Five-year-old Vitka and her teenage cousin Larysa yearn for a life beyond the archaic rules and confines of their small Ukrainian village. Despite her family's objections, Larysa falls in love with Scar, a handsome ex-convict. Hoping to leave the past behind, the two plot their escape. Scar agrees to take a criminal job in the city while Larysa fends off an arranged marriage and awaits his return.
