The screen adaptation of the novel "Abai" by Mukhtar Auezov recreates the story of prominent Kazakh poet and philosopher Abay Kunanbayev. The famous Kazakh poet became friends with the Russian exile, scientist Nifont Dolgopolov. Under the influence of their growing friendship, Abai formed some of his academic ideas and principles.

The film tells about the life and work of the famous singer of the Kazakh people akyn Dzhambul Dzhabayev.

Aldar Kose is not a name, but a nickname. Aldar means deceiver, Kos - beardless. And what was the name of this man in fact, and whether he lived at all, no one will say for sure. But in every Kazakh village, in every yurt in the mountainous Dzhailau, they talk about Aldar Kos as their good friend. He tells about him in different ways, but everything converges on the fact that he was poor and kind, hated the oppressors of the people, fought against injustice and helped the offended... Like a tumbleweed bush, Aldar Koshe, who was forever wandering through the boundless Kazakh steppes, once met a beautiful woman and fell in love with her. But the girl loves another — a brave, honest and kind poor man, herding the herds of a rich man.

The first years of Soviet power. The rich Aktanbai decides to steal his flocks abroad. However, only the shepherd Malbagar knows the secret paths in the mountains. Therefore, Aktanbai, giving the orphan girl Nurzhamal to Malbagar as a wife, demands to indicate the way through the mountains for this. On the way to the border, Malbagar, heeding the requests of Nurzhamal, who did not want to be his wife, helps the girl escape from the camp of Aktanbai. Years pass. Nurzhamal, after graduating from medical school, returns to his native village...

A family of collective farmers arrives in Kazakhstan. The husband, who had persuaded his wife to come in search of an easier life, is frightened by the very first difficulties and goes back home. But the woman stays, because she has fallen in love with a local man. There are no optimistic declarations—only a timid hope that she will take root in this new place, together with the birch trees she planted near the house.

High in the mountains of the Trans-Ili Alatau there is an experimental station of the Kazakh Institute of Animal Husbandry. A young scientist, Jacques Dosanov (Shaken Aimanov), is working on breeding a new breed of sheep, trying to cross a merino sheep and a wild argali ram. With great difficulty, he manages to catch argali in the mountains. Datsanov and his assistant Saule take care of five sheep fertilized by a wild ram. But in difficult mountain conditions, four queens died, and the only lamb born from the fifth sheep was killed by an accidental shot by a hunter. However, Hasanov does not give up. He undertakes to repeat his experience, this time on an immeasurably large scale. A few years later, the scientist managed to grow a whole flock of archaromerinos.

After several days of the offensive, the Red Army detachment settles down to rest. At a halt, the warrior Kuregen tells his comrades-in-arms the story of the feat of the legendary Kazakh batyr Tolagai, who sacrificed his life for the people's good a thousand years ago.

Ichthyologist Tonya Tikhonova and the chief engineer of the fishery plant, Ryazanov, are heading to the fishing seiner "Squall" (Shkval). Tonya loves Ryazanov, and this love frightens her. Ryazanov is also the object of affection of Panna, the wife of Ermak, the captain of the seiner. "Squall" is on course for Krutaya Bay — promising a good catch. Ryazanov and Panna go to the bay to check the composition of the plankton.

At the collective farm’s animal-breeding station, the young naturalists lose a fox named Serebryanka, which has run away. The children ask an old hunter, Mukhtar-aga, to catch the fox with the help of a golden eagle. The hunter agrees. In the duel with the fox, however, the eagle is defeated. Mukhtar-aga is distressed: the bird is no longer fit for hunting. Then the children decide to catch a young eaglet and give it to Mukhtar-aga. Khasen and Sasha set off for the mountains…