A lonely artist lives on the shore of a dry lake. From time to time the postman comes to him, but instead of letters he brings paintings. A powerful man takes them, giving them alcohol and food in return. The artist is trying to find out who owns the paintings.
The film tells the story of a veteran of the Russian-Turkish War who returns to his village, where his son is accused of having connections with the devil. The story tells about the confrontation between different poles of faith in the struggle for the fate of a child.
