Adaptation of a theatre drama by the Danish author Leck Fischer. 18-year-old Nelly grows up in a provincial town under the devoted care of her piano teacher, Ingeborg. Their tranquil life is turned upside down with the sudden appearance of Nelly’s biological mother, Jenny, who runs a successful beauty parlour in Stockholm. She takes Nelly to the big city, where she faces the harsh and twisted world of adults and experiences a failed love. The screenplay was written by the then 27-year-old Ingmar Bergman, who lacked directing experience and was supported by his mentor Victor Sjöström. Some of Bergman’s later motifs are denoted here, primarily the focus on interfemale relationships, further explored in Persona and Cries and Whispers.

Subtitles: HR