Luise, called Pünktchen, and Anton are closest of friends. Being the daughter of a wealthy surgeon, young Pünktchen lives in a great house. Her mother, who always travels through the world more for public relation reasons than for the social tasks she pretends to fulfill, is never available to her as a mother. Anton, son of a single and sick mother in financial trouble, does his best to help her out of it by working late. Pünktchen decides to help her only friend (as nobody else would anyway) and starts singing in public places. Trouble arises when Anton can't resist stealing a golden lighter and Pünktchen's secret life is discovered by her parents. Two troubled families finally can see the need for actions to be taken.
Acting
Elea Geissler carries the whole film on tiny shoulders.
Direction
Caroline Link never talks down to her child audience.
Writing
Blackmail plot that actually makes sense for once.
Director
Caroline Link
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Caroline Link later won the Oscar for 'Nowhere in Africa' (2001), making her one of few German women with that honor.
Based on Erich Kästner's 1931 novel, this adaptation deliberately updated the class commentary for 1990s reunification-era Germany.
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