Based on the story of Marko Vovchok "Pavlо Chornokryl". Pavlo Chornokryl, passionate about young beauty Varka, kills his wife Anna for the opportunity to be with her mistress.

The protagonists of the film meet at the Republican Agricultural Exhibition of Advanced Practices in Kyiv. Among them is Pavel Zarechny, a talented plant breeder, passionately devoted to his work, and Timofey Khizhnyak, the director of a scientific testing station, for whom personal gain is the ultimate goal in life. Also present are Dasha, Zarechny’s lab assistant, who becomes his love, and Dyachenko, a fellow scientist whose envy of Pavel’s success leads him to forget about decency and honor...