Elisabeth’s musical talent is her only outlet for expression, highlighting her maturity beyond her years—the "woman" within the child.

The film stars as Elisabeth, a 16-year-old girl navigating the stormy passage into womanhood. The title is literal: Elisabeth is a "child-woman," possessing the body of an adult but the emotional fracturing of a traumatized adolescent. The narrative takes a deeply controversial turn when she meets an older man (played by Klaus Kinski’s frequent collaborator, Pierre Santini ).

François immediately realizes the gravity of what has happened. He does not stay to comfort her; he retreats into guilt, realizing he has corrupted the very innocence that drew him to her.