Short Pants and Mine Carts

Short Pants and Mine Carts spans the years 1946 to 1967, somewhere in eastern France, tracing the transformation of a region shaped by immigration and postwar change. At its heart are Vladyslax Konczak—"Vlad"—the son of Polish immigrants, and Lisette Bianchi, the daughter of Italian immigrants. Endearing and strong-willed, they grow up with dreams of their own, but find themselves swept along by a society steeped in conventions—one that envies the success of others, restrains, and ultimately imposes its will.