What Is Little Secrets About?
The premise of Little Secrets in 311 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the gentle, sun‑dappled hills of 1960s Luxembourg, a small town breaths with the rhythm of daily routines and whispered traditions. The film opens on a world where cobblestone streets echo with the laughter of children, the clang of bicycles, and the hushed conversations of neighbors who have known each other for generations. Against this backdrop of post‑war optimism and lingering old‑world habits, the town feels both timeless and on the cusp of subtle change, its atmosphere tinged with a quiet yearning for something beyond the familiar.
Norbi, a bright‑eyed ten‑year‑old, stands at the heart of this slice of history, straddling the line between the carefree safety of childhood and the restless pull of adolescence. He delights in the simple freedoms of wandering the fields, trading jokes with friends, and listening to the stories of elders, yet an inner curiosity pushes him to test the limits of his world. The film captures his internal tug‑of‑war with a tender, almost lyrical tone, painting his everyday adventures with both wonder and a faint edge of uncertainty.
Family life for Norbi is a comforting mosaic of love, expectation, and modest routines. His parents provide a secure shelter, while his grandparents embody the town’s collective memory, reminding him of the values that have held the community together. As he begins to notice the quiet complexities hidden behind familiar faces—moments of tenderness, unspoken regrets, and the occasional hint of concealed truths—Norbi feels the first stirrings of self‑awareness, prompting him to ask the questions that every growing mind must.
The story unfolds as a quiet meditation on the universal journey from innocence to experience, set against the specific charm of mid‑century Luxembourg. Its mood balances warm nostalgia with a subtle undercurrent of anticipation, inviting viewers to share in Norbi’s earnest quest to find his place in a world that is both comforting and, ever so slightly, mysterious.
What Happens in Little Secrets?
The complete story of Little Secrets, from the first scene to the last, in 682 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Emily, Evan Rachel Wood, is a 14-year-old aspiring concert violinist in Salt Lake City. Her summer revolves around rigorous practice for a crucial audition that could secure her a spot in the local youth symphony orchestra. Beyond the strings, she runs a small, neighborhood “secret-keeping booth,” where she charges fifty cents for advice as kids lay bare their personal secrets. Yet Emily herself guards a secret of her own: she is adopted. At home, her parents are buzzing with news of a new baby on the way, a milestone that fills the house with excitement and, in Emily’s eyes, a twinge of jealousy.
Next door, 12-year-old Philip, Michael Angarano, arrives with his family. While helping unpack, he accidentally breaks a valuable chess piece and is caught trying to hide it in the garden. Emily, who likes to strike first by charging a fee to keep secrets, is quick to turn this incident into a bargaining chip: a fifty-cent payment to keep the mishap from his parents. Despite the rocky start, Philip’s curiosity about her violin performance nudges him toward her world. Emily invites him over for afternoon tea, and a shared sense of secrecy forges a tentative bond after they both confess small transgressions—two expensive china teacups broken in the same afternoon.
Philip’s older brother, 15-year-old David, David Gallagher, returns home early from tennis camp, having been involved in a car incident after alcohol was involved. Philip doesn’t see it as a big deal—he isn’t the driver and no one seems severely harmed—but the other driver was injured. In a bid to understand Emily’s deeper secrets, he trades Emily a glimpse into his own family’s life by revealing what he knows about David’s secret in exchange for learning the meaning behind her secret greeting with her best friends. Emily’s reaction is sharp and uneasy, and the tension between the siblings grows as David then tries to draw closer to Emily, while she remains guarded.
As the days unfold, David’s attempt at closeness collides with Philip’s jealousy: the younger boy begins stealing Emily’s clients to grow his own secret-keeping business. Emily, meanwhile, finds her own power strained as the advice she dispenses to others starts to blow back in unexpected and personal ways, slowly eroding her focus on the violin and threatening the audition she has worked toward all summer.
At a family moment—Emily’s mother’s baby shower—the pressure peaks. David presses for more honesty, and Emily finally reveals that she knows David’s secret. Confrontations follow: David confronts Philip, and Philip, in turn, reveals to Emily’s closest friends that she broke their secret greeting pact. After a significant heart-to-heart with her violin teacher Pauline, Emily resolves to stop keeping secrets. She climbs to retrieve her violin left on the roof, only to lose her balance and suffer a fall that lands her in the hospital and makes her miss the audition.
The turn of events becomes a turning point for the whole family. David and Philip attend the audition on Emily’s behalf, presenting a tape of her playing to the panel and securing her a place in the youth orchestra despite everything she has endured. While Emily recovers, her mother gives birth to a new sister, Grace, and Emily names her adopted status openly, explaining that her birth parents were killed by a drunk driver when she was an infant. David finally understands why Emily was so upset, promising never to violate that trust again, and he shares a poignant lesson: if you want to be close to someone, you cannot keep secrets from them.
