The shadow behind the door

Recently widowed Camille wants to make a fresh start and decides to leave Paris with her adopted daughter Léa, who arrived from Vietnam shortly before the death of Camille's husband. They quickly make friends with their new neighbors, Jacques and Louise Lerner, an elderly couple.

However, strange events soon occur that will put the young woman's nerves to the test. One night, as she falls asleep on the sofa after putting Lea to bed, Camille is awakened by a thud from outside. Thinking at first of a stray animal, she went to the window and saw a fleeting silhouette in her garden. In the days that follow, she discovers objects being moved around the house and strange drawings scrawled in chalk on the low wall bordering their property.

Caring but secretive, Jacques and Louise begin to act in unusual ways. Jacques, usually talkative, becomes evasive when she tells him about the events. Louise, for her part, seems preoccupied, half-confessing to him that “it's better not to delve too deeply into this house's past”. Camille, torn between her desire for rationality and a growing fear, decides to investigate.

Meanwhile, Léa, who had been acclimatizing well to their new life, begins to have terrifying nightmares. She tells Camille about a “woman in black” who comes to see her at night, repeating the same words over and over in a language Léa doesn't understand. At first, Camille blames this on her daughter's overactive imagination, until one day she hears an eerie whisper in Léa's room.

Undaunted, Camille begins to search for answers, unaware of the long-buried secrets her investigation may awaken.

As Camille continues her search, she discovers that the house she has bought once belonged to a family of Vietnamese origin, the Tran, who mysteriously disappeared some thirty years ago. Intrigued, she goes to the municipal archives and finds newspaper articles recounting disturbing incidents that occurred in the area at the time: unexplained disappearances, testimonies of spectral apparitions, and a persistent rumor about a “curse” linked to an old jade statuette.

This statuette, mentioned in several testimonials, had been brought back from Vietnam by a member of the Tran family. Camille is shocked to recognize the description of this object: she had seen a similar statuette in a forgotten box in the attic shortly after moving in, but had paid no attention to it. This revelation troubles her deeply, and she decides to confront Jacques and Louise, convinced that they know more than they're letting on.

The Lerners reluctantly admit to her that they were close to the Trans and had witnessed strange phenomena at the time. Jacques firmly advises Camille to get rid of the statuette, but Louise, more hesitant, warns Camille that disposing of it without knowing the proper rituals could make the situation worse.

Back home, Camille discovers that Léa is nowhere to be found. In a panic, she searches the house and garden, calling loudly for her daughter. Finally, she finds her in the attic, sitting cross-legged in front of the statuette, eyes wide open and staring. The voice

A strange, guttural voice emanated from the little girl, repeating an incomprehensible phrase over and over. Camille, horrified but determined, knows she must act quickly. The mystery of the statuette and its link to Lea and the house must be solved, even if it means facing forces she never imagined existed.

Trembling, Camille approaches Léa, calling her name softly. But the little girl doesn't react, as if in a trance. Suddenly, an icy gust sweeps through the attic, rattling the shutters and flickering the light from the lamp in her hand. A visceral fear grips her, but maternal instinct compels her to act. She reaches out to her daughter and gives her a gentle shake, finally breaking the strange state she was in.

Léa blinks and starts to cry, clutching her mother with all her might. Between sobs, she whispers, “She doesn't want us to leave. She says this is her home.” Camille, though distraught, tries to reassure her. She hurried downstairs with Léa in her arms, leaving the statuette behind. That night, the young woman barricaded the attic door and decided to contact an expert in paranormal phenomena.

The next day, she called on Monsieur Duval, a former priest who had become a specialist in supernatural manifestations. Listening to Camille's account, he seems particularly concerned about the role of the statuette. He explains that certain ritual objects, if moved or handled carelessly, can become anchor points for tormented spirits.

When he climbs into the attic to inspect the statuette, he immediately notices subtle engravings on its base, inscriptions in old Sino-Vietnamese. After a long silence, he turns to Camille and gravely declares: “It's not just a spirit. You've awakened something ancient and powerful.”

