Back to Normandy is a film about the passage and depths of time—both the oceanic fathoms of history, and the shallow tidal pools of an individual's life. On one level, Philibert's film offers a subtle form of autobiography, with the now-prominent director returning to the original scene where he took his first steps as a filmmaker. At the same time, Philibert also delves into the diaries of his mentor, director René Allio, outlining Allio's unusual career as a painter-turned-director and chronicling the difficult production of his most ambitious film. As Philibert gradually uncovers the inner life and motivations of Pierre Rivière's crimes, we also learn of the mysterious disappearance of the melancholy young villager who played him, Claude Hébert. The story of Hébert's strange fate provides a haunting parallel to the original events from nearly two centuries ago.