A young scholar named Yangsheng who gets married to the beautiful daughter of a local merchant. When their sex life proves unsatisfactory, Yangsheng leaves home and journeys to the Pavilion of Ultimate Bliss.
Two Malian teenagers, Bah and Batrou, from different backgrounds, meet at secondary school. Bah is the descendent of a great tribal chieftain. Batrous father, a provincial military governor, represents the new ruling power. The two teenagers are part of a generation that rejects the established order and challenges the society in which they live.
The only surviving accomplice of a gas station robbery gone bad, Samba Traoré flees the scene with a suitcase full of cash. However, his newfound happiness is put to the test as he struggles to cope with the moral crisis of his crimes.