After his victory over the Ottomans, Othello, the Moorish general of the Venetian armies, secretly married an aristocrat, Desdemona. As for Iago, Othello's loyal officer, he is disappointed at not having received the promotion he had hoped for. His revenge takes the form of treacherous plots that lead Othello to believe Desdemona is unfaithful. Othello then literally descends into madness, precipitating the protagonists towards a tragic and bloody end.

Olivier Assayas, Gus Van Sant, Wes Craven and Alfonso Cuaron are among the 20 distinguished directors who contribute to this collection of 18 stories, each exploring a different aspect of Parisian life. The colourful characters in this drama include a pair of mimes, a husband trying to choose between his wife and his lover, and a married man who turns to a prostitute for advice.