As a child, Amadou flees his native country Guinee to escape from the rebels. He ends up in the Netherlands and spends several years in a centre for asylum seekers, waiting for a decision on his asylum application to be taken. Meanwhile, he learns the language, goes to school and nearly graduates. Before he can actually graduate, however, the authorities decide to send Amadou back to Guinee. Together with four fellow-countrymen he is taken to the airport in a small van. The five foreigners whose asylum application has been rejected decide to put up a resistance against their expulsion. In view of the interests at stake, the authorities go to great lengths to deport the five men. This incident, based on true facts, leads to a night full of violence and intrigue that only produces losers.

In the course of four seasons we follow the process as Maurits mourns the death of his mother. His intensely sad father, a restorer of paintings, is not able to offer him any solace. Maurits denies his mother's death and withdraws to the flood plains of the river. There he meets Moniek. During their journey of discovery through the plains, their tender friendship turns into love. But Maurits anger and sorrow sometimes turn to extreme emotions and that frightens Moniek. A dead dog takes them over the top and Moniek never wants to see him again.