The story of this film takes place in a small village near the Barents Sea, but it could also happen in any country where the interests of individuals conflict with the interests of the regime and it is clear in advance who will win the battle. The greedy mayor has set his sights on the house where Nikolai's family lives and wants to occupy the land for free - in fact, he has taken it by force. The mayor is rude and has everything under his control, from the police station to the courts, and he knows how to tame the disobedient.