Ten-year-old Emil lives with his mother in a rented flat in an unnamed
city.
Although she works hard, as a single mother she can barely making ends
meet. Emil has a condition affecting the growth of his legs and his
mother is desperately trying to give him all the love and acceptance he
needs. Emil also displays selective mutism: he boy talks to some people
normally while with others is fully or partially mute. His uncle Jakov
thinks that everything to do with Emil is about intimacy and trust and
searches for a way to get close to him.
The drama of this special boy is based precisely on the relationship
that each character has towards Emil's special needs - and those
relationships are polarizing and motivated by varying social,
psychological, religious and personal beliefs.