Muhammed Cherkezov

18th-century Turkmenistan. By the will of the rulers of the Khanate of Khiva, the once-blooming land was turned into a desert. In order to unite the scattered nomadic tribes and make his people independent, the elder of one of the tribes, Khodjanepes, secretly travels to St. Petersburg to seek help from Peter I. The tsar, who was interested in strengthening the southern borders, sent Prince Cherkassky's expeditionary force to Turkmenistan, but he made a grave mistake. After listening to the Khiva Khan, who had heard about Khodjanepes's visit to the Russian capital, the tsar divided the expedition into two groups, giving Khodjanepes an excellent opportunity to deal with his soldiers.

The poor peasant Artyk cannot achieve his goal: to marry his beloved, the beautiful Aina. Rich Bally has wanted her for a long time. And although Aina likes Artyk, Bally calmly waits for his hour, he knows that his opponent has nothing to pay for. But the lovers decide to escape. Bally rushes after them and drives Aina home. In order to free the girl and take revenge on Bally, Artyk and a friend join Eziz Khan, who opposes the white king. Thus begins the combat path of the poor, not yet knowing their real enemies.

The film consists of three short stories: "The Runaway Car," "Apollo's Skeleton," and "Night Show."

1920. Western countries are trying to use the Bukhara khanate — a former protectorate of tsarist Russia — to fight the Soviet regime. Arrived in Tashkent by M. V. Frunze and V. V. Kuibyshev to organize the masses to fight counter-revolutionaries and agents of foreign intelligence services.

Story of Jamal, a Turkmen woman who is left to tend to the farm when her husband goes off to fight in WW2.

The 1950s. The construction of the Karakum Canal is underway in Turkmenistan. The fate of this large construction site is closely linked to the fate of many of the film's characters: correspondent Koryshev, who reveals the lies of his colleague Zurabov's ostentatious, slanderous articles; talented young engineer Karabash, whose advanced construction methods are supported by the construction site chief Ermasov; embittered old engineer Khorev, who, out of envy for Karabash, writes denunciations to the Central Committee of the party against him and Ermasov..

Chary Kalandarov, the director of one of Turkmenistan's industrial enterprises, begins the reconstruction of his factory. His actions are supported by some and actively opposed by others. Jumaev, the head of the petrochemical industry in the republic, becomes Kalandarov's main adversary, as he is primarily concerned with meeting the plan's deadlines.