1942년 늦은 봄, 제2차 세계대전이 극에 치달을 무렵 전선과는 다소 멀리 떨어진 한적한 곳에 있는 소련 여군 대공포부대 지역에 독일군 무장친위대가 소련의 주요 보급로인 키로프 철로와 백해-발트 운하를 폭파하기 위해 침투를 시작한다. 바스코프 상사는 총조차 제대로 쏴본 적 없는 5명의 여자 대공포부대원을 데리고 나치의 계획을 저지하기 위해 나선다. 하지만 2명으로만 알았던 독일군의 숫자가 16명인 것으로 드러나면서 바스코프와 여자 부대원들은 당혹감을 감추지 못하는데...
The story about a very small god-forgotten village in Siberia reflects the history of Russia from the beginning of the century till early 80s. Three generations try to find the land of happiness and to give it to the people. One builds the road through taiga to the star over horizon, the second 'build communism' and the third searches for oil. The oil is found but the destruction of the old cemetry and everything the people of the village cared for followed to get the 'black treasure' of Siberia.
Grusha's (Lidiya Fedoseyeva-Shukshina) husband has left her and she is now a single parent to her adolescent son Vitya (Vladimir Naumenko). Her brother Nikolay (Mikhail Ulyanov) is determined to hook her up with his friend Vladimir (the film's co-director Stanislav Lyubshin). For Grusha and Vladimir to have privacy to build up their relationship, Nikolay decides his nephew Vitya needs to stay out of the way, so he urges Vitya to come live with his family for a while. However, Grusha's not so sure about the arrangement. Based on a play by Vasiliy Shukshin.
