What Is Import/Export About?
The premise of Import/Export in 347 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a continent where borders are both physical lines and emotional thresholds, Olga and Pauli find themselves pulled in opposite directions by the same yearning: a chance at steadier ground and a sense of belonging. The film paints a muted, almost observational portrait of modern Europe—sharp cityscapes juxtaposed with fleeting landscapes of road and rail—while the subtle hum of everyday life underscores a deeper, restless tide of migration. Its tone is quietly urgent, a blend of realism and wistful longing that lets each lingering glance speak louder than any dialogue.
Olga is a nurse from eastern Ukraine, shouldering the weight of a fragile family and the pressures of an economy that offers little room for hope. Faced with dwindling options, she contemplates a westward journey that promises work, stability, and a future for her child. Yet every step she considers is shadowed by self‑doubt, the ache of leaving home, and the quiet fear that the promise of a new life may be as fragile as the one she’s escaping. Her inner world is a careful balance between professional dedication and the unsettling allure of an uncertain horizon.
Across the Alps, Pauli lives a modest existence in Vienna, his days structured by a security job and disciplined by martial‑arts training. A sudden loss of employment unsettles the fragile routine that has kept his relationships and finances in tentative order. Pressured by obligations to his family, he turns his gaze eastward, where the unknown offers both a potential lifeline and the echo of his own insecurities. His journey becomes a subtle examination of masculinity, responsibility, and the yearning to reclaim agency over a life that feels increasingly adrift.
The narrative follows these parallel odysseys without spelling out their destinations, allowing the audience to linger on the texture of each traveler’s doubts and hopes. Their paths, though distant, intersect in a landscape marked by bureaucracy, fleeting kindness, and the universal quest for dignity. The film holds a mirror to the emotional toll of crossing borders—real or imagined—and invites viewers to contemplate what it truly means to seek a new beginning.
What Happens in Import/Export?
The complete story of Import/Export, from the first scene to the last, in 417 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Olga is a Ukrainian nurse from Eastern Ukraine who struggles to support herself and her child. Facing financial strain, she takes a second job in internet adult entertainment to make ends meet, and eventually leaves her homeland for Vienna, Austria. In the city, she finds work as a housekeeper for a wealthy family and ends up living in their home. When the woman of the family grows suspicious of her, Olga is fired and must seek new employment. She then takes a job as a cleaner at a geriatric hospital, where life takes another turn. There, she forms a complicated bond with an elderly man named Erich, who asks her to marry him so she can gain Austrian citizenship. Olga accepts, hoping this would secure her future, but Erich dies of a heart attack before their wedding can take place.
Pauli is a young Viennese man who shares his life with his mother and his stepfather. He keeps a large dog named Caesar and trains in martial arts, which gives him a sense of discipline and purpose. He earns a living as a security guard at a shopping complex, yet loses the job after a confrontation with a rowdy group of drunken Turks who cuff him and strip him of his clothes. This incident strains his already fragile relationships; his girlfriend ends things, and Pauli also owes money to several people, including his stepfather, Michael. Michael then ropes him into a trip to Ukraine to set up video gambling machines. On the way, they pause in a sparse Romani neighborhood in Košice, Slovakia, where Pauli tries to hire a prostitute but cannot agree on a price with the pimps, who pursue him back to his van.
In Ukraine, they continue to Kyiv’s neighboring areas, arriving in Uzhhorod, where they rent a hotel room and attempt to pick up girls at a bar. When Pauli returns to the room to borrow money from Michael to settle his tab, he discovers that Michael has brought a prostitute along and forces Pauli to watch as the man humiliates her before Pauli can leave. The following day, Pauli parts ways with Michael’s company and searches for work at a local market, but finds no opportunities. The film closes with a somber image of Pauli walking along a long country road, hitchhiking and weighing whether to head back to the West or to press further into Ukraine, a moment that captures the uncertainty and tension that marks both his journey and Olga’s.
Import/Export Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Olga's financial strain and second job” to “Pauli faces an uncertain path as he hitchhikes”. 14 events name a place, across 8 locations.
