Radu Dima, a Gypsy turned scholar, returns to the village of his birth, Dallas. The settlement consisting of mere shacks is in a shocking, apocalyptic state and situated right next to a rubbish dump is stretched out along a valley, without any water, electricity or a sewage system. Everywhere there are hissing and whirling fumes. People are moving about like grey, faceless shapes atop this gigantic heap of rubbish that seems to be breathing with life. They collect paper, metal and glass. Ownership is an unknown concept here, and nobody has a private life. Everybody knows everything about everybody, and everybody pokes their nose into the other's business.
After his father's funeral, Radu just wants to get out of the place as quickly as he can. However, meeting the old faces and acquaintances whom he had fought to relagate to the past and forget is unavoidable. When Radu gets involved in a "car theft" case he has to come to terms with the fact that his plans to leave must be put off. With all his strength he tries to keep to his principles, but bit by bit they begin to fray away. He is forced to face his own suppressed passions and the fate of the villagers.