Still longing for love and beauty Nani Papali died at the age of twenty, leaving his diary containing the words of love he feared to speak about openly about his fellow student. In 1938 this diary was rewritten into a book, and was the first novel to deal with the subject of gay love in Slovenia. Scandalous for its day, it caused a great stir and met with considerable disapproval. The film Boys, based on this novel, depicts the intimate world of boys’ affections.

The film is a portrait of the Novak family: the results of the marriage between the farmer Novak and a townswoman of German descent, their children and their tragic fates and the life of Andrej - the Novaks' only surviving child. Andrej recalls the days of his youth and the wartime years, in which the family slowly breaks up due to different political beliefs and world-outlooks. In addition to the loss of many members of his family, Andrej must also face the fact that his father has disowned him and his girlfriend left him. Despite all, however, he keeps alive his hopes of a better future, which, to him, is embodied by the beautiful Iza.

In the revolutionary year of 1968, Stane is an active rebel student. Mojca is a freshman, has a boyfriend named Vid, whom she met at the carnival party. There she also met her later husband Stane. Vid leaves for military service, while Stane successfully avoids it. During the glorification of this event, Mojca and Stane come together intimately. Upon his return from the army, Vid discovers this love triangle. Stane and Mojca get married. The death of the child and the awareness that Stane is cheating on her, leads Mojca to divorce.

A TV journalist making a documentary in a factory finds out that the workers have been on strike and tries to analyze the strike in his film, but is thwarted by the TV company. His failure at his job is interwoven with his failed marriage.

When Dane returns from the army, Vera awaits him at the station, ready to live together with him. Yet beneath the veil of enthusiasm lies anxiety for their future. The couple sets off for the mountain village where Vera's parents live, but find life in the harsh alpine conditions too difficult. They decide to move down into the valley, where they meet a discontented couple whose marriage has been marred by an affair. Vera and Dane also encounter difficulties in their relationship, but the tragic example of the other couple helps them realize that their home lies in the place of their birth - beneath the free skies in the mountains.