Categories

Synopsis

Set in the years before the Second World War, the narrative centers on a hilltop portrait studio that attracts a steady stream of clients. A timid bride first visits with her spouse, habitually averting her gaze; the studio proprietor employs various gentle methods to coax a smile from her, eventually succeeding. A year later the same couple returns with their young daughter, who habitually appears sullen; once more, the owner experiments with different approaches to draw out her smile. This interaction grows into a lasting connection between the girl and the photographer, and the story follows their relationship as it unfolds over the course of years and then decades.