Antonina, an artist from Saint Petersburg, follows her husband, a political prisoner, to the deep north province of Russia. As she starts teaching art in a local school, she finds herself opposed by a twelve-year-old boy, Misha, whose brother is a feared local gang leader.
Maria, a wife of a deputy commander of a military base, begins a relationship with another officer, Their affair quickly spirals out of control, fatally and irreversibly changing the course of Maria's and her family's life.
Maria lives at the military base, desperate to move back to the city. Her husband does not seem to share Maria's dream of getting their own apartment. Maria decides to accept the offer of an officer who is to be transferred in a few days.
