Once in an orphanage, nine-year-old Oraz finds a friend in the person of teacher Dovlat. In the hungry post-war years, Dovlat does everything to prevent children from suffering. One day, having caught the cook Izyumgul stealing, he brings trouble upon himself: in order to avoid being put on trial,...
In the 1920s, in Turkmenistan, Qalli-bai makes the difficult decision to join the Basmachi, leaving behind his ailing wife in the care of their daughter, Dzhamal.