie), unaware that she's Paul's current lover. After losing track of Betty for some time, Wanis runs into her in the city and finally learns the truth about his heritage and the father he thought was dead.