Anne, a young woman, is married to the elderly and stern Pastor Absalon. Their loveless union is further strained by Absalon’s overbearing and suspicious mother, Merete.

When Absalon’s son, Martin—who is roughly Anne's age—returns home, he and Anne fall into a passionate and forbidden romance.

Against the backdrop of merciless witch hunts, an old woman named Marte is accused of witchcraft and eventually burned at the stake. Before her death, she reveals that Absalon saved Anne’s own mother from a similar fate to secure Anne's hand in marriage.

Haunted by guilt and the belief that she may have inherited supernatural powers, Anne's life unravels. After Absalon’s sudden death, Merete accuses her of using witchcraft to kill him. Abandoned by a guilt-stricken Martin, Anne eventually confesses to the "sin" of sorcery. Artistic Style