Tornedalen, in the far North of Sweden. It’s 1952. 9-year-old Elina lives in a cabin together with her widowed mother and two smaller siblings. Elina’s dad is dead, and in her grief over losing him, Elina finds comfort in visiting a dangerous area of swampland where she seems to be able to feel a connection with him. When Elina returns to school after a period of illness, she ends up on a collision course with
her new teacher, Tora Holm. Elina protests loudly when she perceives that the teacher has treated one of her classmates unfairly, and she’s punished by being treated as if she were thin air. Even though everyone sees what’s going on, there’s initially no one who’s prepared to stick up for her.