The story is set in a special boarding school for boys. The headmaster is friendly and liberal, but has no real understanding of the boys, while the teachers are clumsy and hypocritical in their handling of the students. After a petty incident, the headmaster expels one of the boys, whereupon the rest of the students rebel and organise a strike.

During the rebellion, we observe Kim, the headmaster's son, who is more interested in the pupils of the boarding school than in his peer group. He is especially drawn to an attractive boy, Bo, and we see their friendship turn into love. The boys find their relationship, which would be unacceptable to adults, perfectly natural, and a source of deeply felt joy.

The film is about prejudices, suppressed emotions and the rich and nuanced emotional life of children that is mostly hidden from the adults who are in charge of them.