A destitute man wanders the streets of Cap Haïtien, dreaming about his imaginary kingdom. He thinks he’s King Christophe, the New World’s first ruler, a former slave who went on to liberate Haiti in 1804.
Chased out of the city, King Chacha – as he is known – takes refuge in the grandiose ruins of the Sans Souci castle. He is accompanied by Thimothée, a young street urchin who he has taken under his wing.
The inhabitants of a neighboring village, who’ve been waiting for the sovereign’s return for many years, are caught up in his folly.
Within a few days, the kingdom springs to life again. The poverty-stricken populace revels in the pomp and splendor of a tinsel court. But all too soon, King Chacha proves to be an implacable tyrant.
Thimothée, repulsed by his protector’s transformation, plots his downfall.