Alexia, a strong-willed, idealistic woman, arrives as a trainee nurse in the closed ward of a psychiatric hospital, and meets Joëlle, the head nurse, who teaches her the job. Alexia is touched by the anger of Mila, a 20-year-old patient who thinks she has no business being there. Despite Joëlle's warnings about keeping her distance from patients, Alexia gets close to Mila and puts all her energy into trying to get her out.