Vincent, an honest worker, deals unwittingly a counterfeit 500 francs note. The real guilty parties report him and he ends up in prison. When he comes out, he finds himself alone. His daughter is dead and his wife left him. He is hosted by an old lady, but he ends up killing her and the others guests and then surrenders to the police. Inspired by L. Tolstoj's short story "The forged coupon", Bresson's last film is based on the "avalanche principle": " A small crime causes a whirling avalanche driven by Evil which will stop only when Good prevails. Awarded with the Director's Prize at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival together with Nostalghia by A. Tarkovsky.