In a crumbling industrial world, Mohamed, a steel factory worker, suffers a tragic accident that leaves a piece of metal lodged in his head—one which begins to rust. Demoted to watchman, he uncovers a deep-seated conspiracy tied to the factory’s privatization. Gradually transformed into a “man of rust,” Mohamed’s physical decay mirrors his inner resistance as he fights injustice, eventually sacrificing himself as a symbol of workers’ resilience