Set in an unspecified country and an unspecified time period, the film follows a communist intelectual who, after travelling the world for many decades, decides to return and settle down to the place he grew up in, a small coastal village seemingly forgotten by time itself. With him, he brings news of the dawn of a new world on the horizon, with which he wishes to connect with through constructing a modern highway. This news is welcomed in the village, however, the construction of the road begins to bring out violent conflicts, reveals forbidden romances and ends up regressing the community even further into the darkness from which it wanted to escape.

A young boy, Ive, and his friends set sail on the sea in order to try and repay his father's debts. They name their boat "Sinji galeb". Soon, the pirate Lorenco and his gang notice the children on their boat.

The year is 1940, Croatian coast, Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Jakov, a poor peasant from hinterland, and his daughter Mala, go to the city, trying to find a job to repay a debt...

A group of old sailors demonstrate the Splendid sailing boat's qualities in comparison with dangerous steam boats whose number has increased and put their jobs at risk. One stormy night they refuse the steamer's help and are prepared for the worst. But they find a little boy on their boat and this persuades them to fight for their lives.

The story about colonization of poor Dalmatian peasants to the fertile Pannonian plain shortly after WWII.