One winter in an emergency shelter for the homeless in Lausanne. Every night, the same ritual plays out at the door to this unassuming basement: a dramatic dash for the entrance, a ruckus sometimes occasioning violent altercations. The watchmen have the difficult task of sorting people.

This humane vérité documentary is typical of Fernand Melgar’s socially conscious cinema. By depicting the institution of a homeless shelter and focusing on the people who work there or seek support within its walls, the film puts us face-to-face with a difficult reality with dynamism and honesty.