The knight Johannes rides to his new lands, which the king has given him for his bravery in battle. On the way to his castle, he learns that the castle is enchanted. A ghost is said to be haunting it. No one dared to enter the castle. Even the cruel steward Rudolf, who considers himself the lord of the lands, avoids the castle. The farmers from the village help the friendly Johannes in his fight against the evil steward. And his love for the beautiful Anna gives him the strength to break the spell that lies upon the castle.

Based on an autobiographical novella by Ivan Olbracht, the film tells the story of Hanele Safarová, who grows up just after the First World War in a little Ruthenian schtetl which, in true Hassidic fashion, awaits the arrival of the Messiah. But Hanele decides to follow the Zionists instead. She moves to the city to prepare for her departure to the Promised Land, where she meets a successful businessman named Ivo Karadzic, who has renounced Judaism to become a free-thinker. Their love for each other doesn’t only drive Hanele’s parents to distraction, it also threatens to destroy the entire community in the schetl.