Five stories all related to alcohol and it's affectation on people lives.

In 1930s Poland Christian boy Ivan goes to live with a Jewish family to learn a trade. He becomes friends with Abraham, the son of the family. However, anti-Semitism is rife in their environment, and they flee to escape an upcoming conflict. Journeying together, they demonstrate their inseparability.

The young landowner Astakhov comes to check the affairs of his distant estate. He meets his neighbors and among them two young girls. The arrival of Astakhov destroys the calm of the usual estate life.

Chekist Olga Anisimova, who infiltrated the White Guard center in Harbin, and border guard Aleksei Mogilov prevent a number of provocations on the Chinese Eastern Railway, uncovering a conspiracy between the White Chinese and the White Guard center in Harbin.

A Red Army officer Polevoy possesses a navy dirk with a secret message encrypted in its handle. The second part of a message belongs to a White army officer Nikitskiy. It's up to three young friends of Polevoy to uncover the mystery.

A literary teacher Antonina Sergeevna goes to work at an elite physical and mathematical lyceum from a regular school. She is surprised to see how respectful the students are here - as to full-fledged creative personalities. Soon she begins an affair with a young school principal - a talented physicist, candidate of science. But the euphoria of the first months of communication with students is replaced by disappointment - her pets turn out to be cold, rational people, almost indifferent to the beautiful ...

Drama directed by Viktor Turov.

Based on the works of Ivan Shamyakin. The heroes of the film are representatives of the creative intelligentsia. Yesterday, their works were considered a national treasure, but now they are no longer needed. The famous writer Ivan Andreevich is forced to earn a living by selling his own books with autographs. More fortunate was his friend, the famous artist Mikhail Antonovich. All his paintings were bought by a western collector. But the banquet arranged by the artist on this occasion turned out to be completely depressing...