Post‐war 1950s, Kazakhstan. Captain Talgat, whose life revolves around his work as a police officer, is preparing to capture a smuggling gang. Unexpectedly, the confrontation with the gang leads to a catastrophe. Talgat narrowly survives a train explosion and becomes an unwilling witness and indirect cause of the death of his only close friend, Bakhytzhan, whom he failed to save. From that moment, Talgat’s life falls apart. He is accused of colluding with the gang, organizing the train explosion, and causing multiple deaths. Though innocent, he cannot prove it. Grief over the loss of his friend and the weight of guilt drive him into seclusion. He retreats to a remote mountain village, hiding from the outside world in an old rural hospital. There, Talgat witnesses the mysterious death of a young shepherd named Rakhim. As Rakhim dies, he mutters that the murderer is nearby, his gaze fixing on Rysbek, a one-­‐legged alcoholic who is immediately arrested.