In a large mansion outside of Geneva, Sofia, a 28-year-old undocumented Mexican, starts her new job as a maid for Georgette, a 66-year-old retired company owner. Defiant by nature, Sofia tries her best to fit in; however, she becomes increasingly upset with her employer’s degrading manner.

Pushed to her limits, she seeks revenge by mixing poisonous plants into Madame’s breakfast omelette. Georgette gets sick, though only for one day. Things improve for a while, but soon Sofia is forced to retaliate once more. This time she gets busted. Instead of calling the police, Madame requests Sofia to prepare a lethal dose in exchange for a large sum of money.

Sofia is torn. She tentatively accepts the proposal, while secretly planning to run away as soon as the money has been wired into her account. She is on the verge of leaving, when she realizes how close the two have become.

Sofia returns to mix the poison and stays with Madame until she dies. Sofia travels home, a rich and changed woman.

As we both come from Swiss working-class backgrounds, Madame allows us to enter two worlds that we are not familiar with, so as to explore dynamics of power, mistrust and the possibility of connection between two women from opposite socio-economic stratospheres.

Centering around a heroine who is not willing to accept her own helplessness in the face of humiliation, we wish to write about the incredible force injustice has in fuelling the need to use whatever means necessary to change your destiny. In the end, a longing for connection holds Sofia back from truly surrendering to her darkest desires. A longing she shares with her antagonist.

Even when they both act cruelly in their own way, we want to evoke feelings of hope and empathy, ultimately leading up to that moment when Sofia is able to see past the power play, allowing them to connect for a short moment.

We envision a quiet film, which is both cold and cruel, but also fragile and sensual, leaving the viewer with mixed emotions.