Herbert's life is seemingly uneventful, but his father's circumstances deteriorate because of his left-wing connections, until he falls ill and dies.

Set in a small town in the first decade of the century, the film is based on the autobiographical novel by Béla Balázs. The hero is ten-year-old Herbert, later a poet, whose father teaches literature at the grammar school. Herbert's life is seemingly untroubled, but his father's situation deteriorates because of his left-wing connections, he falls ill and soon dies. His mother cannot find work and they move to the capital. This is how Herbert's youth ends, and his experiences shape his world view.

Set in a small town in the first decade of the 20th century, the film is based on the autobiographical novel by Béla Balázs. Herbert Bauer (as Béla Balázs was known at the time) is a ten-year-old boy whose father teaches literature at the grammar school. Herbert's life is seemingly uneventful, but his father's circumstances deteriorate because of his left-wing connections, until he falls ill and dies. His mother can't get a job and they move to the city. This is how Herbert's youth ends, and his experiences shape his world view.—Bernardo74