With maturity and reconciliation, Emily and Philip reaffirm their friendship, and he helps her shut down the secret-keeping booth for good. He offers his blessing on the friendship she now shares with her brother, and the film closes with a kiss between Emily and David as they move forward together. The neighborhood scenes glow with new light as Emily receives a new violin and looks out over the street, signaling a hopeful new chapter built on honesty, connection, and the music that first drew her heart to the stage.
Little Secrets Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Emily's summer of practice and secrets” to “Ending: a new violin and renewed bond”. 14 events name a place, across 13 locations.
- 1
Emily's summer of practice and secrets
Emily spends her summer intensely practicing violin for a crucial audition with the local youth symphony in Salt Lake City. She also runs a secret-keeping booth, charging neighbors fifty cents to hear their confidences. Unbeknownst to her friends, she herself harbors the secret that she is adopted, while her parents eagerly await a new baby.
When:Summer Where:Salt Lake City
- 2
New neighbor Philip arrives and tests a secret
Philip moves in next door and, while helping unpack, breaks one of his father's chess pieces. He tries to hide it in the garden and Emily catches him, charging fifty cents to keep the secret. Their first tense interaction foreshadows a wary but growing bond, as they later inadvertently break two china teacups during afternoon tea.
When:Afternoon Where:Emily's neighborhood / next-door house
- 3
Philip's crush grows; he starts piano lessons
To impress Emily, Philip's crush deepens and he begins taking piano lessons. The gesture marks a shift from a simple neighborly incident to an effort to win her attention. Emily remains wary but intrigued by his bold moves. It hints that rivalry and affection will intersect in their story.
When:Summer Where:Neighbor's home / Emily's house
- 4
David returns home from camp with a secret
David, 15, comes home from tennis camp after an incident involving alcohol and a car accident where another driver is injured. Although not the driver, the incident reveals a heavy secret that Emily eventually learns from David. Her reaction signals the fragility of trust among the two families.
When:Evening Where:David's home / street
- 5
Emily and David connect; Philip grows jealous
Emily and David meet and are instantly drawn to each other, while Philip grows jealous of the new bond between them. In response, Philip steals Emily's clients, trying to undercut her secret-keeping booth. The tension tightens as Emily's world of secrets begins to collide with real relationships.
When:Days after Where:Emily's home / neighborhood
- 6
Emily's secrets threaten her musicianship
As the advice Emily dispenses to neighborhood kids starts backfiring, the pressure of maintaining multiple secrets weighs on her. The stress seeps into her violin practice, and her performance quality suffers. She begins to unravel under the mounting burden.
When:Over the following days Where:Emily's home / practice space
- 7
David reveals his secret to Emily at the baby shower
During her mother's baby shower, David attempts to talk to Emily and she reveals that she knows his secret. The moment marks a turning point in their fragile trust and pushes Emily toward confronting the truth behind everyone's secrets.
When:Baby shower day Where:Mother's baby shower
- 8
Confrontations escalate and secrets are exposed
David confronts Philip, and Philip retaliates by telling Emily's best friends that she broke their secret greeting pact. The breach heightens the risk of Emily losing her closest confidants and forces her to confront the consequences of secrets spoken aloud. Emily, prompted by her violin teacher Pauline, resolves to stop keeping secrets.
When:Later that day Where:Neighborhood / school
- 9
Emily climbs to retrieve her violin but falls
Following a heart-to-heart with her teacher, Emily goes to retrieve her violin left on the roof but loses her balance and falls, requiring a trip to the hospital. The fall derails her audition plans and forces a pause in her dream of joining the youth orchestra. The accident serves as a wake-up call about the burden of secrets.
When:Daytime Where:Roof / hospital
- 10
Brothers rally to save her audition
While Emily is in the hospital, David and Philip sneak away to the audition and show the panel a tape of Emily playing the violin. Their gesture demonstrates their support and belief in her talent, ultimately earning her a place in the youth orchestra. The moment reframes their relationship with Emily.
When:Later that day Where:Audition hall / hospital
Show the other 4 events of Little Secrets Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Grace is born; Emily's new sister arrives
In the hospital, Emily's mother gives birth to a baby girl named Grace. The family celebration contrasts with Emily's own misgivings about secrets, offering a new source of joy. Emily's sense of belonging begins to expand beyond the secrecy she kept.
When:Soon after the hospital stay Where:Hospital room
- 12
Emily shares her adoption secret and learns forgiveness
After her hospital release, Emily tells her friends that she is adopted and reveals the fate of her birth parents. David comes to understand why she was so upset and promises not to repeat similar mistakes. The revelation brings relief and honesty back into her friendships.
