The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish

The story unfolds in Paris, centered on a small apartment and a bustling restaurant where a pianist performs. The city serves as a backdrop for art, faith, and commerce colliding in Louis's pursuit of saints-made portraits. Key scenes move from intimate domestic spaces to public performances and a prison gate, underscoring the film's blend of daily life and theatrical illusion.

🎭 Identity & Performance

The film constantly tests who is performing whom. Louis pretends to be Zalman to cover for his friend, while the Pianist grapples with a burgeoning belief that he is Jesus. Posters and public appearances push characters to live in roles that may not match their inner selves. The line between authentic feeling and outward persona becomes increasingly blurred.

💘 Love & Obsession

A passionate but troubled romance threads through Sybil, Louis, and the Pianist. Jealousy, longing, and missed connections drive many choices, including misdirected meetings at prison gates and the gift of a watch. The story uses romantic misdirection to explore how desire can propel art, risk, and identity changes. Relationships are as much about power and dependence as attraction.

💼 Art & Commerce

Norbert's decision to drop John the Baptist for Jesus marks a shift toward profitability, turning sacred imagery into a commercial venture. Louis's photography becomes a vehicle for status, fame, and poster-ready iconography. The film probes how art is shaped by money, publicity, and the market's appetite for spectacle. Personal lives are caught in the crossfire of this commodified art world.

⚡ Fate & Coincidence

Chance events steer the plot—from who answers the door to who arrives at the prison gates under rainy skies. The Pianist's evolving self-image emerges through a series of fateful coincidences that reveal deeper truths. The story suggests that small, random moments can redirect lives in unexpected, irreversible ways. The ending ties together the randomness and the consequences of the characters' choices.