The story is based on Konstantine Gamsakhurdia's novel and depicts the social and political changes taking place in Soviet Georgia in the 1930s through the line of the main characters: Tarash Emkhvari and Arzakan Zvambaya.

Four sons in the Kirile family - Otar, Nodar, Make and the younger Guram. And all the brothers immediately ask permission to marry. The head of the institute's folk song branch turns to Guram for help in finding rare motives. Guram goes to his native village, where he wants to record songs performed by local elders. At the same time, he wants to marry Nelli, but his parents are against it: it seems to them that he is still too young to marry.

When Imeda’s father is killed in a blood revenge accident, the family moves him to the city where he is sheltered at his father’s friend. After fifteen year he gets back to Khevsureti. A talented painter, he spends most of his time doing sketches of nature and people. There he meets a local beauty, Mzekala and fells in love with her but finds out that Torghva is also in love with her. Enraged by Imeda’s impudence Torghva calls him for a sword fight and is killed by Imeda. To avoid another round of blood revenge, the villagers let Imeda and Mzekala out of the village but someone who wants Imeda’s blood finds it out and follows them.