影片讲述一个年轻母亲海伦（安妮塔·库斯克思娃-博克思娃 Anita Kuskowska-Borkowska饰）带着三个年幼的孩子艰难生活的心酸故事。她的丈夫安东尼（詹纽思·潘纳西兹Janusz Panasewicz饰）经常扔下他们母女不管。害怕被丈夫遗弃的海伦，被迫杀死了自己的第四个孩子，海伦落下自责和痛苦的泪水，一无所有。波兰女导演用极为优美的光影和画面，向我们讲述这个悲惨的故事，配以浪漫的钢琴、竖琴和很多管弦乐团作为背景音乐，从美学角度将片中人物的痛苦美化了，从而引起强烈的争论和讨论。
电影荣获1999年布鲁塞尔电影节最佳女演员奖、波兰电影奖最佳导演奖等数十奖项。

A doctor, though not having finished his studies, earns a living providing medical advice. A former nurse enters the stage, saying she hears voices from "the other world". At first, they can exploit gullible victims without problems, but soon the authorities begin showing in these quacks.

All the ambiance of an old-fashioned circus comes across with great clarity in this otherwise routine psychological tale about a mean-spirited mime and his effects on his colleagues. The small, traveling circus has been sliding downhill for awhile, and unless some new life is infused into its acts, its future does not look very rosy. Into this precarious situation comes a new mime with the uncanny ability to sap the confidence of his fellow performers. If he continues for long in this vein, no one will be able to believe they have any talent left at all.