Twelve-year-old peasant girl Annuzza Burda lives with her family in a small village in Romania, at the foot of the
Carpathian Mountains. The family is composed of her father, who drinks too much; her mother, who seeks to keep the peace; her severe grandmother Bunika; her supportive older sister Kuza; and her mocking younger brother Puiu. The family makes a living from growing maize in their fields. One day when Annuzza is supposed to be looking after the hens, a buzzard attacks and kills the best laying hen. Instead of joining the other villagers at the harvest celebration, Annuzza is banished to the mountain pastures for a few days with the reclusive shepherd Drago, who warns her about life in the town. Annuzza is an excellent student, and her teacher asks her to write an essay titled 'My Dreams'. She wins a scholarship to the nearby town to attend a girls' school. Her father and grandmother do not believe she needs an education, while her mother and sister support her. Annuzza goes to the school but finds it difficult to make friends, as the other girls are very different. She meets an affluent student called Nadine, a ballet dancer, and they become good friends. Nadine assumes that Annuzza is also wealthy, and Annuzza does not want to lose the friendship so she pretends she is from a large estate in the countryside. Whenever Annuzza's mother comes to visit, after attending the market, Annuzza is embarrassed and does not want the other students to know that her mother is a peasant. Nadine introduces Annuzza to her handsome cousin Nelo, a young officer. Annuzza continues the deception about her origins. They become close, but when Nelo asks to visit her country estate, Annuzza knows she must tell them the truth. She writes down her story and gives it to Nadine and Nelo. At Easter, Annuzza makes a wish with her Easter candle that Nadine and Nelo will forgive her, but her candle blows out in the wind, leading her to believe that they will not forgive her. When she returns to the town, their friendship ebbs away. Back home, Annuzza confesses to the priest what she has done. He confers with the teacher and they ask her to stay in the village to teach in the new nursery school. Her family is overjoyed, and her father vows to stop drinking. Her village sweetheart, Marcel, is glad she has come back. Annuzza realizes that she belongs in the village. == Reception ==