Arak el-Balah plot
From the barren desert landscape, a bizarre caravan moves through a small oasis village in Upper Egypt, where palm trees provide shade from the blazing sun. The leader of the caravan talks to the villagers about distant lands full of treasure. All the men join the caravan, except young Achmed, who has his own dream: to climb the tallest palm of his oasis village. Inside is a palm wine, a veritable elixir of life that could make Achmed's grandfather, now paralyzed and dumb, better. The women of the village, the beautiful Salma leading the way, are slowly beginning to see Achmed as the man of the village. Achmed does not feel comfortable in this role, but is nevertheless drawn into what he sees as the sensual, dark, everyday life of the women. Meanwhile, the migrants send letters home, full of complaints of bitter humiliation. When a trio of men return, they find that Achmed has grown up and is affecting the entire village.