Belgium, 1980. On the banks of the Meuse river, against the background of a steel-producing city, factories close down one after another and lay off workers. One of those made redundant is Fabrice, who, at thirty-five, is proud of his trade, and now feels he has become useless. His wife, CΓ©line, tries to renew his interest in life, but Fabrice remains trapped in his depression, and then one day he disappears...