In early 20th-century Paris, Pablo Picasso (Omid Djalili) has already established himself in the art world, while his friend and artistic rival Amedeo Modigliani (Andy Garcia) is trying desperately to catch up. Modigliani's problems only increase when he fathers a child out of wedlock with the noblewoman Jeanne Hébuterne (Elsa Zylberstein). Now the starving artist needs to find the money to provide for his family, but relief may come in the form of the Salon des Artistes competition.