Soviet Georgian film by Eldar Shengelaia. Based on short story by D. Kldiashvili

After the death of his wife, the skilled horseman Alkha Chamba found himself abandoned with his children. Seeking solace, he moved to the city. The proud old man grappled with the emptiness of his yard and gate. Determined to give his grandson a better life, he decided to return him to the village. This way, the boy could grow up in his family, learning the traditions and becoming a worthy successor as a brave rider. Especially since the boy had been raised in a boarding school after his parents’ divorce.

Instead of going to the front, where he had decided to go after his father’s death, Giga Betaneli ends up at a defence factory in Donbass. His fiancée Nana, who had not received any letters from him, believed he had died. Several years later, Betaneli returned and started working at a metallurgical plant. To his surprise, he discovered that Nana had married his new friend Tamaz. Devastated by the news, Giga realised that nothing could be changed.

The film tells about the battles of the young patriots left in Simferopol occupied by the fascists and the heroic death of the Georgian girl, Zoya Rukhadze. After a number of successful operations, the fascists search and arrest everyone named Zoya. According to the decision of the illegal center, Zoya has to leave the city, but she cannot come to terms with the idea that innocent girls are being tortured by the Gestapo because of her.