This film is about a functional alcoholic, who works as a lathe operator in a factory and is mentoring a young man.

A local Romanian chieftain in 16th century Transylvania discovers a great treasure of Decebalus. He decides to send it for safekeeping in Moldavia, but he has to evade the Transylvanian prince and the king of Hungary, who get wind of it and want it for themselves.

Summer 1913, in a village near Buzăul. Ionica, the schoolteacher's son, witnesses the hard life of the poor villagers. The war is coming and his landless neighbors have to work 16 hours a day at the oil wells for miserable wages. Is there hope for them?