The film tells about the fate of the brilliant Russian poet Alexei Koltsov, who so romantically sang the nature of Rus', the incomparable beauty of Russian women, the incomprehensible mystery of the Russian soul.

Vadik Volnov (Garik Kharlamov) dies on his own wedding of cannabis overdose and has to prove to God that he is worthy to enter Heaven. During his conversation with God's secretary, Vadik recalls numerous memorable moments of his earthly existence, such as getting drunk on cognac on his 8th birthday, service in the Soviet Army in Afghanistan, bandit showdowns in crime-ridden 1990s Russia, and, finally, meeting the love of his life.

The film starts as parody of a Soviet-era socialist realist film-making of the 1930s (The title is taken from the classic 1933 film by the Soviet filmmaker Boris Barnet, in which the beginning of the farm collectivization era is depicted.)
Peaceful life of farmers of remote Uralian village is interrupted when their former collective farm is sold. The toughest ones unite and track down the offenders one by one. Their quest for truth and justice is very violent, although almost all the violence occurs off screen, and often we are unsure of the victims fate. The movie was shot in Black and white and the music is old Soviet movie music, so it is hard to determine when the events are happening – around the WWII or maybe even today. Hence it could be interpreted as attack on modern capitalism in Russia.

After WWII, a Soviet pilot returns to civilian life and struggles in her roles as school principal and mother, and with her memories of the war.