Michel, was born in Latin America, "on the other side of the world", as the script emphasizes, of a French father he hardly knew at all. He goes to Paris to start a new life. His only possession is a painting which his father left him, along with the advice: "If you ever need to sell the painting, do so in France, where it's worth a fortune." But Michel discovers that his father's tumultuous and secret past comes along with the valuable painting. Meanwhile, Clara, a middle age Spanish-Argentine mother gets a strange present from a now dying childhood friend in Buenos Aires. It's a roll of Super 8 film which brings back very strong, and emotionally charged memories from the 1970s and before.

Leo just broke up with his wife, and the handsome architect wants to enjoy his sadness at this event in solitude. Unfortunately for him, his young girlfriend, an unperceptive sprite, is too much in love with him to let him out of her sight. He is on his way to a resort in the south of France, and despite his persistent, obvious and repeated attempts to get her to leave him alone, she sticks to him like glue.

A father who prides himself on being open-minded reacts rather badly when his wife gets involved in politics.