The village of L'Espérance is perched between the mountains and the great river. Its inhabitants include young people - who don't have much of a future - as well as many widows and old men. The village continues to be haunted by the tragic death of 13 miners. One day, a stranger arrives. The young man, at once charming and mysterious, has an immediate effect upon the village. The longer he stays in the village, the stronger blow the winds of desire. The village's prevailing melancholy gives way to love and happiness. However, not everyone is pleased by the arrival of the stranger, who becomes more and more inquisitive about the tragedy of the old mine. What are his real motives? Is he really who he claims to be? As passion and doubt collide, the entire village is transformed by events which come crashing down like waves against the high cliffs.

In 1952, an Inuit hunter named Tivii with tuberculosis leaves his northern home and family to go recuperate at a sanatorium in Quebec City. Uprooted, far from his loved ones, unable to speak French and faced with a completely alien world, he becomes despondent. When he refuses to eat and expresses a wish to die, his nurse, Carole, comes to the realization that Tivii's illness is not the most serious threat to his well-being. She arranges to have a young orphan, Kaki, transferred to the institution. The boy is also sick, but has experience with both worlds and speaks both languages. By sharing his culture with Kaki and opening it up to others, Tivii rediscovers his pride and energy. Ultimately he also rediscovers hope through a plan to adopt Kaki, bring him home and make him part of his family

Complex time shifting drama revolving about a violent senseless murder and young witness.