A girl is found dead in a river running through Tiszaeszlár, a village in eastern Hungary. The crime is considered a ritual murder committed by the village rabbi. The trial which follows can be regarded as a clash between the antisemitism and liberal thought of the time. The film is a free adaptation of Gyula Krúdy's novel A tiszaeszlári Solymosi Eszter which itself is based on a real story. Eszter Solymosi disappeared on April 1, 1882 from Tiszaeszlár, the show-trial took place in the summer of 1883.