An actress is preparing for the role of the famous French singer Barbara. She carefully studies the character, gestures, manners, and intonations. She learns the music scores, mimics her facial expression, but, as she does and more and more of it, she gradually merges with the character. The director is also preparing to shoot the film: he studies archival footage and painstakingly selects the music. He is inspired and even possessed - but with Barbara or with her new incarnation?