in 1958, anna jurin accepts a job as a housekeeper of saint ange, a rusty and isolated orphanage located in the french alps and owned by madam francard. the last batch of children have been sent elsewhere shortly after the mysterious death of a boy in the bathroom, which tarnishes the orphanage's reputation and threatens its closure. other than anna, the orphanage is now populated by only two people: the long-time cook helenka and an adult orphan, judith, who suffers from a mental disability and claims that there are other, unseen, children in the location.