The Soviet Union has collapsed. Civil and ethnic wars have broken out in Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, three republics in the Caucasus. The post-Soviet Caucasus have turned into one large conflict zone. Two radically different people with different ideals, problems, and goals are united by the conflict zone. Gogliko, a Tbilisi street boy, and Spartak, a Sukhumi sniper, are forced to solve problems of the street and problems of the state together. For one, the goal is to get back the money he lost gambling; for the other, it is to carry out a general's absurd military mission. In spite of it all, their paths cross and their lives are changed forever.

The house painter Misha lives with sense of guilt because of the death of the son. Police officers ruthlessly destroy Misha for the fact that allegedly he stores things stolen by his son. The meeting with Niko Pirosmani's drawing of "Train in Kakheti" for Misha becomes an opportunity that he will come back the past and to confess for the made mistakes concerning his son.

An American journalist and his cameraman are caught in the combat zone during the first Russian airstrikes against Georgia. Rescuing Tatia, a young Georgian schoolteacher separated from her family during the attack, the two reporters agree to help reunite her with her family in exchange for serving as their interpreter. As the three attempt to escape to safety, they witness--and document--the devastation from the full-scale crossfire and cold-blooded murder of innocent civilians.