Jean-Luc Godard directs this allegorical cine-essay meditating on the history, culture, philosophy and economics of modern Europe. Described by Godard as 'a symphony in three movements', the film opens with a depiction of Europe as a luxury cruise ship in the Mediterranean sea, peopled with passengers of many countries, backgrounds and languages. The second segment, set in France, unfolds as a family drama in which two children summon their parents to a 'tribunal of their childhood', demanding answers on the themes of liberty, equality, and fraternity. The third section traces an abstract and non-chronological history of the West, taking in the Mediterranean territories of Egypt, Palestine, Odessa, Hellas, Naples, and Barcelona through a montage of film clips, images and music.