After dumped by his girlfriend, 40-year-old anthropologist, Adi starts to conduct research for his Ph.D. thesis on manele music in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Bucharest - Ferentari. While living in the Romanian capital, Adi crosses paths with Alberto, a short, outspoken ex-con physicist who promises to introduce Adi to singers. The two men end up spending a lot of time together in hopes of finding a way out of poverty. However, the bond they create is much stronger than money – Adi and Alberto discover affection and tenderness.