In 1957, Chinghiz Aitmatov, a young Kyrgyz student from the Moscow Literature Institute, destined to become one of the great writers of our time, arrives at a Kyrgyz village to receive the blessing of Sayakbay Karalayev, the famous narrator of the epic poem Manas. Looking back upon his life, Sayakbay recalls a number of historical events which took place throughout Kyrgyz and Soviet history.

A young woman named Zhyldzyz, betrayed by her family and society, decides to take revenge on those who ruined her life. But the path to revenge burns her inside, and the price of justice turns out to be too high. This is a dark story of pain, hatred, and broken destinies, where every step inevitably leads to bad consequences.