AllMovie

A lie told in anger sends a man on a strange and eventful journey in this drama. Bandiougou (Papa Malick N'Diaye) is a man from Senegal who is living in Belgium and makes his living piloting a boat. Bandiougou wants to travel to Europe to be with his fiancée, but he's waiting for word on his exit visa, and in the meanwhile beautiful but simple-minded Marie (Amelie Daure) has become strongly infatuated with him. Bandiougou receives a letter about his visa status, but he can't read it, so he asks Marie to translate. Marie is upset when she reads that Bandiougou's visa has been approved and he can be reunited with his girlfriend, and instead she tells him that the letter says his immigration papers have been denied and his love no longer wants to see him. Bandiougou believes the fates are punishing him for leaving his home and his fiancée behind until he's offered an opportunity to turn his fortunes around -- Boris (Jean-Francois Stevenin), a dealer in curiosities who is friendly with Marie's dad, is looking for a special carving with magic powers and needs someone to take him on a river journey through the jungle to help find it. If Bandiougou can help Boris find the charm, he'll arrange for a visa. Marie and her father end up tagging along for the journey, with the young woman still unwilling to tell Bandiougou about her deception.