Set in Norway during the 1950s, this dark comedy chronicles the coming-of-age of a rebellious daughter of a rural priest who was born and raised in a repressive tiny village. The problem is that moody Maria is terribly aware of her burgeoning sexuality. At times not succumbing to the insistent thrumming of her adolescent hormones makes life unbearable. Her only balm comes from lonely walks and her secret readings of the racy parts of the Song of Solomon in the Old Testament. The other kids sense the change in her and she's the butt of many unkind jokes and comments. One day while strolling alone through the forest, Maria encounters the church caretaker Mrs. Tunheim. Surprisingly, it is she who encourages Maria to test her sexual wings and savor life as it was meant to be enjoyed. But that for the reclusive Maria is easier said than done.~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide