Matti and Liisa are two farmers who become curious to see the first railroads in Lapinlahti, Finland.

A story about young factory worker Tuija, who has recently met an interesting young man. When the death of a friend interrupts a monotonous and carefree life, the strangest week of Tuija's life begins.

The Finnish army retreats during the war summer of 1944. Corporal Lauri Ojala is left on the wrong side of the Vuoksi River. He decides to break ranks with the army and goes home. Two months later, Ojala is forced to dig his own grave.

A story about one man's success and another's demise. Algoth Mäki, who moved to southern Finland in search of work, encounters the harsh world of gravel mining, where others succumb, but Hurme, the Sand King, continues his rise up the social ladder.