A new foreman, Huus, arrives in a sleepy Danish village, much to the delight of the unmarried women there. However, Huus becomes very friendly with Katinka and her husband, Bai, the stationmaster. Katinka, childless and in frail health, gradually falls in love with Huus, though her husband does not seem to notice. Based on the work by Herman Bang.
A man has been in prison for sixteen years after killing of his wife. Now he seeks to create a new life, where he only finds warmth and fellowship with Turkish immigrants. He will also try to come to terms with the daughter who hates him. Denmark's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1986.