After the death of their father, 18-year-old Helene Raupe (“coccoon”) and her younger sister Asta come under the guardianship of the youth welfare office in East Berlin. Helene fails miserably as a fishmonger, fashion assistant and bus conductor, all jobs ordained for her by the authorities. The young woman really only “emerges” in her fantasies, where she can escape from her dull, normal life.

Melania Jakubisková
as Helene

Christa Heiser
as Asta

Carola Braunbock
as Tante

Milan Sládek
as Pantomime

Herwart Grosse
as Kubinke, Busfahrer

Rolf Hoppe
as Himmelblau

Lissy Tempelhof
as Frau Fertig

Irene Korb
as Leiterin des Exquisit

Heinz-Jörg Herrmann
as Boxer

Freimut Götsch
as Freund des Boxers