In a strict, Protestant village on the Swiss border in 1943, young Emma tries to secure her future by taking part in a ‘virtue contest’. Her exemplary behaviour gives her a chance to win a sum of money with which she can fund her education. When she becomes pregnant after being raped, she risks losing everything she has been working towards. The pregnancy must remain a secret to protect her reputation, whilst the boy who did this to her remains unpunished. In a village where authority and morality carry great weight (and where people are stopped and betrayed at the border), Emma discovers just how selective those rules are.

In her debut, director Marie-Elsa Sgualdo presents a historical drama about social control and moral hypocrisy. With a strong lead performance by Lila Gueneau, the film shows how resistance lies in small, almost invisible acts. Emma’s story transcends its time and demonstrates how rules can play out differently for everyone, depending on who you are.