The film was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival , and received praise from the film critics. While on a summer holiday with her family in the south of France, year-old Isabelle decides to lose her virginity to a German boy named Felix.
The experience leaves her unsatisfied and dissociated. Her family and another family living in their house throw Isabelle a party when she turns Isabelle is reserved and secretive around her family, especially with her overbearing mother Sylvie, who thinks she knows what is best for Isabelle. By the autumn, she is working as a part-time prostitute. Among Isabelle's clients is a year-old man named Georges Johan Leysen , whom she likes due to fact that he is kind to her.
During one of their meetings, he dies of a heart attack while they are having sex. Isabelle tries to resuscitate him, but fails and leaves out of shock. In winter the police turn up and inform Sylvie about Isabelle being a prostitute and Georges's death. When Isabelle arrives home, Sylvie reveals that she knows everything and flies into a rage, repeatedly slapping Isabelle before apologizing and grounding her. Sylvie and Isabelle are now estranged. Isabelle has to give a statement to the police.
She says she was first approached by a man on the street to have sex for money, but found it disgusting. After seeing a report about students making money as prostitutes she set up a website, bought a second phone and went into business. As a minor she is the victim and will not be charged, but her mother will keep the money.
Sylvie takes Isabelle to see a therapist Serge Hefez to help her deal with what happened, including her guilt because she thinks she killed Georges. After Isabelle quits prostitution she lives a normal teenage life and works as a babysitter.
