Wiktor Wiarecki is an unsuccessful writer. He is also not successful in his personal life: Wiktor's marriage is in crisis, and his adult son wants nothing to do with his father. The turning point is the death of his friend Wiarecki, an outstanding writer Stefan Przewłocki. A literary widow gives Wiktor the materials for the deceased's last novel.

Włodek is a middle-aged man stuck in a dead-end job at the local library who lives with his harridan wife and critical in-laws in a small apartment. When Włodek draws the interest of a library patron, the beautiful young woman encourages him to strive for better things in his life and professional career. Together, the two take off for a three-day affair, but surprises could await Włodek upon his return home.

During a pogrom in Poland on the eve of World War I, a group of Jews seek refuge from the Cossacks. The fugitives hide out in a rural inn, terrified that they may be given away at any moment.

After completing a project, a shipbuilder grows restless and travels the country on his motorcycle. He leaves his wife as he engages in a series of drunken escapades.

A helpline dispatched saves a young woman from commiting suicide and tries to find the reason for her decision.

A violinist in a provincial Polish orchestra, whose husband is the director of the ensemble, on a visit to the US ties up with the world- renowned symphony conductor. As it turns out he was once in love with violinist's mother. The conductor, a slightly unstable hypochondriac, returns to Poland to lead the provincial orchestra. He also tries to revive old love affair using the violinist as a surrogate of her mother. Her husband is resentful of the conductor for both personal and professional reasons.

The movie consists of three novellas, the events of which take place during World War II. The first, "White Daisies", tells how a Polish priest saves a Jewish boy who survived a mass shooting. Another movie story, "Desolation," is about a ghetto boy in love who must, by all means, bring wildflowers to his beloved. The third novel, "The Cuckoo's Prediction," is about a prisoner who escapes from a POW camp. He escapes after his bunkmate tells him that he heard him speaking Yiddish in his sleep.