Paradis Paris

What makes life worth living? In a set of interconnected stories, several Paris residents see their lives turned upside down when death knocks at their door: a narcissistic Italian opera singer wakes up at the morgue only to realise her own passing came unnoticed; a British stuntman finds himself questioning his own profession when his son suffers an accident; an eccentric elderly Colombian woman makes a pact with death itself... While each character strives to reconnect with what matters most, the city of light, love and endless possibility shines brighter than ever.

The struggles of a small business owner come to light in this film by director André Cayatte. The proprietor of a fabric shop, M. Baudu faces stiff competition when a department store moves in across the street, the first of its kind in 1860s Paris. On top of the stresses associated with the rival retailer, Baudu’s niece and two nephews take up residence with him after recently being orphaned. The niece, Denise Baudu, sees the writing on the wall for her uncle’s business so she takes a job as a shop girl with his competitor and despite her success the decision does not register well with the family.