maria enders (juliette binoche) is an international film star and stage actress. she travels with a loyal young american assistant, valentine (kristen stewart). twenty years earlier, maria got her big break when she was cast and successfully performed as a young girl "sigrid" in both the play and film versions of "" by wilhelm melchior, a swiss playwright who is now elderly. the play centers on the tempestuous relationship between sigrid and "helena," a vulnerable older woman. helena commits suicide after sigrid takes advantage of her, and dumps her.