September 3, 1914. German troops invade France. At dawn, Albéric Magnard, a famous french music composer, helps his wife and daughters to escape, escorted by his faithful friend, the musician Ropartz.

Magnard will not leave his manor. A long wait begins, filled with reminiscences. When the Germans mortally wound him and set fire to his manor, the characters of his opera Guercoeur come to life, like many memories blending with reality.

A film written by René Ballesteros.

1890, Panama. Yellow fever infects workers who kill each other. Mosquitoes are a scourge. The adventure of the construction of the Panama Canal is a shipwreck... In the midst of this debacle, Abel, a young French engineer and his wife Josephine are expecting a child.