Belgian 17-year-old Rosetta (Émilie Dequenne) lives in a dilapidated trailer that has no running water, with only her indigent and alcoholic mother (Anne Yernaux) for company. After losing her job at a food processing plant, the teen struggles to find work in a bid to avoid falling into the same traps as her mother, but is rebuffed at every turn. Only Riquet (Fabrizio Rongione), who works at a nearby waffle stand, seems to care for Rosetta, but even that budding friendship has a price.