Niki de Saint-Phalle, at 23 years of age, is a model and a budding actor. Along with her charming husband Harry and their two-year-old daughter Laura, they escape from the oppressive America of the McCarthy era and settle in France. However, they experience only fleeting happiness, as Niki's past refuses to leave her alone. Instead of living as a model and actress under the shimmering lights of Paris, Niki's mind is consumed with terrifying childhood memories. She is forced to seek psychiatric help where she turns to art. As Niki explores this new world, she begins to question the rules and conventions of art. Art becomes her salvation. The film presents to the audience Niki's personal and artistic journey, a life filled with struggles and personal victories. Niki's story impresses the viewers with the transformative power of art and the story of personal triumph.
The film was shot in historical and aesthetic locations in France.