TREE OF KNOWLEDGE, THE

The story takes place in the late 1950s and follows the development of a class of intermediate school children from age 13 through 15. To present a more true-to-life picture, the film was shot during a two year period in which the children's own development unfolds before the camera. The intention is to show how the characters' emotional and physical changes occur simultaneously. The story line consists of two parallel plots, each reflecting on the other. The main character of the first plot is Niels-Ole, the most attractive boy in the class. The main character of the second plot is Elin, an otherwise popular girl whose early physical maturity makes her the object of the other girls' jealousy. The relationships within the class are complex, but a proving ground for their growth to maturity. We become involved in the intense steps up the ladder from childhood innocence to maturity. Nils Malmros is a prolific young director who has been making feature films since 1969.