Kisses and Croissants

Seventeen-year-old Mia Jenrow, an aspiring ballet dancer from Westchester, New York, arrives at Charles de Gaulle airport after a storm-delayed flight, rushing to reach orientation for a summer intensive at the prestigious Institut de l'Opéra de Paris. At the airport she encounters Audrey Chapman, a rival dancer from Connecticut who has consistently outperformed Mia in competitions since childhood. Audrey reveals she was placed in level five, the program's highest tier, while Mia was placed in level four. They reluctantly share a taxi and discover they are also roommates.

Mia's passion for ballet is rooted in family lore. Her grandmother, Grandma Joan, has told her since childhood that their ancestor Élise Mercier was a danseuse étoile, or principal dancer, at the Paris Opera in the late 1800s and was supposedly painted by Edgar Degas. Mia's mother dismisses the legend and views ballet as a hobby, having discouraged Mia from applying to the Paris program after Mia was rejected from the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) summer intensive. Before Mia left, Grandma Joan gave her contact information for an elderly relative in France, Aunt Vivienne, and made her promise to visit.

At orientation, Myriam Ayed, the first dancer of African descent to become a principal dancer at the Paris Opera, announces that the program's final performance will be Swan Lake. Mia and her new friends learn that apprentice program directors from major companies worldwide attend the final show to scout talent, and an apprenticeship offer could launch a career.

Classes begin under the demanding Monsieur Dabrowski, the school's artistic director and maître de ballet, or lead ballet instructor. After observing Mia, he moves her to level five but requires her to obtain a white leotard from Repetto, a balletwear brand, by the next morning. Racing to the store, Mia stumbles on the school steps and meets Louis Dabrowski, Monsieur Dabrowski's son. Louis drives her across Paris on his Vespa to reach the shop before closing. Mia vents about her intimidating instructor, only for Louis to reveal that Monsieur Dabrowski is his father. Mortified, she grabs the leotards and flees.

Mia and Louis reconnect at the Musée d'Orsay during a school field trip to view the Degas collection. Over lunch, Mia confides in Louis about the family legend, and he proposes they visit Aunt Vivienne that day. Vivienne, Mia's great-great-aunt, shows her a framed sketch she claims is a genuine Degas of their ancestor. Vivienne's daughter, Madeleine, notes that an expert once examined the sketch but could not authenticate it. Mia confesses to Madeleine that the legend fuels her belief in her dream. After missing the last train back to Paris, Mia and Louis spend the night in Vivienne's guest room, and Louis admits he came to the museum specifically to see Mia.

During auditions for Swan Lake, Monsieur Dabrowski pairs Mia and Audrey and asks each to critique the other: Mia says Audrey lacks emotional connection, while Audrey says Mia has too much emotion and insufficient precision. When roles are announced, Audrey is cast as Odette, the White Swan, and Mia as Odile, the Black Swan, a technically demanding role featuring 32 fouettés, one of ballet's most difficult sequences of turns. Though initially stung that Audrey received the lead, Mia recognizes Odile as a powerful opportunity to impress the apprentice program directors.

Mia and Louis begin dating in secret while Mia hides the relationship to avoid any appearance that her casting resulted from her connection to the Dabrowski family. At a mid-program showcase, Vivienne and Madeleine attend as a surprise arranged by Louis. Vivienne gives Mia two sepia-toned photographs of Élise Mercier, one inscribed "Opéra de Paris, 2 février 1880." Mia is overwhelmed by tangible proof that her ancestor danced at the Paris Opera. Louis connects Mia with Charlotte Ravier, a Musée d'Orsay curator specializing in Impressionist art, to investigate further. That evening, Mia and Louis share their first kiss on a quiet Montmartre street.

Shortly afterward, Monsieur Dabrowski confronts Mia. He reveals he knows about her relationship with Louis, warns that Louis has pursued other ballet students before, and tells Mia she must choose between romance and her career. Devastated, Mia confronts Louis, who does not deny having had relationships with other dancers. She ends things. Mia suspects Audrey of reporting the relationship, but Audrey denies it and is genuinely shocked. Audrey reveals that her mother, a retired Bolshoi Ballet principal dancer, pressures her toward Moscow, though Audrey secretly wants ABT. They strike a deal: Audrey will coach Mia on technical precision, and Mia will help Audrey connect emotionally with her dancing.

Despite resolving to abandon the Degas quest, Mia visits Dr. Ravier and discovers that Louis contacted the curator even after their breakup to advance the investigation. Dr. Ravier narrows the search to three paintings in Paris. Mia calls Louis to apologize, and he agrees to help her view them. Over drinks, Louis explains his past relationships and confesses that his mother inadvertently revealed his relationship with Mia to his father. Mia accepts his explanation.

On their final Degas hunt, Mia and Louis view a charcoal sketch at the fashion house Givenchy depicting three dancers performing a plié, a fundamental knee-bending movement. Mia compares the sketch to the photograph of Élise and her friends and is convinced the figures match. For Mia, the family legend is confirmed. Louis tells her that her passion has inspired him to revisit his childhood love of painting.

Mia dances Odile in the Swan Lake performance with fierce precision and emotional power. Afterward, Monsieur Dabrowski expresses pride in her dancing and quietly acknowledges her relationship with Louis, telling her she stayed true to herself. That evening, Louis takes Mia to an abandoned warehouse where he reveals a mural he has painted: a 10-foot-tall depiction of Mia as Odile in arabesque, posed with one leg extended behind her, with red lips as the only color. He tells her she inspired him to paint again and is considering applying to art school in New York. They exchange declarations of love. As they ride his Vespa back toward the city, a car runs a red light and strikes them. Mia is thrown from the scooter, and everything goes black.

Mia wakes in a Paris hospital with a broken collarbone requiring months of physical therapy. She has missed her auditions with company directors, including ABT. Louis visits, battered but largely uninjured. Consumed by grief, Mia cannot look at him and turns away. Her friends visit before departing Paris. Audrey reveals she received and accepted an apprenticeship with ABT, defying her mother by turning down the Bolshoi. Though heartbroken, Mia tells Audrey she deserves it.

Mia's mother surprises her with two extra days at a luxury Paris hotel. Over lunch, she reveals that she herself auditioned for ABT, was rejected, and eventually left ballet. Her discouragement of Mia's dancing stemmed from wanting to protect her daughter from the same pain. Monsieur Dabrowski calls: ABT declined a makeup audition, but the program director from l'Institut de l'Opéra de Paris is willing to see Mia perform in New York, with the possibility of a delayed-start apprenticeship. On Mia's final afternoon, Louis appears at her hotel after spotting her Instagram post. Each had believed the other wanted no further contact after the hospital. They reunite and kiss.

In the epilogue, set months later, Mia arrives at Charles de Gaulle airport to begin her apprenticeship with l'Institut de l'Opéra de Paris, having recovered and been accepted after meeting with the program director in New York. She video-calls Audrey, who is thriving at ABT. Louis meets Mia at the airport, and Mia reflects that Paris is now home.