A large village high in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan has become almost deserted. Not only the three old men who are protecting the empty houses, but also the young guy, a demobilized soldier, aches for him. And why don’t people return to such wonderful places where life is cleaner and healthier than in cities?..

To avoid severe punishment for desertion, a man hides in the mountains near his native village.

Aisulu Akhmatova is a renowned cotton grower, but her rising fame sparks resentment in her husband, who assaults her in the very fields where she works. With her daughter, Aisulu seeks refuge at her parents’ home, only to face judgment from those around her. Determined to rebuild her life, she takes a job at a virgin lands collective farm, where she is appointed brigade leader and entrusted with the daunting task of cultivating a barren, rocky field.

A village boy awaits his father's return from the front. Though he doesn't yet know the alphabet, he begins composing letters and enrolls in school early to learn to write. He believes the Moon Witch — a figure from a fairytale — is behind all the misfortunes of war. In his dreams, he battles her on the moon as she casts black letters — death notices — down to Earth...