Jussi Koskela clears a plot of land for his family in the village of Pentinkulma in southern Häme. His son Akseli joins the Red Guard and takes part in the Civil War of 1918, at the end of which he is imprisoned. After his release, Akseli returns to Pentinkulma and tries to raise his family with his wife Elina, as well as acquire more land for his croft in a politically hostile environment. The Winter War and Continuation War take a heavy toll on the Koskela family, but despite this, life goes on.

Täällä Pohjantähden alla is based on the book with the same title. It is a story of the little village. The movie starts in the 1890's and it ends to the Finnish civil war in 1918. Story concentrates around a tenant farmer family, although it gives us a good look at the society at whole. While the class struggle depends, people of the village are driven to bloody civil war.

A former Red Rebellion leader returns home after being imprisoned for his participation in the Finnish Civil War, but soon finds out that wartime mindsets still linger in the heads of people.

Olli Ruusunen attended a special training course in the US, where his brain capacity has been developed to the extreme.

Mikko's wife and children have moved in with another man. Unhappy Mikko unexpectedly receives a letter from his old friend Aki. Aki invites Mikko to join him in Haaravaara for a hunting trip. The hunting trip turns into a meeting between two very unhappy men after many years apart.