愉快地看透了一切的摄影师安托万只有一个朋友马泰奥，他是经常不在的邻居年幼的儿子，马泰奥受到了安托万荒诞随意的教育。一天清晨，对面楼里传来的钢琴声吸引了安托万的注意。此时，他还不知道，弹琴的艾琳娜，这位理想主义且豪无妥协思想的学生，将改变其生活，并最终让他在地球上找到一个位置......

The grueling, emotionally torturous world of French preparatory schools provides the framework for this mystery. The deliberately rigorous courses are designed to prepare students to take the brutal examinations for entry into the elite Grand Ecoles, where a select few will gain the skills and education needed to insure a bright, prosperous future for themselves. The story centers on Delphine, a girl from the lower classes, and the upper class Claude. Both young women aspire to attend the Ecole Normale Superieure on the Rue d'Ulm. Delphine lives in humble public housing with her dull mother and two young brothers while Claude, who considers herself a Communist, lives in luxury with her own servant; she is sexually involved with fellow- student, Axel, who thinks himself a fascist.