Passion

Jerzy undertakes the filming of the tableaux vivants in a Swiss studio while his producer László grows impatient. The film struggles to find a through-line, and Jerzy clusters around the vague idea of lighting and visual tableaux. The atmosphere is tense as the crew waits for a story to emerge.

Jerzy keeps canceling shoots, citing difficulties with lighting. László frets over the lack of narrative momentum while the crew endures delays. The constant interruptions begin to frustrate everyone on set.

Isabelle loses her job at the factory, which sets her on a path to organize her fellow workers for a strike. Her efforts are driven by a sense of collective dignity rather than personal gain. She also becomes a figure who seeks meaning by connecting with Jerzy and the film crew.

Jerzy grows closer to Hanna, the German motel owner, and they share test footage that they review together. They discuss the intersection of love and work as the relationship develops. Their bond becomes a counterpoint to the on-set tensions.

The production team recruits factory workers to act as extras for Jerzy's tableaux. The recruitment blurs the line between the on-screen worlds and real labor, adding social tension to the shoot. This influx worsens the challenge of managing the cast and the rhythm of filming.

Jerzy struggles to maintain order as a growing, unruly crowd of extras disrupts shooting. He improvises around the chaos while the crew negotiates with the workers. The sense that the film is becoming more about labor than art grows clearer.

Isabelle asks why films rarely show people working and urges Jerzy to connect her cause with the project. She seeks meaningful relationships with the crew, not just romantic involvement with Jerzy. The dynamic between love, labor, and cinema deepens on the set.

Jerzy and Isabelle share an intimate moment, and Isabelle gives up her virginity. The scene marks a personal milestone amid the complicated relationships on set. Afterwards, she accepts a payoff from Michel, signaling the strain between personal desire and political/financial pressures.

Isabelle accepts a payoff from Michel, and the workers abandon their half-hearted attempt at a strike. The absence of solidarity clears the path for continued production but under a heavier social weight. László presses for more funding amid a changing political atmosphere.

László negotiates additional funding for the project, keeping the production alive despite the turmoil. Jerzy feels pulled by the wider political currents in Poland and his family, creating a tug between cinema and home. The financial boost does not resolve the internal conflicts on the set.

Unable to complete the film as planned, Jerzy departs for Poland with a motel waitress, rather than his original leads. He seeks connection with his homeland amid the lure of Solidarity and family ties. The departure marks a turning point away from the set and its inhabitants.

Isabelle and Hanna form a bond and decide to go to Poland together. Their shared disillusionment with their current lives propels them toward a new future beyond the Swiss studio. The ending suggests a movement toward cross-cultural solidarity and personal reinvention.