Even after retracting her statement, a little girl ruins the life of a teacher after accusing him of abusing her.

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Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen) has worked at a kindergarten since the school where he taught was closed. Freshly divorced, he tries to get better custody of his son. As his life slowly gets back to normal, his best friend's little girl ruins everything. Hurt because he rejected her hugs, she accuses him of abuse. The small town where he lives goes crazy as he's put on trial throughout the neighborhood. Suspended from work, misunderstood by his new girlfriend and rejected by almost everyone, Lucas founders. Although the girl recants, the damage is done: he is guilty in the eyes of those in the region...

After his award-winning Festen, in which a family celebration turned ugly, Thomas Vinterberg presents a look at human nature that is far from positive through the actions of one small village filled with people who are clannish, fearful and violent, but when Christmas comes around, ready to hand out pardons. Filmed with a focus on esthetics until the end, this descent into hell sees a cute little blonde girl in a knitted sweater ruining a strapping man's life: without uttering more than three words. Icy.