- 1
Olga's financial strain and second job
Olga, a Ukrainian nurse from Eastern Ukraine, struggles to support herself and her child. Facing mounting financial pressure, she takes a second job in internet adult entertainment to make ends meet. The strain pushes her to seek opportunities abroad, ultimately leading her to Vienna.
Where:Eastern Ukraine
- 2
Olga moves to Vienna and finds housework work
Olga arrives in Vienna seeking stability for herself and her child. She finds work as a housekeeper for a wealthy family and ends up living in their home, beginning a new chapter in a foreign city.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 3
Suspicion and dismissal from the house
The lady of the house grows suspicious of Olga, and she is fired from the job. With income cut off, Olga must look for another way to support herself and her child in a new city.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 4
Olga starts work at a geriatric hospital
Olga takes a job as a cleaner at a geriatric hospital, entering a different kind of care environment. The job brings new routines and challenges, and she continues to persevere in difficult circumstances.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 5
Olga forms a bond with Erich
At the hospital, Olga forms a complicated bond with an elderly man named Erich. He asks her to marry him so that she can gain Austrian citizenship, a prospect Olga accepts hoping to secure her future.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 6
Erich dies before their wedding
Shortly after the proposal, Erich dies of a heart attack. Olga is left to confront the loss and the uncertain future that followed the hope of a new citizenship and stability.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 7
Pauli's life in Vienna and work as a security guard
In parallel to Olga's story, Pauli lives with his mother and stepfather in Vienna. He trains in martial arts and works as a security guard at a shopping complex, trying to keep his life together amid mounting pressures.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 8
Pauli loses his job after a confrontation
Pauli loses his job following a confrontation with a rowdy group of drunken Turks, who cuff him and strip him of his clothes. The incident deepens his troubles with money, relationships, and obligations to others.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 9
Michael recruits Pauli to go to Ukraine
Because Pauli owes money to various people, his stepfather Michael ropes him into a trip to Ukraine to set up video gambling machines. The plan drags Pauli into a dangerous and uncertain journey.
Where:Vienna to Ukraine
- 10
Košice detour and a failed prostitution attempt
On the way to Ukraine, Pauli and Michael pause near Košice, Slovakia, where Pauli attempts to hire a prostitute but cannot agree on a price. The pimps pursue him back to their van, adding tension to the journey.
Where:Košice, Slovakia
Show the other 4 events of Import/Export Hide the last 4 events
- 11
In Ukraine, the trip continues toward Uzhhorod
The duo continues to the Ukrainian countryside, reaching the Kyiv area’s surroundings and eventually arriving in Uzhhorod. They rent a hotel room and begin seeking opportunities to meet local women.
Where:Uzhhorod, Ukraine
- 12
Michael brings a prostitute; Pauli is forced to watch
The next day Pauli borrows money to settle his tab, only to discover that Michael has brought a prostitute along and forces Pauli to watch as the man humiliates her. Pauli leaves in disgust and frustration, realizing he cannot trust Michael.
Where:Hotel room, Ukraine
- 13
Pauli quits Michael and searches for work
Pauli parts ways with Michael's company and begins looking for work at a local market, but finds no opportunities. He remains trapped by debt and ill fortune, with his future unresolved.
Where:Ukraine
- 14
Pauli faces an uncertain path as he hitchhikes
The film closes with Pauli walking along a long country road, hitchhiking and weighing whether to head back to the West or press further into Ukraine. The moment captures the pervasive uncertainty that marks his journey as well as Olga's.
Where:Ukraine / countryside
Who Are the Main Characters in Import/Export?
7 characters, among them Olga (Ekateryna Rak), Pauli (Michael Thomas) and Paulis Stiefvater (Michael Thomas): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- O(
Olga (Ekateryna Rak)
Played by Ekateryna Rak
A Ukrainian nurse facing financial strain who takes precarious jobs to support her child. Her move to Vienna leads to domestic work, then a hospital job, and a fraught bond with an elderly man seeking citizenship. Her decisions reflect resilience amid precarious economic conditions and social barriers.
