What Is Import-Export About?
The premise of Import-Export in 270 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a bustling neighborhood where storefronts double as cultural crossroads, daily commerce becomes a quiet dialogue between generations and continents. Immigrant families keep traditions alive behind glass doors, while the streets pulse with the hope and uncertainty of new beginnings. The atmosphere feels both intimate and restless, a place where personal histories are woven into the fabric of every transaction.
_ Jan_ is a young man whose heart is anchored to his childhood love, Jasmin. He carries the quiet determination of someone who believes that love can bridge the gaps between deeply rooted customs and modern aspirations. Driven by both affection and idealism, he sees the community’s small businesses as more than a livelihood—they are the stage upon which social change might be whispered into existence.
Jasmin stands at the edge of a promised future, her path already charted toward a cousin from Pakistan, a match arranged by family expectations. Though respectful of tradition, she feels the pull of her own desires, creating an inner tension that mirrors the larger cultural conversation around mixed‑marriage relationships. Her father, the family’s patriarch, safeguards the shop that has sustained them for years and holds the keys to both economic stability and the authority to bless or deny unions.
With a thesis on immigrant shops as his pretext, _ Jan_ takes a position in Jasmin’s father’s store, stepping into a world where business and belief intersect. His presence offers a subtle challenge to long‑standing views, hinting at conversations that could reshape loyalties and expectations. The story unfolds amid quiet negotiations, lingering glances, and the unspoken hope that understanding might grow in the spaces between the aisles.
What Happens in Import-Export?
The complete story of Import-Export, from the first scene to the last, in 345 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
Olga’s story
Olga is a Ukrainian woman from eastern Ukraine who lives with her mother and has a child. Her nursing job does not pay enough to support herself or her family, so she takes a second job in internet pornography to make ends meet. Eventually she leaves her homeland and travels to Vienna, Austria, where she finds work as a housekeeper for a wealthy family and also lives in their home. The woman in the family begins to suspect Olga of theft and fires her. Olga then finds employment as a cleaner at a geriatric hospital. There, she forms a relationship with an elderly man named Erich, who asks her to marry him so she can obtain Austrian citizenship. Olga accepts with the knowledge that this would secure her future, but Erich dies of a heart attack before they can wed.
Pauli’s path in Vienna and beyond
Pauli is a young man from Vienna who lives with his mother and his stepfather. He owns a large dog named Caeser and trains in martial arts. He works as a security guard at a shopping complex but loses his job after a confrontation with a group of drunken Turks who cuff him and strip him of his clothes. His girlfriend ends their relationship because of the dog, and Pauli finds himself in debt to several people, including his stepfather, Michael. Michael then takes him along on a job in Ukraine to set up video gambling machines. On the way, they stop at a poor Romani neighborhood in Košice, Slovakia, where Pauli tries to hire a prostitute but cannot agree on a price with the Romani pimps, who chase him back to their van. When they arrive in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, they rent a hotel room and attempt to meet girls at a local bar. The next day, Pauli leaves Michael’s company and searches for work at a local market, but is unable to find any. The final image shows him walking along a long country road, hitchhiking, either returning to the West or continuing deeper into Ukraine.
Import-Export Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Olga's precarious start: poverty drives a second job” to “Final image: Pauli hitchhikes along a country road”. 14 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Olga's precarious start: poverty drives a second job
Olga, a Ukrainian mother from eastern Ukraine, struggles to support herself and her child with a nursing salary that barely covers basics. To make ends meet, she takes a second job in internet pornography, signaling the beginning of a desperate path. Her choices set the frame for a dramatic pursuit of economic security.
Where:Eastern Ukraine
- 2
Olga moves to Vienna to work for a wealthy family
Olga leaves her homeland and travels to Vienna, Austria, seeking better opportunities. She is hired to be a housekeeper and ends up living in the family's home. The arrangement promises stability, but her status remains precarious.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 3
Fired after suspicion of theft
The wealthy family grows suspicious that Olga has stolen something and fires her from the job. She must quickly find new work and navigate a new city on her own. The dismissal marks a turn from domestic service to uncertain employment.
Where:Wealthy family home, Vienna, Austria
- 4
Starts cleaner job at a geriatric hospital
Olga begins cleaning at a geriatric hospital in Vienna, adapting to a demanding and impersonal shift. There, she forms a relationship with an elderly man named Erich who is drawn to her. The hospital setting becomes the backdrop for a complicated plan for her future.
Where:Geriatric hospital, Vienna, Austria
- 5
Erich asks Olga to marry for citizenship
Within the hospital milieu, Olga and Erich grow closer and he asks her to marry him to obtain Austrian citizenship. She weighs the proposal as a means to secure her future, not just love. Olga accepts, seeing it as a practical solution.
Where:Geriatric hospital, Vienna, Austria
- 6
Erich dies before they wed
Tragedy strikes when Erich dies of a heart attack before they can marry. Olga is left with her plans upended and the uncertain path ahead. The loss intensifies the moral and practical stakes of her decisions.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 7
Pauli loses his security job after a confrontation
Pauli, a security guard in Vienna, clashes with a group of drunken Turks who cuff him and strip him. The hostile encounter results in the loss of his job and a dented sense of stability. With finances tightening, he slides deeper into trouble.
