Zhenya and Boris are going through a vicious divorce marked by resentment, frustration and recriminations. Already embarking on new lives, each with a new partner, they are impatient to start again, to turn the page – even if it means threatening to abandon their 12-year-old son Alyosha. Until, after witnessing one of their fights, Alyosha disappears.
When the communist government raises food prices in 1962, the rebellious workers from the small industrial town of Novocherkassk go on strike. The massacre which then ensues is seen through the eyes of a devout party activist.
After four years in prison, Olya decides to start over. And first of all she wants to get her ten-year-old daughter back. However, the overbearing grandma isn't letting her grandchild go without a fight. The family conflict quickly gets out of control and turns into a wild chase. And it definitely won't end well for everyone.
