Fabien's father must go where the work is; he is an unskilled laborer, and work isn't always nearby. Fabien (Mathias Leny) grew up mostly in the south of France, but now he must move with his father to the colder climes of the north. There, his countrified southern ways make him the subject of ridicule even by his teachers, and as an outsider, he is a natural object for bullying by the boys. As a form of abuse, they call in "gypsy." It is evident that this is a form of racism. However, when he becomes friends with some actual gypsies, he discovers what racism is in far more depth.