It is a surprising mosaic of diverse environments and a colorful animal world... A huge lake. A world unto itself. The huge Lake Balaton was formed long ago in a world of volcanoes and ice ages. The largest inland lake in Central Europe lies in the heart of Hungary, on the plains stretching east of the Alps. Fresh water flows into it via the Zala River and a number of smaller seasonal streams. These waterways carry precious cargo to the lake. Countless fish swim here to their traditional spawning grounds. The dense local vegetation is popular with herons and cormorants; they have only one concern: to collect enough material to build their nests. So many young birds grow up here that the marshes are teeming with life. Just like the entire lake and its immediate surroundings, which are truly full of natural beauty.

This lavish Soviet/Czech co-production is based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky's famous novel, The Gambler, which tells the story of a Russian living in Germany, in a gambling resort. This film is set at the turn of the century, and was filmed in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), Czechoslovakia. Played by Nikolai Burlyayev, the gambler succumbs completely to his addiction, using up every resource he has (human, spiritual and financial) in his wagering, finally becoming a rootless drifter.

This feature film based on the events of 1938 is a chronicle of the futile efforts of the Czechoslovak president Edvard Benes (Jirí Pleskot), politicians and ordinary citizens, to save the independence and the territorial integrity of the state from the advance of Hitler's Germany. On the 29th of March 1938 the leader of the Sudeten Germans Henlein (Werner Ehrlicher) has a meeting with Hitler (Gunnar Möller). Hitler orders him to intensify pressure on the Czechoslovak government. On the 24th of April in Carlsbad, the Sudetendeutsche Partei (Sudeten German Party) decides upon eight demands that are unacceptable to the Czechoslovak President, since they would ultimately lead to the break-up of the Republic. Benes still shows a certain willingness to negotiate, and Henlein resents this. The Germans are determined to make further negotiations impossible through incidents and violence.