Les Films de l'Espoir

When a famous American film director, Rudolph Grichenberg, comes to Paris to cast a Yiddish version of 'The Merchant of Venice,' Maurice Kurtz and his friends try out for the role of Shylock. Thinking he has finally been cast in an important film role after years of obscurity, Maurice rushes home to tell his beloved wife, Perla. Later, Maurice discovers the part has gone to a famous American star, but he must play the role of his life to be sure Perla, who has become very ill with cancer, doesn't find out.

After obtaining their Secondary School diplomas, some young people plan to continue their education but are not sure which area to choose.

After a young boy dies of meningitis, Napoko Diarrha (Yaméogo) is accused of eating his soul because of a local sexist tradition. While this happens, her husband feels disgraced that Diarrha resists the idea of marrying off their daughter, so he exactes his revenge by spreading a dangerous rumor that would probably get her killed. Because of this, Diarrha's fate falls into the village elder's hands. When she finds out she will go trial, she decides to flee to the nearest town, Ouagadougou, before that can take place. After successfully leaving her village, Diarrha's age causes her health to decline, while her daughter grows up. Some time later, her daughter decides to travel to Ouagadougou, in search of her missing mother. Once they are reconnected, they attempt to escape from their male-dominated society.

Summer is slowly drawing to a close. Jeanne, in her sixties, is abandoned on the side of the road with her suitcase. With nowhere else to go, Jeanne wanders through the landscapes that summer visitors leave behind, until she arrives at a deserted campsite where a white caravan sits enthroned. The caravan belongs to two brothers in their seventies, Émile and Louis, who were beginning to give in to boredom. Two men, one woman and autumn fast approaching.

A girl arrives at her audition ten minutes early. Finding it difficult to learn her lines, she approaches a man nearby for help.