- 🧳 Immigrant
- 💼 Worker
- 🫶 Relationships
-
Pauli (Michael Thomas)
Played by Michael Thomas
A young Viennese man living with his mother and stepfather, disciplined by martial arts and a security job that is lost after a confrontation. He becomes entangled in his stepfather’s schemes in Ukraine, accumulating debt and straining his relationships while seeking a path forward.
- 🧭 Youth
- 🥋 Martial Arts
- 💰 Debt
-
Paulis Stiefvater (Michael Thomas)
Played by Michael Thomas
Pauli’s stepfather who pushes him into illegal ventures in Eastern Europe. He acts as a catalyst for Pauli’s travels and a source of pressure and manipulation, amplifying the film’s themes of risk and exploitation.
- 🧩 Manipulation
- 💼 Crime
- 💬 Power
- ES
Erich Schlager (Erich Finsches)
Played by Erich Finsches
An elderly man who asks Olga to marry him to obtain Austrian citizenship, representing a desperate bid for security and status. He dies of a heart attack before the wedding, ending that particular route to legitimacy.
- 👴 Elderly
- 🪪 Vulnerable
- 🫂 Dependency
-
Schwester Maria (Maria Hofstätter)
Played by Maria Hofstätter
A figure within the Vienna setting connected to Olga’s life, symbolizing institutional care and authority within the systems Olga encounters as she navigates employment and housing.
- 🧑⚕️ Care
- 🏥 Hospital
- 🧭 Authority
- PM
Paulis Mutter (Susanne Lothar)
Played by Susanne Lothar
Pauli’s mother, a domestic presence in his life who provides context for his behavior and the family dynamics that shape his choices and sense of security.
- 👩 Maternal
- 🏡 Home
- 🗣️ Family
- PM
Paulis Mutter (Brigitte Kren)
Played by Brigitte Kren
The other maternal figure connected to Paul, reflecting family tensions and loyalties that influence the protagonists’ decisions and sense of belonging.
- 👩 Maternal
- 🏠 Family
- 📈 Tension
Where and When Is Import/Export Set?
Import/Export is set in Vienna, Austria, Ukraine, Košice and Slovakia. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Vienna, Austria, Ukraine, Košice, Slovakia
The story unfolds across several Central European locations. Olga moves from Ukraine to Vienna, where she works as a housekeeper and later at a geriatric hospital. The narrative also visits Ukrainian border regions and Košice in Slovakia, highlighting the cross-border reality of the characters.
- 🏙️ Vienna
- 🕊️ Ukraine
- 🗺️ Europe
What Are the Themes of Import/Export?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Immigration, Exploitation and Citizenship & Belonging.
-
01
Immigration
Olga’s journey from Ukraine to Vienna is driven by economic hardship and a need to support her child. The film follows her attempts to build a future through cross-border work, exposing the precariousness of immigrant life. The setting across multiple European locales emphasizes the search for stability.
-
02
Exploitation
The narrative highlights power imbalances and vulnerability: Olga’s precarious position in a new city and Pauli’s entanglement in debt and coercive schemes. It shows how economic desperation shapes choices and relationships, often with painful consequences. The film portrays exploitation without easy solutions, underscoring emotional tolls on those involved.
-
03
Citizenship & Belonging
Olga’s attempt to marry Erich for Austrian citizenship frames a tension between legal status and human security. The characters’ journeys probe what belonging means when rights are granted on paper but elusive in daily life. Erich’s death leaves the future unresolved, heightening the film’s sense of uncertainty about security.
What Kind of Film Is Import/Export?
Bleak in tone, with slow pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bleak
- Pacing
- Slow
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bleak
A slow-paced, bleak drama that follows two desperate individuals on intersecting migratory paths, steeped in a harsh and melancholic atmosphere of economic hardship and unfulfilled hope.
- grim
- melancholic
- oppressive
- lonely
- uncertain
- harsh
- economic migration
- exploitation
- search for purpose
- cultural dislocation
Content notes: sexual content, exploitation, humiliation.
Quiz
How well do you remember Import/Export? Test yourself on the story.
