A collector of old films acquires a rare film and suddenly goes blind while watching it. He calls his ex-girlfriend, police lieutenant Lucy Enebelle, asking for help, and Lucy plunges headlong into investigating the strange incident. What's hidden behind these black and white shots? And why are unknown people hunting for the tape? The search comes to a dead end, and Lucy, in turn, turns to Commissioner Charcot, an experienced analyst, for help. As the investigation progresses, the history of the film's creation acquires incredible details. It seems that the same secret is hidden in the slums of Cairo and the orphanage in Montreal... The book was also published under the title “Montreal Syndrome.”