With WWI finally ending in 1918, Croatian journalist Kresimir Horvat travels from Zagreb to his village of Vucjak in Zagorje and becomes a witness of history as Austria-Hungarian Empire dissolves.

A theater premiere of Timon of Athens ends with a rapturous applause from the audience, and Boris, the lead actor (Boris Buzančić), is congratulated for having played the role of his lifetime. Encouraged by the sense of his own worth, he starts a romantic affair with a prompter, spurring gossip in the theater. The ensemble embarks on a tour, but as their performances achieve more success, Boris is becoming less liked among his colleagues, and he begins to experience the fate of the character he is playing...