The plot focuses on 13-year-old Rynn Jacobs ( Foster ) , a child whose absent poet father and secretive behaviours prod the suspicions of her conservative small-town Maine neighbours . The adaptation , originally intended as a play , was filmed in Quebec on a small budget . The production later became the subject of controversy over reports that Foster had conflicts with producers over the filming and inclusion of a nude scene , though a body double had been utilized . After a screening at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival , a court challenge was launched regarding distribution , and a general release followed in 1977
1976 Cannes Film Festival
1976 Cannes Film Festival
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane