本片记录了西部非洲的乡下青年到城市打工的经历。许多尼日利亚青年离开位于内陆的家乡来到沿海国家象牙海岸打工，许多人在首都阿比让的平民区落脚。本片主人公是一位仿照美国电影明星取名爱德华·罗宾逊的年轻人，他在摄影机前讲述自己及其同伴的故事。The film depicts an ordinary week in the lives of men and women from Niger who have migrated to Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire for work. After a short introduction by Rouch, "Edward G. Robinson"-Omarou Ganda, who like the film's other subject-collaborators plays himself under the name of a Western movie star-takes over the film's narration, recreating dialogue and providing freewheeling commentary on his experiences.