When she discovers her students are hiding their true thoughts and feelings, Carla (Jutta Hoffmann), a young and idealistic teacher at the start of her career, goes against the routine opportunism, hypocrisy and small-mindedness all around her. Her superiors view her actions with unease, however, and eventually step in to discipline her.

This film, written by renowned author Ulrich Plenzdorf, was considered nihilistic, skeptical and hostile by officials. It became one of the dozen East German films banned in 1965-66. Only in 1990, after the fall of the Wall, was Carla finally screened in cinemas.