Despite Monsieur Duval's precautions, the following night is marked by terrifying events: shadows gliding on the walls, whispers impossible to locate, and this oppressive presence that seems to intensify around Léa. Camille realizes that the statuette is just one piece of the puzzle. If she is to protect her daughter, she will have to delve into the Trans' tragic history and discover the truth about the curse that haunts their home.

Determined to find out more, Camille decides to track down any descendants or relatives of the Trans, hoping to lift the veil on this mystery. After many hours of searching, she manages to locate an elderly woman living an hour's drive away, Madame Minh, who is said to have been a friend of the Tran family. Camille contacted her and paid her a visit, taking with her a photo of the statuette.

As soon as Madame Ming lays eyes on the image, her face breaks down. She murmurs, “The Lady of the Shadow... I thought that story was buried.” At Camille's insistence, she finally tells what she knows. According to the old woman, the statuette represents a vengeful deity, once invoked to protect a family in peril. But when the Tran family tried to leave Vietnam with the statuette, they broke a sacred pact. Since then, the divinity has turned against them, transformed into a force of anger and curse.

Madame Minh warns Camille: “The curse has no borders. It won't stop until the reconciliation ritual is performed. But this rite is harmful and requires great self-sacrifice.”

Back home, Camille finds Monsieur Duval waiting for her with bad news. He has translated the inscriptions on the statuette: they describe a complex ceremony involving a direct link with the spirit. But before they can talk further, a heart-rending scream echoes through the house. Camille rushes in and finds Lea in her room, clinging to the ceiling by some invisible force, her eyes wide. The air turns frigid, and a guttural voice echoes through the room: “Give me back what's mine!”

Monsieur Duval intervenes, reciting prayers and dispersing a sacred powder that frees Lea from the supernatural embrace. But it's clear that the spirit is becoming increasingly aggressive. Camille realizes she has no choice but to return to Vietnam, to the source of the curse, and finish what was started decades before.

Camille, Léa and Monsieur Duval embark on this perilous journey, guided by Madame Minh's instructions. After much research, they locate an ancient Vietnamese village where the statuette was created and where the curse took root. The village is remote, surrounded by mountains and dense forests, and its inhabitants seem suspicious, as if they know what binds them to this cursed object.

They meet an ancient monk, Master Bao, guardian of the local spiritual traditions, who agrees to help them. According to him, the only way to restore balance is to return the statuette to an abandoned shrine in the jungle, where it had been consecrated. A ceremony must be performed, with Lea as an essential participant, as the spirit seems to have established a deep bond with her.

Although terrified of putting Lea in danger, Camille accepts, seeing this as their only chance. Together, they embark on an expedition through the jungle, facing not only natural dangers, but also increasingly intense manifestations of the spirit: sudden storms, sinister whispers, and fleeting apparitions of the “woman in black”. Lea, though, showed unexpected courage, telling her mother, “I know she doesn't really want to hurt me. She's just angry.”

Deep in the jungle, they finally reach the sanctuary, an ancient, overgrown structure imbued with a mystical aura. Master Bao begins the ceremony, calling on the spirit to manifest itself. The statuette trembles, then suddenly shatters into a thousand pieces, releasing an ethereal figure: a woman with gentle but sad features. Lea gently approaches the apparition and whispers soothing words, as if guided by an inner force. The spirit seems to calm down, leaning towards the little girl as if to offer her a blessing before disappearing in a burst of light.

The jungle falls silent again. Camille and Léa feel an incredible lightness come over them, as if an immense weight had just been lifted. Master Bao assures them that the spirit has found peace, and that the curse has been lifted.

Back at home, the strange phenomena cease for good. The house is once again a warm and welcoming place. A relieved Jacques and Louise visit to celebrate. Léa regains her carefree spirit, and a calmer Camille decides to turn their experience into strength: she begins writing a book about their adventure, determined to pass on a story of resilience and hope.

A year later, Camille and Léa, closer than ever, live a simple but happy life, savoring every moment of their new existence, free from the shadows of the past.