After quitting his Paris newspaper and leaving his wife Anne and their child, Paul, a journalist in his early thirties, retreats to a remote Andalusian village to stay with Antonio, an aging former communist he sees as a mentor. Hoping to rediscover meaning, Paul instead confronts an existential void-Antonio likens his crisis to that of "a man who has lost his shadow." Meanwhile, Anne sets out to find him, aided by Maria, Paul's former lover. As past and present relationships converge, Antonio's death leaves Paul without guidance, forcing him to confront his choices and responsibilities.