Neeme Järvi (Estonian pronunciation: [ˈneːme ˈjærʋi]; born June 7, 1937) is an Estonian American conductor.
Two proud fisherman families live on a very small island in Estonia. The two fishermen have always bore a grudge against each other. Their stubbornness and disobedience to German occupiers leads to dramatic events where staying alive is worse than death. Since it is impossible to escape public contempt, they have to decide how to redeem themselves.
Heino Raagen and his war comrades begin a new battle while arriving at their home village - establishing a collective farm. The sufferings and fears of the war have exhausted people; nevertheless, they still stick together and protect their close ones. Heino's girlfriend Valve hides the plans of her brother Robert hiding in the forest from him; as a result, their relationship will fall apart. Life goes on, but disappointment and anger will take their toll even when years have gone by.
The end of the Great Patriotic War. Soviet troops arrive in a city abandoned by the fascists. Two women from the operational group find shelter in a house that, apparently, had been recently occupied by a German officer. Among the abandoned belongings is a lady's pink hat. The next morning, after leaving the house, one of the women decides to return for the hat and dies: the beautiful pink hat was booby-trapped.