Maria Montessori

1900, Paris. Lili d'Alengy is an admired courtesan, the darling of the Parisian elite. Every man craves her attention. But she has a secret that could immediately destroy her position. She has a daughter, Tina, who suffers from a disability. Fearful of losing her long-established reputation, she keeps Tina in the closet. But she is at an age when Lili is unable to care for her, perhaps even unwilling, and so she decides to go to Rome. Supposedly, there is a doctor there who could help Tina. On arrival, she is surprised to find that the doctor is not a man, as is common at the time, but a woman. Her name is Maria Montessori and she is developing a revolutionary method of teaching for children with severe learning disabilities. As part of the development of this method, she founds the „Casa dei Bambini“, the first school for children who need special treatment. With patience and a personal approach to each individual, with specific aids and learning through play, it achieves amazing results. But like Lili, Maria is hiding a secret. She has a child out of wedlock, which is totally unacceptable in the society of the time. She has to decide whether her school and her pupils or her own son is more important to her. The two women are united by adversity, but they also support each other, rewriting history and revolutionising education.