Antoine Lisner, a successful filmmaker, returns to his birthplace of Algiers with his young son to present his new film: an account of his childhood in mid-20th century Algeria during the country's civil war.

As Antoine wanders through the city, childhood memories flood back – of school, friends, his Sephardic family, and the colourful mix of characters who surrounded them. He remembers discovering his passion for cinema, and of growing civil unrest that will change his beloved city forever. The National Liberation Front (FLN), demanding freedom for Algeria from French rule, turned protests into riots, and with the looming presence of civil war and antisemitism, his family was forced to leave it all behind.