A 'runaway' homeless man, once a renowned athlete, finds himself marooned in the small, snow-covered town of Zarechensk. Victor lands a job at an orphanage, where he soon meets a young teacher who becomes both a compassionate friend and the love of his life. However, fate doesn't play out simply as good or bad; it unfolds in a way that makes the hero realize one cannot run away from oneself. Consequently, it is in Zarechensk that a train carrying a film crew from the capital, on their way back to Moscow, is compelled to delay their journey for a few days. Remarkably, Zarechensk becomes the place where a director finally discovers the perfect actress for his leading role and encounters a man who has fled from her love. Meanwhile, a producer makes the ultimate decision to select this town as the filming location for her upcoming movie.

About the difficult and tragic time of collectivization - the de-collectivization. Two puppeteers go around the villages to earn bread and lodging... One night in the woods they are followed by an evil force in the form of a little boy, and in the morning the puppeteers meet the Communists, who are on their way to dispossess the wealthy land

A murderer is using every possible trick in his efforts to escape from justice. He is extremely crafty in his ways of infiltrating the government. He becomes a politician with growing status and influence and an official immunity from prosecution.

A young master, Vladimir Dubrovsky, comes to the estate to visit his father, who has long been in litigation with his neighbor, the despotic landowner Troekurov. Having seriously insulted Dubrovsky Sr., Troekurov tries to go to peace, but the proud old man is adamant.

The young landowner Astakhov comes to check the affairs of his distant estate. He meets his neighbors and among them two young girls. The arrival of Astakhov destroys the calm of the usual estate life.