Import-Export

Import-Export

Year: 2005

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: Norwegian

Director: Khalid Hussain

ComedyDrama

Jan is in love with Jasmin, yet she has been promised to her Pakistani cousin. Using a thesis on immigrant shops as a pretext, Jan takes a position in Jasmin’s father’s store, hoping to influence the patriarch’s views on mixed‑marriage relationships and win his approval.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Import-Export yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Import-Export (2005)

Trace every key event in Import-Export (2005) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Olga's precarious start: poverty drives a second job

Olga, a Ukrainian mother from eastern Ukraine, struggles to support herself and her child with a nursing salary that barely covers basics. To make ends meet, she takes a second job in internet pornography, signaling the beginning of a desperate path. Her choices set the frame for a dramatic pursuit of economic security.

Eastern Ukraine
2

Olga moves to Vienna to work for a wealthy family

Olga leaves her homeland and travels to Vienna, Austria, seeking better opportunities. She is hired to be a housekeeper and ends up living in the family's home. The arrangement promises stability, but her status remains precarious.

Vienna, Austria
3

Fired after suspicion of theft

The wealthy family grows suspicious that Olga has stolen something and fires her from the job. She must quickly find new work and navigate a new city on her own. The dismissal marks a turn from domestic service to uncertain employment.

Wealthy family home, Vienna, Austria
4

Starts cleaner job at a geriatric hospital

Olga begins cleaning at a geriatric hospital in Vienna, adapting to a demanding and impersonal shift. There, she forms a relationship with an elderly man named Erich who is drawn to her. The hospital setting becomes the backdrop for a complicated plan for her future.

Geriatric hospital, Vienna, Austria
5

Erich asks Olga to marry for citizenship

Within the hospital milieu, Olga and Erich grow closer and he asks her to marry him to obtain Austrian citizenship. She weighs the proposal as a means to secure her future, not just love. Olga accepts, seeing it as a practical solution.

Geriatric hospital, Vienna, Austria
6

Erich dies before they wed

Tragedy strikes when Erich dies of a heart attack before they can marry. Olga is left with her plans upended and the uncertain path ahead. The loss intensifies the moral and practical stakes of her decisions.

Vienna, Austria
7

Pauli loses his security job after a confrontation

Pauli, a security guard in Vienna, clashes with a group of drunken Turks who cuff him and strip him. The hostile encounter results in the loss of his job and a dented sense of stability. With finances tightening, he slides deeper into trouble.

Shopping complex, Vienna, Austria
8

Girlfriend ends their relationship over his dog

Pauli's large dog, Caesar, creates tension with his girlfriend, who ends their relationship because of the dog. The breakup compounds his loneliness and financial strain. He finds himself more exposed to debt and pressure from others.

Vienna, Austria
9

Falls into debt to his stepfather Michael

Pauli ends up in debt to several people, including his stepfather Michael. The accumulating debts set the stage for a calculated move into a job abroad. Michael decides to involve him in a venture in Ukraine.

Vienna, Austria
10

Michael takes Pauli to Ukraine for gambling machines

Michael takes Pauli along on a job in Ukraine to set up video gambling machines. The trip marks a shift from domestic trouble to cross-border uncertainty. They travel through Košice, Slovakia, before entering Ukraine.

Ukraine (on route from Slovakia)
11

Košice stop; failed attempt to hire prostitute

On the way, they stop in Košice, Slovakia, in a poor Romani neighborhood. Pauli tries to hire a prostitute but cannot agree on a price with the Romani pimps, who chase him back to their van. The encounter leaves him rattled and closer to the edge of his circumstances.

Košice, Slovakia
12

Arrival in Uzhhorod; hotel stay and bar attempt

They arrive in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, rent a hotel room, and attempt to meet girls at a local bar. The effort signals a shift toward finding work and a place in this new country. The bar scene hints at the precarious social world he is entering.

Uzhhorod, Ukraine
13

Next day Pauli seeks work at a local market

The next day Pauli leaves Michael's company and searches for work at a local market, but is unable to find any employment. His search underscores the instability he faces in a foreign land. The episode leaves him with limited options and rising desperation.

Uzhhorod, Ukraine - local market
14

Final image: Pauli hitchhikes along a country road

The final image shows Pauli walking along a long country road, hitchhiking with uncertain prospects ahead. The scene leaves his direction ambiguous, suggesting a possibility of returning West or venturing deeper into Ukraine. The ending frames him as a man at a crossroads.

Country road (unknown location)

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:47

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Import-Export Summary

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Import-Export Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Import-Export

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Import-Export

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Import-Export Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Import-Export

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