When:After discharge Where:Neighborhood / friends' hangout
- 13
Philip helps close the secret-keeping booth
Emily and Philip reaffirm their friendship, and Philip offers his blessing as she closes down her secret-keeping booth for good. Their reconciliation emphasizes trust and open communication over secrecy, reinforcing the new boundaries they've set.
When:After Grace's birth Where:Neighborhood
- 14
Ending: a new violin and renewed bond
With secrets behind them, Emily receives a new violin as a gift and looks out over the neighborhood, imagining a future where honesty governs her relationships. She and David share a kiss as their friendship grows into something more, and the brothers' support remains a steady constant. The film closes on a hopeful, interconnected note.
When:End Where:Emily's home / neighborhood
Who Are the Main Characters in Little Secrets?
3 characters, among them Emily (Evan Rachel Wood), Philip (Michael Angarano) and David (David Gallagher): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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Emily (Evan Rachel Wood)
Played by Evan Rachel Wood
Emily is a 14-year-old aspiring concert violinist living in Salt Lake City. She runs a secret-keeping booth for neighborhood kids, while hiding the fact that she is adopted. The mounting pressure from secrets and family changes threatens her focus on the violin, culminating in a hospital stay after a rooftop fall that interrupts her audition. Her arc resolves with embracing honesty and a strengthened sense of belonging.
- 🎻 Violinist
- 🗝️ Secret-keeper
- 💔 Adoption
-
Philip (Michael Angarano)
Played by Michael Angarano
Philip is a 12-year-old boy who moves in next door and quickly develops a crush on Emily. He breaks his father’s valuable chess piece and tries to hide it, later stealing Emily’s clients to boost his own secret-keeping operation. His jealousy and ambition drive conflict, but his experiences with Emily lead to growth and a realization that honesty matters in friendships.
- 🎹 Piano student
- 🗣️ Attention-seeker
- 💔 Jealousy
- D(
David (David Gallagher)
Played by David Gallagher
David is a 15-year-old brother who returns home from tennis camp after an incident involving beer and a car accident that injures another driver. He is drawn to Emily, which complicates their dynamic and tests their boundaries. He reveals his own secret to Emily, helps support her decision to stop keeping secrets, and ultimately helps secure her place in the youth orchestra by sharing a tape of her playing.
- 🎾 Tennis-player
- 🛡️ Protective
- 🌟 Reconciliation
Where and When Is Little Secrets Set?
Little Secrets is set in Salt Lake City and Utah (Early 2000s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Early 2000s
The events unfold in a contemporary suburban setting, emphasizing school, family gatherings, and neighborhood interactions. The time period shapes how secrets travel among friends and family, including the secret-keeping booth and the looming audition. The era provides a realistic backdrop for the coming-of-age journey and the social dynamics at play.
Where
Salt Lake City, Utah
Set in a quiet Salt Lake City neighborhood, the film follows a teenage violinist and her neighbors through a summer of practice, secrets, and family changes. The city’s community vibe—schools, auditions, and close-knit friendships—frames the stakes and the emotional weight of adolescence. The setting emphasizes ordinary life that is touched by extraordinary personal revelations.
- 🏙️ Suburban setting
- 🎶 Music-centered community
What Are the Themes of Little Secrets?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Secrets, Family and Growth.
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01
Secrets
Secrets drive the plot and test every relationship. Emily’s secret-keeping booth and her hidden adoption create a pressure cooker of trust and doubt among friends and family. As secret after secret collides—David’s accident, Philip’s manipulation, and Emily’s own truth—the chorus of consequences grows louder. The arc culminates in choosing honesty over concealment, restoring trust and voice.
-
02
Family
Family dynamics are at the heart of the emotional drama, with Emily navigating jealousy over her parents’ excitement for a new baby. The siblings’ secrets and loyalties reveal complex bonds and competing needs for attention and belonging. Grace’s arrival reshapes the family landscape and motivates Emily to reframe her relationship with loved ones. The story suggests that honesty strengthens family ties more than secret-keeping ever could.
-
03
Growth
The film chronicles personal growth as characters face the consequences of their choices. Emily learns that truth-telling and vulnerability build stronger connections than secrecy and manipulation. Philip and David confront their own insecurities, leading to healthier dynamics with Emily and among themselves. By the end, honesty, forgiveness, and mutual support help everyone move forward.
What Kind of Film Is Little Secrets?
Hopeful in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Hopeful
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A tender and introspective coming-of-age story that follows a young violinist's summer of secrets, friendship, and personal struggles, ultimately culminating in a hopeful and bittersweet resolution built on honesty.
- hopeful
- introspective
- coming of age
- melancholic
- whimsical
- tender
- secrets and lies
- family dynamics
- friendship
- jealousy
Content notes: car accident, hospitalization, underage drinking.
