France 1942: police raids in Paris target German refugees. Those who can, escape south, ahead of the occupying army moving into Vichy territory. In a bar, two Germans haggle over the price of a ‘favour’, delivering letters to a famous leftwing German writer, who one of the men – Georg – has never heard of. Offered a seat in a car leaving for Marseilles, Georg accepts, and steps outside into modern-day Paris.
In Marseilles – with modern buildings, cars and dress – Georg meets a youngster kicking a football, and plays goalkeeper. The boy and his mother, of North African origin, are similarly fearful of ‘the fascists’ and their ‘cleansing’ and ‘camps’.
