The film depicts the grueling daily routine of the miners. There are no high-tech drills or safety gear—only shovels, buckets, and brute strength. The men and the boy work in dangerous, cramped tunnels that are prone to collapse.

In his final moments, he has a vision: the walls of the mine shimmer with gold. He reaches out, triumphant—but it is an illusion. The "gold" is just a trick of light and exhaustion.

The film won several prestigious honors, including the Ariel Award for Best Fiction Short.