A Bigger World (2019) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A grieving sound recordist explores shamanic practices while struggling to distinguish spiritual hope from the consequences of grief.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

An Assignment Beyond Grief

After her husband's death, Corine struggles to work until Louise offers her a documentary field assignment. Corine travels to Mongolia and enters a shamanic community with Naraa's guidance.

Key Events

• Grieving After Paul — After losing her husband, Corine struggles to work as a sound recordist. Characters: Corine Location: Unspecified
• Louise Offers an Assignment — Louise offers Corine a field assignment collecting prayers, songs, and local music. Characters: Louise, Corine Location: Unspecified
• Journey to Mongolia — Corine chooses a remote destination and travels to Mongolia for the documentary assignment. Characters: Corine Location: Mongolia
• Naraa Becomes Her Guide — Naraa guides Corine and introduces her to the local shamanic community. Characters: Naraa, Corine Location: Mongolia
• Learning About Offerings — Corine learns about offerings to spirits and is told to use both hands. Characters: Naraa, Corine Location: Mongolia

The Trance and Its Aftermath

Corine learns about offerings and spirits, then experiences a frightening trance during a drum-led ceremony. Back home, unusual sounds and a medical evaluation leave her caught between a clinical explanation and her hope of reaching her late husband.

Key Events

• Learning About Offerings — Corine learns about offerings to spirits and is told to use both hands. Characters: Naraa, Corine Location: Mongolia
• A Spirit May Watch Over Her — Corine hears that shamans communicate with the dead and that a spirit, perhaps her late husband, may watch over her. Characters: Corine Location: Mongolia
• The Drum-Led Trance — During a ceremony, Corine loses control and experiences a frightening trance. Characters: Corine Location: Mongolia
• A Possible Shamanic Gift — Corine is told that her experience may indicate a shamanic gift. Characters: Corine Location: Mongolia
• Sounds After Returning Home — Back home, Corine hears sounds that other people cannot hear and undergoes a medical evaluation. Characters: Corine Location: Paris
• Diagnosis and Refusal — The tests are normal, but a doctor attributes the episode to grief and prescribes medication, which Corine refuses. Characters: Corine Location: Paris

A Return Against Advice

Louise challenges Corine's decision to return to Mongolia, while Corine continues learning and training. Louise shares troubling news about her lung, adding a personal turn to their strained conversation.

Key Events

• Louise Challenges Her Plan — Louise worries about Corine and argues with her over her wish to return to Mongolia to contact her late husband. Characters: Louise, Corine Location: Paris
• Training and Louise's News — Corine continues learning Mongolian and training; Louise later shares news of a spot on her lung and an upcoming operation. Characters: Louise, Corine Location: Unspecified

Doubt in the Shamanic Community

Back in Mongolia, Corine is frustrated by her stalled training and loses her husband's ashes. She is told to stop searching, then discovers that a tourist ceremony is not genuine, shaking her trust.

Key Events

• Returning to Mongolia — Corine returns to Mongolia, frustrated that her training has not advanced as she expected. Characters: Corine Location: Mongolia
• Told to Stop Searching — After losing her husband's ashes, Corine is told to stop searching for him and leave him in peace. Characters: Corine Location: Mongolia
• A Tourist Ceremony Revealed — Corine discovers that a ceremony for tourists is a pretense, with recipes recited instead of sacred songs. Characters: Corine Location: Mongolia

Preparing for an Unshown Ceremony

Corine continues preparing with a Jew's harp and a drum despite her doubts. She opens up about her life with Paul as an important ceremony approaches, but the provided plot ends before its outcome is revealed.

Key Events

• Preparing with Music — Despite shaken trust, Corine continues preparing, learns the Jew's harp, and receives a drum. Characters: Corine Location: Mongolia
• Opening Up About Paul — As an important ceremony approaches, Corine recounts her years traveling with Paul, his illness, and their promise to meet again. Characters: Corine Location: Mongolia

Story Breakdown

• Grief and Assignment — Corine's loss disrupts her work, and Louise offers her a documentary assignment that takes her to Mongolia.
  • Work After Loss — Corine struggles to continue working as a sound recordist after her husband's death.
  • Field Assignment — Louise offers Corine work gathering prayers, songs, and local music for a spirituality documentary.
• Arrival in Mongolia — Corine travels to Mongolia and relies on Naraa to enter the local community.
  • Remote Destination — Corine chooses a remote location for the assignment and travels there.
  • Naraa's Guidance — Naraa guides Corine and introduces her to the shamanic community.
• Spirits and Ceremony — Corine learns about offerings and spirits, then experiences a powerful trance during a ceremony.
  • Making Offerings — Corine learns that offerings should be made with both hands.
  • Drum-Led Trance — Corine loses control during a ceremony and is told she may have a shamanic gift.
• Medical Doubt — Back home, Corine's experiences lead to medical evaluation and conflict over how to understand her grief.
  • Unheard Sounds — Corine hears sounds that other people cannot hear after returning home.
  • Refusing Medication — A doctor attributes the episode to grief and prescribes medication, but Corine refuses it.
• Louise's Concern — Louise fears for Corine's well-being, while their friendship is tested by Corine's plans and Louise's health news.
  • Argument Over Mongolia — Louise challenges Corine's wish to return to Mongolia to contact her late husband.
  • News About Louise — Louise tells Corine that doctors found a spot on her lung and that she needs an operation.
• Returning and Searching — Corine returns to Mongolia but faces disappointment in her training and is told to stop searching for her husband.
  • Stalled Training — Corine becomes frustrated that her training has not progressed as she expected.
  • Lost Ashes — After losing her husband's ashes, Corine is urged to leave him in peace.
• Trust and Preparation — A sham ceremony shakes Corine's trust, but she continues preparing for an important ceremony.
  • Tourist Performance — Corine discovers that a ceremony for tourists is a pretense and that recipes are recited instead of sacred songs.
  • Musical Training — Corine learns to use a Jew's harp and receives a drum as she prepares.
• Remembering Paul — As a ceremony approaches, Corine shares the history of her relationship with Paul, but the supplied plot does not reveal what follows.
  • Years of Travel — Corine describes the years she and Paul spent traveling together and his illness.
  • Promise to Reunite — Corine recalls their promise to see each other again; the account ends before the ceremony's outcome.

Directed by

Fabienne Berthaud

Key Cast

• Cécile de France — Corine
• Arieh Worthalter — Marc
• Tserendarizav Dashnyam — Oyun
• Ludivine Sagnier — Louise
• Narantsetseg Dash — Naraa