What can an individual do when faced with a heartless state? Kolia (Alexey Serebryakov) lives as a simple car mechanic in the rugged, beautiful north of Russia. Together with his wife and son, he farms the patch of land on the coast of the Barents Sea that has been in his family for generations. The unspoiled, breathtaking landscape soon attracts the cunning mayor Vadim (Roman Madyanov), who tries to drive Kolia off his land with all the resources of a corrupt bureaucracy. An incriminating file brought to light by Kolia's childhood friend Dimitri is supposed to put an end to Vadim's plans of expropriation. But Vadim has enough money and powerful allies in Moscow...