Miss Butterfly (1966) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language

1966 · 68 mins · German

Directed by

Kurt Barthel

Starring

Carmen-Maja Antoni, Rolf Hoppe, Lissy Tempelhof, Sina Fiedler-Engel, Freimut Götsch, Carola Braunbock

After their father dies, 18‑year‑old Helene Raupe (nicknamed “cocoon”) and her sister Asta fall under the youth‑welfare office in East Berlin. Helene is pushed into jobs—fishmonger, fashion assistant, bus conductor—each assigned by the state, and she fails at every one. In her fantasies she “emerges,” escaping monotony of ordinary life.