Caché

Anne and Georges Laurent discover a videotape hidden on their property that shows hours of footage of their own residence. They immediately realize they are under surveillance, but the footage reveals nothing about who is watching or why. They debate whether the prank comes from friends of their 12-year-old son Pierrot or from fans of Georges's literary television show.

A second tape arrives, accompanied by a childlike drawing of a person with blood streaming from the mouth. More drawings are mailed to Georges's workplace and Pierrot's school, amplifying the sense that someone is targeting different aspects of their lives. The couple grows increasingly unsettled as the mystery deepens.

Disturbed, the Laurents turn to the police, hoping for help. The police dismiss the tapes and drawings as not constituting criminal activity, offering little guidance. The uncertainty and fear persist as they search for meaning behind the intrusion.

During a dinner party at the Laurents' home, a new tape arrives, this time with a drawing of a chicken bleeding at the neck. Georges plays the tape, which shows the estate where he grew up, while Anne reveals the ongoing intrusion to their guests. The atmosphere tightens with the revelation that the tapes are connected to Georges's past.

Georges begins to have vivid dreams about Majid, the boy who lived on the family estate decades earlier. Majid's Algerian parents worked on the estate but disappeared during the 1961 Paris massacre, and Georges's parents had intended to adopt him, a plan that never materialized. The dreams blur memory and reality as Georges starts to suspect a deeper link to the tapes.

Suspecting Majid might be involved, Georges visits Majid's ailing mother to probe for clues, but she surprisingly claims not to remember Majid well. The exchange heightens Georges's suspicions and leaves him with more questions than answers. The visit underscores the fragility of family memories and the past's reach into the present.

The next tape shows a low-income housing apartment, reinforcing Georges's growing belief that Majid may be involved. He tells Anne he has a suspect in mind but refuses to name him yet, fueling her sense of betrayal and mistrust. The couple's partnership strains under the weight of secrets and fear.

Following the clues in the tape, Georges locates Majid's apartment off Avenue Lenin in Romainville. Majid denies knowledge of the tapes or drawings, but Georges's confrontation is captured by a hidden camera. After Georges leaves, Majid breaks down crying, and the encounter's footage is sent to Anne and Georges's employer.

Georges reveals that, when he was six, he lied about Majid to sabotage a plan to adopt him, and Majid was sent away. He realises his childhood deception may have set in motion the chain of events observed as adults. The revelation deepens the couple's rift as they confront the consequences of past lies.

When Pierrot vanishes, the Laurents panic and call the police. The police search Majid's apartment and arrest Majid and Majid's son, though they deny involvement in any kidnapping. The arrests intensify the fear and push the family toward a breaking point.

Pierrot reappears after spending time with friends and hints to Anne that she is too close to Pierre, a family friend. The comment exposes strains in the Laurents' social circle and signals that trust has been eroded by the surrounding fear. The family dynamics remain fragile as the investigation continues.

Majid calls Georges to return to the apartment and is waiting there when Georges arrives. Majid denies sending the tapes but then kills himself by slashing his throat as Georges arrives. The suicide reframes the entire mystery and forces Georges to confront his own past actions.

Georges confesses to Anne that as a boy he lied about Majid coughing up blood and manipulated Majid into harming the family's rooster. The police later confirm Majid's death as a suicide. The revelation lays bare the long-term consequences of Georges's lies.

Majid's son appears at Georges's workplace to confront him about the tapes and his father's death. Georges threatens him to stop surveillance, but the son insists he was not involved and simply wanted to understand how Georges feels about being responsible for a death. The encounter marks a bitter confrontation with the past.

In the film's closing moments, Majid's son speaks with Pierrot after school, suggesting the cycle of suspicion and tragedy continues into the next generation. The closing image hints at unresolved guilt and the enduring impact of memory on the present.