Esen, a young man who has been expelled from his village, escapes with the daughter of one of the most powerful men in the village. Whilst being pursued, he is forced to fight for her hand in a battle that results in the destruction of a sacred totem tree. This puts the whole village in jeopardy, and it is up to Esen to redeem himself and save them all.

The year is 1993. The time of the collapse of the Soviet Union, when collective farms and state farms are disbanded, and property is subject to division and privatization. In a collective farm in Southern Kazakhstan, no one has faith that the property will be divided fairly: the leaders have long exceeded their official powers and divided the sheep among themselves. The hero of the picture would also like to receive his share in the division. As a result, after going through many difficulties, he will face a serious moral choice...