The film centers on a Dominican monk named Jérôme (played by one actor in colour and another actor in black-and-white) and his interactions with various higher-ups within the French Catholic Church. Ruiz's intention was to reflect the ideological arguments that plagued Latin American left-wing political parties.

At the turn of the century, an unusual woman refuses to become an object to be desired or played with. Instead she wants to succeed on the stage of politics in the Third Republic.