That Obscure Object of Desire

The film is set in the late 1960s, a time of political unrest and social upheaval in Europe. Bombings and shootings by left-wing groups frame the atmosphere with fear and volatility. Fashion, travel, and cosmopolitan city life reflect a Europe navigating change and fragility in personal relationships. The memory-narration situates the events within a bygone era of grand romantic gestures and public spectacle.

The story traverses several European locales. Seville serves as Conchita’s origin in the flamenco world, while the pair’s relationship unfolds across a long train journey from Seville to Paris. Paris surfaces as a backdrop of urban life and public spaces, including a mall scene, before the mood shifts back toward Madrid at the end of the journey. The train itself becomes a moving stage where their volatile dynamic plays out in close quarters.

🔥 Obsession

A consuming fixation drives the plot and distorts judgment. Mathieu fixates on Conchita, intensifying jealousy and control while alternating between desire and disdain. Conchita’s unpredictable swerves keep him unbalanced, revealing how obsession can fuel manipulation and dependency. The cycle of pursuit and retaliation exposes the self-destructive nature of intoxicating love.

🎭 Desire & Deception

Desire operates as performance, with Conchita stringing Mathieu along through flirtation and ambiguity. The couple’s encounters are layered with deception, secrecy, and shifting identities, blurring what is real and what is imagined. Repeated separations and reconciliations highlight how seduction and secrecy fuel the relationship. The film uses theatricality to critique how longing can masquerade as intimacy.

🧭 Power

Power dynamics underpin the romance, with wealth and social status granting Mathieu influence while Conchita asserts autonomy through provocation. The imbalance exposes gendered expectations and control within a changing European society. Public settings and escalating tension magnify the fragility of control as events spiral toward tragedy. The narrative probes how power is negotiated, performed, and challenged in intimate bonds.