Fatma is around 50, a housewife with six children. She lives in Vienna but grew up in Turkey and clings stubbornly to the traditions and values of the old country. Ayse is 19, and the film begins with her wedding in rural Turkey, to Fatma’s son Hasan. However, when the family takes Ayse to Vienna this is revealed as a charade, for Ayse is to be the kuma (second wife) of Fatma’s husband Mustafa.

The siblings Bebe and Mikhail leave their country of Moldova to apply for asylum in Germany. Their flight turns into a modern odyssey.

The twelve-year old immigrant Veysel and his family have a hard time to become integrated into Austrian life. They have more and more inner family-oriented problems. Veysel's neighbour Cem teaches him how to pronounce a poem in German for school. At the time when Veysel wants to take the courage to recite it to his secret love Ana, the immigration police disrupts his plans.