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, Céline, tries to renew his interest in life, but Fabrice remains trapped in his depression, and then one day he disappears...