Piedmont, early twentieth century. The hope of a better life pushes Luigi Ughetto and his wife Cesira to cross the Alps and move with the whole family to France. The director, nephew of Luigi and Cesira, today retraces the family history in an affectionate dialogue with the family members, who have become puppets. This fresh and poetic tale of the painful and romantic life of emigrants of all times envelops the viewer in a step-by-step enchantment.

Alain Ughetto inherited from his father and grandfather a strong taste for DIY, clearly visible in his films and in the animation techniques he chooses to use. In 1985, Alain Resnais awarded him the César for best animated short film for La Boule. In 2013 he directed Jasmine, his first animated feature film. Manpower won the Jury Prize at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in June 2022.