The Tenant

In the shadow of a Parisian apartment building at 39 Rue de Calais, where tragedy had previously unfolded in the most devastating way possible, Trelkovsky (no stranger to quiet contemplation) finds himself renting an apartment once occupied by Egyptologist Simone Choule. Her desperate attempt to escape life through self-inflicted harm still lingered as a haunting presence, its cause unknown and shrouded in mystery. As Trelkovsky begins his new life, he meets the concierge, who guides him through the space, including the spot where Simone's anguish culminated in a gruesome act of self-destruction.

Before officially moving in, Trelkovsky visits Simone at the hospital, only to find her wrapped in bandages, unable to communicate. His compassion is palpable as he meets Stella, Simone's friend, who arrives to pay her respects. Stella's emotional turmoil is contagious, and she turns to Simone with a heart-wrenching cry. As Trelkovsky attempts to console her, he finds himself caught up in the illusion that he knew Simone personally, rather than being a sympathetic stranger. Their conversation eventually dissolves into tender moments outside a cinema, where they find solace in each other's company.

As Trelkovsky settles into his new home, he faces relentless criticism from his neighbors and landlord, Monsieur Zy, for hosting gatherings with friends, seemingly having a female companion, making excessive noise, and not joining the chorus of discontent against another tenant. His attempts to adapt are constantly thwarted by the apartment's dark energies and the peculiarities of its inhabitants. He becomes increasingly unsettled by the sight of his neighbors frozen in place within their own bathroom (a spectacle he can witness from his own window), as well as a mysterious hole in the wall, which contains a human tooth. His friends dismiss his concerns, implying that he should stand up to those around him.

Trelkovsky seeks solace in the company of a work colleague who regales him with the sounds of a marching band at ear-shattering decibels. A neighbor politely asks them to keep the noise down, as their wife is struggling with illness and desperate for rest. Though Trelkovsky complies, his friend responds by asserting his right to play his music as loudly as he pleases, demonstrating a callous disregard for the well-being of those around him.

As Trelkovsky's life begins to unravel, a mysterious figure from Simone's past, Georges Badar (played by), pays him a visit, revealing a deep-seated passion for the deceased. The two spend a night out together, with Badar sharing a postcard he had sent to Simone before her passing. This poignant encounter sparks Trelkovsky's curiosity about the woman who once occupied his apartment, and he finds himself frequenting the same café she used to visit.

However, this newfound fascination is soon overshadowed by the unsettling reality of his daily life. A series of misfortunes unfolds, commencing with a break-in at his apartment, which is met with indifference from the authorities. As Trelkovsky's frustration grows, so does his paranoia, fueled by the constant ridicule and disdain he receives from his neighbors and concierge.

As he struggles to cope with the trauma, Trelkovsky begins to experience vivid, disturbing hallucinations - a human head being used as a football, hieroglyphics covering the toilet bowl, and an unblinking gaze fixed on him through binoculars. His grip on reality falters further when he becomes convinced that his friends are part of a sinister plot to transform him into Simone's tragic doppelganger.

In desperation, Trelkovsky turns to Stella for comfort, but even this fleeting respite is short-lived. After she departs for work, he succumbs to his suspicions and descends into chaos, vandalizing and burgling her apartment before fleeing the scene. As the darkness closes in around him, Trelkovsky's sense of self disintegrates, leaving only a fractured, paranoid individual in its wake.

As night descends, Trelkovsky's already fragile psyche takes a devastating hit when an elderly couple, mistaken for his landlords Zy and wife, strikes him with their vehicle. Although his physical wounds are minor, the emotional trauma is profound, prompting the doctor to administer a sedative injection due to his increasingly erratic behavior. In this altered state, Trelkovsky becomes convinced that the unsuspecting duo is plotting against him, and he reacts with paranoid fervor.

As his delusions take hold, Trelkovsky dons a flamboyant disguise, transforming into a woman as if channeling the avant-garde artist Simone Choule. With reckless abandon, he launches himself out of his apartment window, convinced that his neighbors are cheering him on like a rowdy audience. The ill-fated attempt at self-immolation finally awakens his somnambulant neighbors, who rush to summon the authorities and restrain Trelkovsky.

Undeterred by the chaos he's unleashed, Trelkovsky makes a break for his apartment, only to repeat his suicidal leap mere moments after the police arrive on the scene. The cycle of despair continues unabated, with Trelkovsky's mental state teetering on the brink of collapse.

In a surreal coda, Trelkovsky finds himself in a hospital bed, his injuries treated but his sanity still reeling from the turmoil he's endured. As he gazes upon the bandaged remnants of his own body, memories of his ill-fated visit to Simone Choule's grave with Stella flood back, mingling with his present-day anguish. And then, in a grotesque echo of Simone's iconic scream, Trelkovsky unleashes a monstrous wail that shatters the fragile peace, leaving him forever lost in the abyss of his own madness.