The main character Vorobei is a professional grave digger and alcohol addict, who runs away from hospital to dig graves instead of treating his head broken by his brother. He comes to cemetery and keeps on working, instead of his friends' advice to stay in the hospital. The world of death turns out to be surrounded by corruption, satanic money-making, cemetery mafia and lots of vodka.
Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, dos partisanos soviéticos se apartan del grupo, que está hambriento, para ir a una pequeña granja a coger provisiones. Pero, como los alemanes han llegado primero, tendrán que seguir recorriendo territorio ocupado para encontrar otro sitio donde abastecerse.
