60多岁的Adam是前游泳冠军，现在恩贾梅纳一家豪华酒店担任救生员。酒店被中国商人收购之后，Adam就必须把职位让给他的儿子Abdel。他一时难以接受这种社会地位的落差。与此同时，这个国家遭受内战摧残和叛军的威胁。作为应对，政府要求人民为战争出力，强制征收钱财或征募适龄的儿童上战场。亚当就是因此被区长官纠缠，要求他贡献钱财或孩子。但是Adam没有钱，只有儿子……
Present-day Chad. Adam, sixty something, a former swimming champion, is pool attendant at a smart N'Djamena hotel. When the hotel gets taken over by new Chinese owners, he is forced to give up his job to his son Abdel. Terribly resentful, he feels socially humiliated. The country is in the throes of a civil war. Rebel forces are attacking the government. The authorities demand that the population contribute to the "war effort", giving money or volunteers old enough to fight off the assailants. The District Chief constantly harasses Adam for his contribution. But Adam is penniless; he only has his son....