3. Dancer in the Dark

This film is a plain but grand musical drama as well as a reflection on belief. The music in the motion picture is largely sung by the protagonist with neither a splendid background or pretty face, nor with beautiful tunes and dazzling dances. What movie-goers see on the screen is only the hero singing a song that consummates his life.

Selma Jeskova is an immigrant from East Europe living in America, who works in a factory. She is a sweet and naive person who loves musicals. She has a degenerative disease and is becoming blind. She works hard, including in the night shift, to save all the money she can get to pay for her son Gene’s eye surgery when he he turns thirteen. Her sources of entertainment include the theater, where she rehearses 'The Sound of Music' at night, and going to the movie theater with her best friend and colleague Kathy. Selma lives in a trailer rented by Bill Houston and his wife Linda. Bill is a police officer, who spends more than he earns, to satisfy the requests of his beloved wife. One day, Bill finds where Selma keeps her money and steals it. A tragedy happens when she tries to get her money back.