Where:Shopping complex, Vienna, Austria
- 8
Girlfriend ends their relationship over his dog
Pauli's large dog, Caesar, creates tension with his girlfriend, who ends their relationship because of the dog. The breakup compounds his loneliness and financial strain. He finds himself more exposed to debt and pressure from others.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 9
Falls into debt to his stepfather Michael
Pauli ends up in debt to several people, including his stepfather Michael. The accumulating debts set the stage for a calculated move into a job abroad. Michael decides to involve him in a venture in Ukraine.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 10
Michael takes Pauli to Ukraine for gambling machines
Michael takes Pauli along on a job in Ukraine to set up video gambling machines. The trip marks a shift from domestic trouble to cross-border uncertainty. They travel through Košice, Slovakia, before entering Ukraine.
Where:Ukraine (on route from Slovakia)
Show the other 4 events of Import-Export Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Košice stop; failed attempt to hire prostitute
On the way, they stop in Košice, Slovakia, in a poor Romani neighborhood. Pauli tries to hire a prostitute but cannot agree on a price with the Romani pimps, who chase him back to their van. The encounter leaves him rattled and closer to the edge of his circumstances.
Where:Košice, Slovakia
- 12
Arrival in Uzhhorod; hotel stay and bar attempt
They arrive in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, rent a hotel room, and attempt to meet girls at a local bar. The effort signals a shift toward finding work and a place in this new country. The bar scene hints at the precarious social world he is entering.
Where:Uzhhorod, Ukraine
- 13
Next day Pauli seeks work at a local market
The next day Pauli leaves Michael's company and searches for work at a local market, but is unable to find any employment. His search underscores the instability he faces in a foreign land. The episode leaves him with limited options and rising desperation.
Where:Uzhhorod, Ukraine - local market
- 14
Final image: Pauli hitchhikes along a country road
The final image shows Pauli walking along a long country road, hitchhiking with uncertain prospects ahead. The scene leaves his direction ambiguous, suggesting a possibility of returning West or venturing deeper into Ukraine. The ending frames him as a man at a crossroads.
Where:Country road (unknown location)
Who Are the Main Characters in Import-Export?
4 characters, among them Olga, Pauli and Erich: who each one is and the part they play in the story.
- O
Olga
Olga is a Ukrainian woman from eastern Ukraine who struggles to support her family. She takes on multiple jobs, including internet pornography, in order to survive and eventually travels to Vienna where she works as a housekeeper and later a cleaner in a hospital, forming a relationship with an elderly man in the process.
- 🧭 Migration
- 💪 Resilience
- P
Pauli
Pauli is a young man from Vienna who lives with his mother and stepfather. He owns a large dog, trains in martial arts, loses his job after a confrontation, incurs debts, and joins a perilous job trip to Ukraine with his stepfather to set up video gambling machines, ending with him hitchhiking on a country road.
- 🧭 Migration
- 💸 Debt
- E
Erich
An elderly man who befriends Olga and asks her to marry him so she can obtain Austrian citizenship. His sudden heart attack ends the plan and highlights the fragility of the characters’ hopes.
- 💔 Heartbreak
- 🕊️ Empathy
- M
Michael
Pauli’s stepfather who accompanies him on a job through Ukraine to set up video gambling machines. He represents a pragmatic, sometimes coercive influence that pushes Pauli toward risk and debt.
- 💡 Planning
- 💪 Family dynamics
Where and When Is Import-Export Set?
Import-Export is set in Ukraine, Vienna, Košice and Uzhhorod. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Ukraine, Vienna, Košice, Uzhhorod
The story spans eastern Ukraine and Vienna, highlighting the pull of migration and the complexities of cross-border work. It travels through a Ukrainian home, a wealthy Viennese household, and a geriatric hospital, with scenes in Košice and Uzhhorod that underscore the cross-border realities of the characters. The varied settings reflect how place shapes opportunity, danger, and daily survival.
- 🗺️ Multiregional setting
- 🎭 Drama
What Are the Themes of Import-Export?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Migration, Economic Precarity and Survival.
-
01
Migration
Migration drives the plot as Olga and Pauli pursue better futures across borders. The journey exposes both vulnerability and resilience, as people navigate unfamiliar systems, languages, and social norms. Movement tests family ties, loyalty, and the meaning of home in a precarious economic landscape.
-
02
Economic Precarity
Financial insecurity pushes characters toward risky or morally ambiguous paths. Olga supplements her income through sex work to support her child, while Pauli's debt and precarious jobs push him toward unstable opportunities abroad. The film foregrounds how poverty shapes choices and risk.
-
03
Survival
Survival threads through each decision, shaping relationships and the pursuit of security. Characters form fragile bonds that can offer support or become liabilities in an environment with limited safety nets. The narrative emphasizes resilience amid isolation and uncertainty.
-
04
Identity & Belonging
The pursuit of citizenship and belonging runs alongside personal ambition. Olga's marriage plan to secure Austrian citizenship and Pauli's uncertain future path probe what home means when borders and status dictate access to opportunity. Identity becomes tied to legal status, work, and the places one can call home.
What Kind of Film Is Import-Export?
Bleak in tone, with variable pacing and a complex story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bleak
- Pacing
- Variable
- Story
- Complex
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Ambiguous
A grimly realistic and dual-narrative film that portrays the harsh desperation of economic migrants and the alienating rootlessness of a Westerner abroad, creating a heavy, unflinching atmosphere of social realism.
- gritty
- desperate
- melancholic
- alienating
- social realism
- unflinching
- economic migration
- exploitation
- cultural dislocation
- working class struggle
Content notes: sexual content, exploitation, nudity.
Quiz
How well do you remember Import-Export? Test yourself on the story.
