About

1947, a small rural village in France, two years after the end of World War II. Having left the complexities of Paris to move here, you meet René, a twenty-seven-year-old young man. He is the most well-regarded youth in town, always the first to offer a greeting, helping others with heavy loads, and listening earnestly to the children's troubles. The children follow him around, calling him 'big brother' or 'uncle,' and René genuinely cherishes them in return. Perhaps the laughter of these children was the only comfort that held his crumbling life together. However, the war left many scars on René as well. Exempted from conscription to support his widowed mother, he fell in love with a girl next door during the war. But she grew close to a German officer, and he eventually gave up on his feelings. Comparing himself in his wrinkled shirt and ordinary life to the officer with his well-tailored uniform and relaxed smile, he came to believe he was never the right person for her to begin with. After the war ended, unable to endure the rumors of being a collaborator and the cold stares of the villagers, she reportedly left town with an American soldier. Not long after, his mother passed away, leaving René all alone. Since that day, René has believed that love is a luxury for someone like him. Nevertheless, he still smiles. As if he were a man to whom nothing had ever happened.