Plot Summary

France, 1981: After the election of the socialist François Mitterrand as president, the country is in a frenzy of joy. Mikhaël Hers' film "Passengers of the Night" takes viewers back to this era of upheaval with original footage from the 1980s. However, the political changes only form the backdrop for the observation of relationships within a family that, like the country itself, is in a phase of change. At the center is Elisabeth, the mother. Newly divorced and just recovered from breast cancer surgery, she lives with her two children in a high-rise flat in Paris - and is urgently looking for work. Plagued by insomnia, she becomes an avid listener to star presenter Vanda Dorval's talk radio program "Passengers of the Night". At some point, she gets up the courage to apply for a job on the program - and lands a job as a telephone operator. It is her job to filter the late-night calls and decide who is put through to the presenter with their concerns and who is not. When Elisabeth meets the runaway and drug addict Talulah during a program, she takes the 18-year-old woman into her home without further ado. The unexpected flatmate not only changes the family structure - Talulah breaks Elisabeth's son's heart. Meanwhile, Elisabeth continues to develop in her job, which becomes increasingly important to her. Over time, she gains the trust of the team and even takes over the microphone in Vanda's absence. Seven years later, at a time of parting, when the children are moving out and Elisabeth is looking for new accommodation, Talulah suddenly reappears.—Arte