It won the 1976 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film;[1] it was submitted to the Académie de Côte d'Ivoire, resulting in that country's sole Oscar.

The French colonists, consisting of a small group of settlers, have been living a tranquil and isolated life, completely oblivious to the raging World War I happening far away in Europe.

One day, a French soldier named Gabriel Fouquet (played by Jean Carmet) arrives at the outpost, bringing the news of the war.

Led by De Sorgue and Sergeant Bosselet (played by Jacques Spiesser), the motley crew of colonists embarks on a journey through the African wilderness, encountering various obstacles and challenges along the way.

Despite their bumbling and amateurish attempts at war, the French colonists manage to cause some disruption to the Germans, leading to a series of humorous and unexpected situations.